Larkin Powell is director of the School of Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a professor of conservation biology and animal ecology. In recent years, he has led student research projects that documented how painted turtles living in a western Nebraska pond are affected by drought. He has worked on cheetah conservation efforts in Namibia and developed curriculum for th eRwanda Institute for Conservation Agriculture. He is interested in the history of Great Plains landscapes and how government policy has shaped them. His book, "Great Plains Birds," examines the effects of important historical milestones, such as Native American settlement, European settlement, the advent of synthesized nitrogen fertilizers, and farm mechanization, on present-day landscapes.