About us

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission Division of State Parks is a team of innovative professionals with a love for the outdoors, a commitment to service and a shared excitement for the future.

In 2021, we will be celebrating the 100th anniversary of the agency’s first state park, Chadron State Park, and thus the establishment of the parks system. While the focus is on parks, this is a Nebraska Game and Parks Commission endeavor because park landscapes include natural resources and support services that are facilitated or managed by our partner divisions. 

The centennial committee

The centennial committee is a team of 10 dedicated to making the centennial year a success. They are:

Without the people of Nebraska and their passion for the outdoors, our parks system wouldn’t be as amazing as it is today. We hope to honor that legacy with our centennial theme: Your Memories. Your Adventures. Your Parks.”

Jim Swenson, parks division administrator

About the commission

Established by the Legislature in 1901, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission works to conserve Nebraska’s natural resources. The agency has a board of nine commissioners. Among the many duties of the Commission and staff are establishing hunting seasons and regulations for game species; managing Nebraska’s state parks, state recreation areas and other public lands; managing the fisheries at numerous public lakes across the state; helping landowners establish good conservation practices on their land; working to conserve Nebraska’s threatened and endangered species; and providing hunter and boater education, as well as other resources for those who wish to learn to enjoy the outdoors. We are committed to the idea that time spent outdoors, whether it be hunting, fishing, hiking, biking, bird-watching, canoeing, camping or one of the many other outdoor activities Nebraska has to offer, is time well spent.