Ranching roots and bananas: Niobrara Conservation District grows a piece of the jungle in Wyoming

Conservation districts are local units of government established under state law to carry out natural resource management programs at the local level. The Niobrara Conservation District works with landowners, counties, cities, towns and other community organizations to conserve land and water resources on private and public lands in the U.S.

Several years ago, Niobrara Conservation District Manager Lisa Shaw brought a little bit of the jungle to Wyoming.

Lisa was given a banana plant pup from her mother, who also grew bananas.

Banana plant pups are otherwise known as suckers, or offshoots, which grow from the base of the banana plant and can be transplanted to create a new banana tree.

The banana plant grew at the district office in 2020 and began producing bananas in 2021. The plant became a topic for many in the community.

Produce was sold at the local farmers’ market and was a fun project for the Niobrara Conservation District.

As the banana tree was developing, the district took pictures and sent them to the local kindergarten class so they could follow along with the tree’s development.

The banana tree was a fun project for the community and the Niobrara Conservation District.

“It ended up being a conversation piece around town,” shared Heidi Sturman, Niobrara Conservation District water technician. “It took about four years to get the pup and the tree to grow the bananas.”

The district has a few pups they are currently growing and is looking forward to growing some bananas in the near future.

Brittany Gunn is the editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.