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Table of Contents:
Thank You for Defending Nevada's Public Lands
These past few months have truly been a whirlwind of activity at the Nevada state legislature since anti-public lands bills have been introduced. Since then, public land users from sportsmen and women to conservationists have worked together to stand up for our public lands. Pro-public lands rallies were held, rooms in the legislature building were filled during hearings, and hundreds of e-mails and calls were sent in to legislators urging them to vote down these short-sighted measures. Here's a quick update on where the bills are currently: SJR1 - On April 21st, the Nevada State Senate passed SJR1 with a straight party line vote, 11-10.
On April 24th it was introduced into the Assembly and referred to the Assembly Legislative Operations Committee. Here are the members (all from Clark County):
Lynn Stewart (R-Henderson) - Chairman
Shelly Shelton (R-Las Vegas) - Vice-Chairman
Michele Fiore (R-Las Vegas)
Victoria Seaman (R-Las Vegas)
Glenn Trowbridge (R-Las Vegas)
John Moore (R-Las Vegas)
Elliot Anderson (D-Las Vegas)
Tyrone Thompson (D-North Las Vegas)
James Ohrenschall (D-Las Vegas)
Harvey Munford (D-Las Vegas)
If any of the above members are your Assembly member, contact them NOW to let them know that public lands matter to you and you wish for them to remain public. Find out who is your representative by clicking here.
- Also on April 21st, AB408 was heard in the State Assembly and was thankfully shot down by a vote of 8-34. This is a big win for Nevadans and thank you to all of your hard work by e-mailing and calling your representatives.
Attack on Nevada's Public Lands Moves to Congress
In a frightening next step of the continued attack on public lands, Congressman Amodei recently introduced HR1484 which would give nearly all of America's public lands within Nevada to the state for FREE. The state would be forced to sell off our wilderness study areas, wildlife habitat, mountains, and valleys in order to even afford managing what used to be our public lands. Let Congressman Amodei know that you disagree with HR1484 and want to keep Nevada's public lands PUBLIC by clicking here.For a complete list of anti-public lands legislation (and links to the full text of the bills) click here.
BLM Comment Period Closing
This upcoming Monday, April 27th, will be the last day to submit your comments to the Bureau of Land Management's Resource Management Plan for the Carson City District. We commend the BLM for recognizing so many deserving areas in Northern Nevada as having wilderness characteristics in their Preferred Alternative and we hope you join us in urging them to stick with this plan. However, we are also asking the BLM to include Petersen Mountain and Monte Cristo North, two areas that need the proper management to maintain their natural integrity. Also be sure to check out Reno Gazette Journal's recent story on Petersen Mountain here!
Updates in Wild Nevada
Call for Artists
 2014 Artown Artist, Judy Hilbish, and her painting of the Pah Rah and Virginia Ranges
We are now seeking artists to submit their work related to Nevada's wild lands or wilderness in general to be featured in our 2015 "Wild Nevada" Artown exhibit and our 2016 "Wild Nevada" calendar.
The Artown exhibit will run from July 11th to the 31st - we're seeking a variety of different art from paintings and drawings to photographs. This is a great opportunity to sell your artwork while giving back to wilderness programs throughout Nevada (20% of the proceeds will be donated to Friends of Nevada Wilderness) as well as gain immediate exposure to a wide audience. For a full list of requirements and for more information, click here.
You can also submit your photographs for our 2016 Wild Nevada calendar. We need a variety of photographs of wild places, plants, and animals, as well as folks enjoying the Nevada backcountry. For a full list of requirements and how to submit, click here.
Alternative Spring Break 2015
 Students give back to public lands during Spring Break
Thirteen students from the University of Las Vegas, six volunteers, and four high school students as part of the National Park Service's Diversity Outdoor Leadership School spent four nights and five days at the Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge for the fifth annual Alternative Spring Break. This cheerful group planted willow trees at Upper Pahranagat Lake and restored areas affected by illegal vehicle trespasses off of the main road in the Desert National Wildlife Refuge. During the evenings, the students enjoyed hearty meals, beautiful sunsets, and educational talks from various guest speakers - many of the participants noted that the event was a life changing experience. We are so thankful that we are able to provide this rewarding experience to the next generation so that they too can experience the beauty and value of public lands and the benefits of serving their community. Huge thanks to Barrick Gold for funding this year's Alternative Spring Break.
Seedling Plants Off to a Great Start!
Seedling plantings are well underway in the Santa Rosa Range with over 8,000 bitterbrush and sagebrush seedlings already in the ground. A very special thanks to our Northern Nevada volunteers for undergoing such an incredible undertaking so soon in the stewardship season (as well as braving the unpredictably chilly weather in the high altitudes).
Last weekend, volunteers also installed an "Easy Pass" along an allotment fence within the wilderness. The Easy Pass is designed to keep cattle out of the wilderness area but will still allow hikers easy access and not have to worry about opening and closing a fence.
To view all our volunteer trips' photos, click here!
Bi-State Sage-Grouse
This past Tuesday, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that it will not list the bi-state sage-grouse on the Endangered Species List as a result of proactive measures from private landowners, ranchers, and government officials. This decision is a perfect example of how collaborative efforts can drive conservation efforts in Nevada and we are hopeful these same methods can work towards protecting the greater sage-grouse and avoid a listing.
To read more, click here.
Upcoming Events
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April 25: GREENFest We are looking for volunteers interested in sharing their passion for the outdoors! Join us in a celebration of Earth day at Downtown Summerlin where we will be meeting new folks and introducing them to all we do at Friends of Nevada Wilderness. If you've never tabled before, don't worry - there are no skills necessary...just a love for the outdoors. Contact Jesy at [email protected] or RSVP by clicking here. May 2: Bridge Mountain Trail Head Makeover Join Friends of Nevada Wilderness and Friends of Red Rock Canyon as we restore vehicle incursions into Rainbow Mountain Wilderness and install new trailhead signage. Access to the trailhead will involve a 3 mile drive up a very rugged dirt road. We have 6 seats reserved to transport volunteers, but if you have a jeep or similar off-road machine and would like to drive to the trailhead, let us know! RSVP here or by e-mailing Minas at [email protected]May 7: Wild Speaker Series Join us for our monthly Wild Speaker Series, held on the first Thursday of every month. This is a great opportunity to learn about current issues in the conservation community in Southern Nevada. Held at REI Boca Park at 7pm, this month's discussion will be led by the Nevada Department of Wildlife Herpetologist Jason Jones who will talk about his research of the cryptic Gila Monster! For more information, click here. May 24: Mt. Charleston Trailhead Tabling Volunteer in the morning and still get your hike in! We'll be setting up a table in Mt. Charleston to get folks excited about what we do. For more information, click here or e-mail Grace at [email protected]. North
April 26: Reno Earth Day Help us spread the word about Friends of Nevada Wilderness at Northern Nevada's biggest environmental event of the year - Reno Earth Day. Sign up for a shift (or two) to speak with the public about the great things our volunteers accomplish in our wild areas and to promote upcoming volunteer trips! We'll be there all day to help - no prior training or experience required so come on down to see what Reno Earth Day is all about. To RSVP, click here or e-mail Shevawn at [email protected]. May 1-3: Volunteer Captain Training In the Volunteer Captain Training, you'll learn how our staff runs a a successful stewardship trip and the various skills involved. Once you've completed the training, you'll be able to lend a hand by being a lead volunteer to help with some of our stewardship events. For more information, click here.
May 8-11: High Rock Canyon Development Removal Join us for a weekend full of epic views, metal hauling, and great food as we head into High Rock Canyon and remove an old development. Work will involve hiking into the backcountry of High Rock Canyon and hauling out materials left over from a non-functioning development. Help us keep the canyon as wild as it was when John C. Fremont first mapped it in 1843. RSVP here. May 22: Black Rock Rendezvous Join Friends of Nevada Wilderness, the Bureau of Land Management, Friends of Black Rock, Nevada Outdoor School and others for a fun Memorial Day weekend exploring, protecting and celebrating the beautiful Black Rock Desert. Featured events include a stewardship project in Soldier Meadows, the great Dutch Oven Cook-off, guided tours, and incredible star-gazing. For more information and to RSVP, click here. Recurring Volunteer Opportunities: Help protect the Truckee River watershed! We have a grant through the Truckee River Fund to treat and monitor noxious weeds in the Mount Rose Wilderness throughout the months of April and June. Volunteers are welcome to join our Americorps to help with monitoring. For more information, please contact Richie at [email protected] or call the office at 775-324-7667.
For a complete list of upcoming events, click here.
Become a Member Today
"Philanthropy is the rent we pay for the joy and privilege we have for our space on this earth" - Jerold Panas
Become a member of Friends of Nevada Wilderness and support clean air and water, wildlife habitat, and opportunities for people to get out and enjoy the wonders of nature. Your generous donation will go towards getting volunteers on the ground in wilderness areas and providing critical protection for Nevada's wilderness areas. Membership levels begin at $25 per year.
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