The Wild & Scenic Film Fest is Coming to Las Vegas Thursday!

Come on down to the Historic 5th St. Schoolhouse for an evening of short and independent films that will inspire and entertain you. This event kicks off Friends' celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act.

Bring a friend!

Don't miss out! November 14, Wild & Scenic Film Festival, Las Vegas.
Doors open at 6pm, Historic Fifth St. Schoolhouse, Las Vegas.
For information, call (775) 324-7667 or email [email protected].

Click here to buy tickets!

Bi-State Sage-Grouse Listed as Threatened

On October 25, the US Fish & Wildlife Service announced its intent to listed the bistate population of sage-grouse as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The bistate population comprises approximately 5,000 birds in eastern California and western Nevada, between Minden and Mono Lake.

The bistate sage-grouse is a genetically distinct subpopulation of the greater sage-grouse which occupies sagebrush communities in 10 Western states, between California and the Rocky Mountains.

The Fish & Wildlife Service will decide whether to list the greater sage-grouse under protection of the Endangered Species Act in 2015, a decision that could seriously impact the rural economies and way of life in Nevada.

On November 1, the BLM released its Environmental Impact Statement for the Greater Sage-Grouse in Nevada, which focuses on specific actions for Nevada. There will be a series of public meetings, and a several-month comment period. Here are the dates and locations of the public meetings:

Dec. 3- Four Seasons Building, Modoc County Fairgrounds, 1 Center Street, Cedarville, CA
Dec. 4- Jensen Hall, Lassen County Fairgrounds, 195 Russell Ave., Susanville, CA
Dec. 5- Homewood Suites, 5450 Keitzke Ln., Reno, NV
Dec. 9- Tonopah Convention Center, 301 Brougher Ave., Tonopah, NV
Dec. 10- Bristlecone Convention Center, 150 Sixth St., Ely, NV
Dec. 11- Shilo Inn, 2401 Mountain City Hwy., Elko, NV
Dec. 12- Winnemucca Inn, 741 W. Winnemucca Blvd., Winnemucca, NV

Friends will be doing a detailed review of the EIS and will get back to you with details on how you can make a difference for sage-grouse in Nevada.

There are a number of BLM Wilderness Study Areas and Forest Service Roadless Areas located in prime sage-grouse habitat in Nevada that provide core habitat for the sage-grouse.

Friends of Nevada Wilderness encourages all concerned stakeholders in Nevada to work together to find common-sense solutions to protect and restore sage-grouse habitat in order to minimize the impact of a listing and keep this iconic Western bird with us for generations to come.

Click here for the press release on the proposed listing from the Fish & Wildlife Service.

Click here for a story in the LA Times about the proposed bistate listing.

Click here for some video and photos of sage-grouse strutting their stuff.

And for all the details of the BLM's just-released EIS on Greater sage-grouse, click here.

The 2014 Wild Nevada calendar

Click here to find out where to get yours today.

Or call (775) 324-7667, and we'll be happy to take your order over the phone.

Boots on the Ground

Loving Wild Nye County

Everyone loves new things, a new car, a new bike or new friends. We at Friends of Nevada Wilderness are very excited to have some new friends at the BLM’s Battle Mountain District Tonopah Field Office, one of the biggest BLM districts in the nation.

We have been building our partnership over the last year and we are currently working together on several projects. While we are still working on the required environmental analysis we decided it might be a good idea to start exploring the local Wilderness Study Areas and install a few signs.

Here's Sharon Marie getting a sign ready for deployment.

We had a huge response from our wonderful volunteers and we hope to get more folks out there on future projects.

We installed boundary signs along the boundary roads at Palisade Mesa. Volunteers hiked to the top of the Mesa and explored a few of the stunning canyons and springs. It was a great start to what we know will be a great relationship with our new friends at the Tonopah Field Office.

Making Friends in Las Vegas

 We have had a great time this week in Las Vegas, meeting people and sharing our love for wild places. On Saturday, we set up shop at the Harvest Fest at Tivoli Farmer's Market.

Monday, we were at the Sandstone Quarry trailhead at Red Rocks. It was a free weekend for everyone due to Veteran's Day so there were a lot of people! It was great to meet new folks and get them excited about Friends!!

Lot's of people stopped by to sign on supporting Gold Butte and other Nevada treasures. We even got a chance to say hi to Congressman Steven Horsford. Here he is with our own Shevawn Von Tobel, showing off our Gold Butte postcards.
 

6,000 Bitterbrush and Counting

On October 26, twelve hard-working volunteers planted more than 450 bitterbrush seedlings in an area that was burned in the 2012 Hanson Fire in the Santa Rosa Range.

Planting bitterbrush is an important part of fire rehabilitation; because it is native to the area, replanting it helps stabilize soil, preventing erosion and reducing the possibility of invasive and noxious weeds moving in to the area. Deer and other wildlife also use it for forage and cover.

Thank you, Arrin, for giving your time
to help wildlife in the Santa Rosa Range.

In 2013, volunteers have joined Friends of Nevada Wilderness and USFS on seven seedling plantings and have planted over 6,000 seedlings in the Santa Rosa Range to restore the areas hit hard by fires.  This work could not have been done without the generous support of the Dream Tags Charitable Fund at the Community Foundation of Western Nevada.  Thank you to all of our volunteers and partners!

Trail Crew Accomplishments

Also in the Santa Rosas, our trail crew just finished their second and final hitch of the year, working on the Summit Trail.

During this time, they cleared nearly 2 miles of trail, repaired a couple rock walls and several sections of trail that had fallen apart, and cleared more than 30 fallen trees from the trail.

Weather allowing, great hiking awaits you. Thanks to support from the Forest Service, the National Forest Foundation, and the Humboldt County Secure Rural Schools RAC for making this possible.

Here is superstar Caleb using rocks to stabilize weak sections of the trail.

Gold Butte Days

Last month, Friends had the pleasure of participating in the annual Gold Butte Days in Mesquite, NV. The street fair was full of vendors, food, cowboy poetry—even a marathon—and Friends was right in the middle of all the excitement.

Hundreds of people stopped by our booth to share why they love Gold Butte, why they think it deserves National Conservation Area status, and how an NCA can brighten the future of Mesquite. Thank you, Mesquite, for your hospitality and good times!

We fall head-over-heels in love with Gold Butte!

Want to learn more about how you can help protect Gold Butte? Please take a moment to sign our "Save Gold Butte" petition letter.

A Jewell of an Interior Secretary

You’ve probably heard that REI CEO Sally Jewell is now the Secretary of the Interior, the US department that manages the BLM, Fish & Wildlife Service and other departments. This gives her authority over more than 50 million acres in Nevada (70 percent of the state).

But what’s she like? Is she smart enough and capable enough to manage the myriad, complex issues we face managing our public lands? Decide for yourself.

On Nevada Day, Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell gave a speech at the National Press Club, outlining the Obama Administration’s position on protecting our country’s most important public lands, mitigating the impacts of industry on wildlife and natural resources, and engaging our nation’s youth in activities and careers in order to manage America’s public lands in perpetuity.

Click the video above to see Secretary Jewell in action.

North

November 15-16, Lost Fire Reseeding. Northern Nevadans, join Friends, the BLM, NDOW and Friends of the Black Rock-High Rock as we reseed native wildlife forage to help wildlands recover after last year's Lost Creek Fire, west of the Little High Rock Canyon Wilderness. Friday and Saturday, November 15-16. We'll have two caravans leaving; one Thursday, and one on Friday, coming back Saturday night. For details, click here.

December 17, Wild Winter Wingding, Reno. It's that time of year again—our annual Wilderness Wingding is just around the corner. Join Friends as we honor our outstanding volunteers. The evening will boast live music, delicious food & refreshments, and fantastic raffle and silent auction items. Please join us in thanking our volunteers for the amazing work they've accomplished this year for our wild places.

Because volunteers rule!

For a complete list of upcoming events, click here.

Donate to Keep Nevada Wild

This giving season, think about the wonderful things our beautiful Earth provides. Make a point to give something back. Donate today to support clean air and water, wildlife habitat, and opportunities for people to get out and enjoy the wonders of nature.

CLICK HERE TO DONATE TODAY

Thank you!

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