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Working to Keep Nevada Forever Wild
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Explore wild Nevada as a wilderness steward Events, Trips & Trainings 2/12/2012 Alamo Road Post and Cable
2/28/2012 Enclosure Ridge Fence Removal
3/10/2012 Native Planting to Protect Wildlife Habitat
Click these links to:
Something to Ponder
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Breaking News
Repurpose your old Friends' Calendars Did you know you can make beautiful cards and envelopes from old Friends of Nevada Wilderness' calendars? It is fun and easy!
All you need is some colorful paper, card stock, double-sided tape (or rubber cement), scissors and an old Friends' calendar. Click here to download the complete instructions (3.5MB PDF) Or read the instructions on Friends' blog.
* * * Wilderness Wingding Honors Volunteers and Supporters The 5th annual Wilderness Wingding, hosted by Friends of Nevada Wilderness at the Grand Sierra Resort on Friday, December 16, was certainly an event to remember. Over 275 people came out to partake in delightful nibbles donated by local businesses like Capriotti’s and The Hub Coffee Co. An awards ceremony highlighted volunteers, organizations, and corporations that played a key role during the 2011 field season. “We couldn’t have done any of this without our volunteers and supporters,” said Pat Bruce, Stewardship Program Director. “And we want to make sure to thank them.”
In 2011, volunteers worked on over 135 wilderness projects and monitoring efforts, giving 10,528 volunteer hours and donating a total of $225,000 of in-kind labor to Nevada’s wild lands.
Volunteers received bags with an assortment of goodies, including fleece gloves from the Reno Bighorns basketball team, BPA-free mugs from GSI Outdoors, and for the adults – certificates for free pints at Buckbean Brewing Company.
A special thanks to all the individuals and businesses that donated items to the silent auction and raffle - it wouldn't have been the same without all the community support. One of the most coveted items was the PhatCycle Melinda bike from Black Rock Bicycles. Black Rock Bicycles also received a special recognition award for their continued support of Friends of Nevada Wilderness and Nevada’s public lands.
The special awardees each received an appreciation certificate from Senator Harry Reid presented by Susan Lisagor from his Reno office. “What I really love about Friends of Nevada Wilderness is they do this wonderful work with such grace and humor, you’re always having a wonderful time!” she said. Special Awardees Volunteer of the Year – Scott Hall (photo above) Agency Partnership of the Year – US Fish and Wildlife Service (Desert and Sheldon Wildlife Refuges)
Agency Person of the Year – Carol Reott Hotchkiss – US Forest Service
Corporate Partner of the Year – REI Ruler of the Spooler Award – Bill James Group Partner of the Year – Nevada Outdoor School Special Recognition – Black Rock Bicycles; The Law Office of Demetras and O’Neill Blue Helmet Awardees – volunteers who attended at least three trips over the 2011 season: David Book, Elyse Briski, Don Brown, Danielle Cotte, Larry Dwyer, Matthew “Metric” Ebert, John Fiske, John and Hermi Hiatt, Dorothy Hudig, Gordon Jackson, Paul Jackson, Dylan Kuhn, Martin Mace, Barry and Kathy Morgan, Susan Murphy, Anthony Rivera, Dick Ross, Darcy Shepard, Jim Switalla, Chuck Thomas, Mike Thorson, Joe Trujillo. And a big THANK YOU to Marcial Reiley for doing such great work
as the official party photographer.
* * * Friends' 2012 Wild Nevada Calendar is here! The delightful Wild Nevada Calendar is now available for your personal enjoyment and gift-giving needs.
Check out the 2012 Wild Nevada Calendar photos. Pricing for the calendar is as follows:
Save shipping costs by picking up your calendars at 1 Booth Street, Reno.
* * * Friends wins the Partners in Conservation Award
Friends of Nevada Wilderness was awarded the prestigious Department of Interior's Partners in Conservation Award in Washington DC on Wednesday, September 21. This award was granted to Friends for on-the-ground volunteer stewardship projects that helped wildlands and wildlife habitat on both the Desert National Wildlife Refuge and BLM lands in Nevada. Accepting the award in DC were Shaaron Netherton, Jose Witt, Sheena Britschgi and our refuge partner, Angelina Yost, and BLM partner, Sendi Kalcic. Our interagency partnership in Southern Nevada is a model for the entire country, and “we are excited to be making a difference for wilderness,” says Kurt Kuznicki, Friends' Southern Nevada Director, who could not attend the ceremony because of knee surgery. We enjoyed a great reception at the beautiful Eisenhower Executive Office Building near the White House, including a cake with the Presidential seal. Following the reception, we met with Secretary of Interior, Ken Salazar, at the Interior Building for the official award program. It was an honor to be recognized nationally for all the great work that our volunteers do in Nevada. “This award is for all of you,” says Shaaron Netherton, Friends' Executive Director.
* * * National Landscape Conservation System releases 15-year management strategy In early October, the BLM rolled out a 15-year strategy to guide National Landscape Conservation System land management efforts in coming years. This system includes BLM wilderness and wilderness study areas along with other congressionally designated areas. “By continuing to collaborate and successfully develop new partnerships, the BLM can ensure that future generations of Americans have the chance to use and experience these incredible lands just as we do today,” said BLM Director Bob Abbey. The BLM plays an important role in protecting the special places where Americans hike and explore, hunt and fish, or simply get away from it all. “We recognize that the best ideas for conservation come from folks on the ground, and the NLCS strategy provides Americans with enhanced opportunities to share in the stewardship of the lands they treasure,” Abbey said. Click here to read the NLCS 15-year strategy.
* * * Working for butterflies and hikers at Griffith Peak
Jose Witt, Stewardship Coordinator, headed up the volunteer project which was a partnership with the Forest Service and other volunteer and wilderness groups. Volunteers had to hike a 3,000-foot elevation gain to the project site. Friends hired a local packer to bring up about 1,800 pounds of water, mostly, and some supplies to support the volunteers.
“The Griffith Peak trail project created a community of folks who have taken real ownership of their public lands and built something that will be there for the future,” said Kurt Kuznicki, Friends' Southern Nevada Director. “A big thanks to everyone who made this possible.”
* * * Barbed-wire miracles on the Sheldon
In a months-long project, volunteers and crew members from Friends of Nevada Wilderness and the Oregon Natural Desert Association removed over 75 miles of barbed-wire fencing from the Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge in northeastern Nevada. Friends of Nevada Wilderness hosted trips to the refuge, bringing volunteers to work with the four-person crew. Over 1,200 volunteer hours were donated to this effort.
Lucas Alvarez decided to help public lands in Nevada, coming up to spend his summer pulling out barbed-wire fence. “I like Nevada, I think Sheldon is a unique piece of Nevada,” said Lucas. Anna Breen, assistant crew leader, spent 3 months pulling and packing out fence while appreciating the wild landscape around her. The crew lived on the refuge in a stone cabin, courtesy of the USFWS, venturing out to restock every two or three weeks. “It's something different, I like the adventure of it,” Anna said. Anna also had a chance to spend her off time exploring the refuge and spent August hunting with her archery tag for an antelope. Despite three treks stalking pronghorns with her 50-pound bow, she came up empty handed. “You have to get within like 30 yards to hit it with a bow!” she reasoned.
* * * Successes along the Summit Trail in the Santa Rosa Wilderness At a mere 280,000 acres, the Santa Rosa Ranger District is the smallest on the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. But it has one of the longest and prettiest trails in the state: the Summit Trail. This trail, used by hunters, hikers, ranchers, and backpackers has trailheads bracketing the extreme north and south sides of the Santa Rosa/Paradise Peak Wilderness. Visitors who walk the trail's 32 miles will see much of what lies within this wilderness.
The Summit Trail has not seen a whole lot of maintenance the last couple of years. This year, in cooperation with the district, Friends of Nevada Wilderness set out to begin what we hope to be years of care and stewardship on this wonderful backcountry trail. So far in 2011, Friends' volunteers have cut back 12 miles of encroaching brush, fixed 3 critically-eroded areas that were hammered by this year's big winter, logged out 53 downed trees and documented campsites along the whole trail. And we are still at it: Friends has hired a small crew to continue the trail work for a few weeks — weather permitting.
* * * Friends' staff win Nevada Magazine photography prizes Congratulations to Kurt Kuznicki and Brian Beffort, both of whom work for Friends of Nevada Wilderness, for winning in Nevada Magazine's 2011 great nevada picture hunt. Nevada Magazine's photo contest is organized by tourism region within Nevada.
Brian's photo of Mill Creek in eastern Nevada took top honors for the “Nevada Silver Trails” territory.
Kurt's photo of Joshua trees somewhere in southern Nevada won top place for Nevada Magazine's “Las Vegas” territory. Kudos for jobs well done go to Kurt and Brian. They are as enthusiastic about their photography as they are about wilderness in Nevada. See all this year's winning photos at Nevada Magazine.
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Friends of Nevada Wilderness
has been successful in protecting over 3 million acres of Nevada
wilderness. Getting wilderness designated is the first step toward
long-term protection of these special areas but it's not enough.
Our wild lands need help to heal from past uses and abuses.
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Working together for butterflies and hikers, over 20 Friends
of Nevada Wilderness volunteers participated in a two-week-long trail project near
the top of Griffith Peak in the Mt. Charleston Wilderness. Friends raised money
through a generous grant from REI to reroute the trail out of important habitat
for the Mt. Charleston butterfly. This shy, blue creature is found on only a few acres,
and now it doesn't have to share them with hikers._jwitt_96d_400x267.jpg)
