October 4, 2018 – The fire-damaged North Fork of the Little Humboldt River was a big winner in NVEnergy’s recent Power of Good Giveaway that awarded $3,000 to Friends of Nevada Wilderness for a habitat restoration project in the sensitive riparian area.

“We’d like to thank NVEnergy for this opportunity and all of our passionate supporters for voting for our proposal to restore this beautiful area in the heart of the Wilderness Study Area,” said Shaaron Netherton, Executive Director of Friends.  “We applied for this grant with a vision that the wildlife and plant life will soon thrive once again in this special wild place.” 

The wilderness study area was hit hard by the Martin Fire that started in July north of Winnemucca and turned into the single largest fire in the state’s history. In addition to providing wildlife habitat, riparian areas play an indispensable role in the driest state in the country, providing critical protections for sources and quality of our surface waters. 

NVEnergy’s Power of Good Giveaway offered grants to services and programs that support environmental sustainability and stewardship, and foster and protect restoration of wildlife and natural resources in the utility’s service territories. The applicant with the most votes won $10,000.  Second and third place winners were awarded $3,000 and $2,000. Awards were granted in both northern and southern Nevada. Friends was one of 30 applicants in Northern Nevada.

Friends used social media, email, and old-fashioned word of mouth to ask for votes for the Little Humboldt project. “It worked!” Netherton added. “We are so grateful for everyone who saw the value of our proposal. We look forward to getting started and will be looking for volunteers who want to help with the delicate work of restoring the North Fork of the Little Humboldt. We are so grateful we’ll be able to make a difference.”

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About Friends of Nevada Wilderness

Founded in 1984, Friends of Nevada Wilderness has helped protect over 3.4 million acres of Nevada’s wild lands by leading efforts in the expansion or designation of all 70 Wilderness areas in the state. Over the past thirty-two years, the Wilderness Stewardship Volunteer Program has generated over $1,500,000 of in-kind services to benefit Nevada’s public lands. For more information, visit http://www.nevadawilderness.org/.

The North Fork of the Little Humboldt River Wilderness Study Area