2nd Annual Sheldon Rendezvous — 2010
Friday to Sunday: June 25-27, 2010
Volunteers wanted for a weekend of fun and hard work!
Where: We will be camping at the Virgin
Valley Campground in the NE portion of the Sheldon Refuge. This site accessible
with regular passenger vehicles. Whether you get there on your own or choose to
have us help you with a carpool, let us know you will be coming. Contact Pat
Bruce at (775) 324-7667 (office), (775) 815-5598 (cell) or
email Pat.
Directions: From Winnemucca head north
on Highway 95. Turn left onto Highway 140. Travel northwest to Denio Junction
stay left and follow Highway 140 into the Sheldon Refuge. The
campground turn off is about 14 miles beyond the refuge boundary. Look for large
"opal mining" signs and go south on the gravel road about 3 miles. The
Virgin Valley Campground is past Dufurrena Ponds and the Refuge headquarters.
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Fence crew — 2009 Sheldon Rendezvous. Photo (c) Graham Stafford
Transportation: A carpool from Friends
of Nevada Wilderness' Reno office (1 Booth Street) will leave between 1-2pm on
Friday and return by 5-6pm on Sunday. Make arrangements through Pat Bruce to
participate in the carpool.
Food: Nevada Muleys will cook up hamburgers
and chorizo for dinner on Saturday night and provide box lunches for volunteers
on the Saturday work parties. Friends will provide breakfast on Saturday and Sunday
mornings. No food will be provided on Friday or after breakfast on Sunday. People
with special diet requirements should bring their own food.
Sheldon antelope. Photo (c) Julie Granata
Be Prepared: Participants should be
prepared to camp in a primitive campsite for two nights. Drinking water, cool
showers and pit toilets are available. Weather could range from snow to extreme
heat so plan accordingly. There are no services/stores/gas in Sheldon.
Denio is closest but is not always a reliable source of fuel.
Nevadans: fill up your tank in Winnemucca!
Folks should have a pack of sufficient size to carry their
lunches and water bottles, some extra clothing (rain gear/layers), snacks, and
anything needed for the day. Water will be available to re-fill bottles during
the work day. Boots, long shirt, long pants, and leather gloves are required
for safety reasons. Hats are encouraged for keeping the sun off —
remember, you will be at higher elevations and in some of the cleanest air in
the country.
Saturday work projects include:
3-to-5 fence removal crews 1-to-2 refuge boundary signing crews 1-to-2 invasive weed removal crews
Your work makes a difference
Not only does your hard work make a difference directly
on the ground by improving wildlife habitat, but it leverages even more. Last
year all your volunteer labor was used as an in-kind match for getting
spring-restoration work scheduled for 2010. At the Sheldon Rendezvous this year
your labor will provide an in-kind match for pika studies to be completed by
Oregon State University later this year. Thank you for making this happen!
Contact Pat Bruce at (775) 324-7667 (office), (775) 815-5598 (cell) or
email Pat.
Sheldon Planning Update
The Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge is getting closer
to having the next step completed in their Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP).
In June, the Refuge plans to have a document out for public review on a summary
of the actions by alternative that will be in the draft CCP. The full plan is
scheduled to be released for public comment in late summer.
Guano Rim at the Sheldon Refuge. Photo (c) Scott Smith
More info about the Sheldon:
For descriptions of the Sheldon Refuge, refer to the
USFWS website.
Friends of Nevada Wilderness has posted information on
the
Sheldon Refuge plan.
We look forward to your participation.
Sincerely,
Larry Johnson, Shaaron Netherton, John Capurro, David Von Seggern, Judi Caron, and Tina Nappe
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