*Please note: Friends of Nevada Wilderness and our partners put a great deal of time and resources into organizing volunteer projects. When you RSVP you are committing to join us on that project. We understand circumstances may arise where you need to cancel. If you can no longer attend, please cancel your RSVP as soon as possible so other volunteers can join the project.
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2024 Latino Conservation Week - Bilingual Group Hike 7 RSVPs
Saturday, September 21, 2024 at 09:00 AM
We are excited to share that we will be participating in the 2024 Latino Conservation Week!
Friends of Nevada Wilderness organizará una caminata grupal en español e ingles que comenzará en Hunter Creek Trailhead, cerca de Galena Visitors Center. ¡Hablaremos sobre Leave No Trace, Wilderness y Oportunidades de conservación en Nevada durante la caminata! Esta hermosa área a las afueras de Reno esta lleno de flores silvestres, tiene mucha sombra de los pinos y el arroyo corre con agua cristalina.
Latino Conservation Week: Disfrutando y Conservando Nuestra Tierra is an initiative of Hispanic Access Foundation. Latino Conservation Week was created to support the Latino community getting into the outdoors and participating in activities to protect our natural resources.
This year Latino Conservation Week is September 14th - 22nd the events during this week bring the Latino community together on a variety of engaging events from guided hikes and camping trips, to trash clean ups and film screenings, bringing the Latino community together to promote conservation efforts and provide an opportunity to show their support for permanently protecting out land, water, and air.
During this hike there will be educational components about Wilderness, Leave No Trace, and the benefits to stewarding these lands. It will also be a time to enjoy the beautiful landscapes we have so close to Reno and enjoy the company of other Latinos in the outdoors. This beautiful area just outside of Reno is lush with blooming wildflowers, has plenty of shade from the pines, and the creek is rushing with crystal clear water. This hike will be family friendly and guided by Meg Tait our Bilingual Stewardship Coordinator. More details below and an email will be sent out a week before the event. If you are Latino or know of Latinos who might be interested, please spread the word and let’s get everyone disfrutado y conservando nuestra tierra (to enjoy and protect out earth)!
*This event is designed to hold space for the Latino Community in the Outdoors please refrain from participating if you do not identify as Latino/a.
Information:
Difficulty: Easy: The hike is family friendly. We will be hiking no more than 2 miles with some elevation gain.
Location: Hunter Creek Trailhead (Google maps location)
Dates: Saturday, September 21st, 9 am - 12 pm
Gear/Clothing: Comfortable clothes and closed toes shoes. Bring at least 2 liters of water and sunscreen.
More Details: In-depth information such as weather will be sent to those who RSVP about 1 week before the project.
Photos from 2023 Latino Conservation Week Hike
More information on Latino Conservation Week!
RSVP is required to participate.
¡Se requiere RSVP!
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2024 National Public Lands Day 49 RSVPs
Friday, September 27, 2024 at 12:00 PM through September 29, 2024
Soldier Meadows
2024 National Public Lands Day at Soldier Meadows!
We're excited for 2024 National Public Lands Day! Come out and have a blast with a weekend full of projects, fun, and great food (including a Dutch Oven cook-off)! There will be multiple projects for all skill levels, camping in a beautiful location, and a great community of people. You don't want to miss this one, RSVP and save your spot today! Some of this year's projects will include:
1 - Fence removal to improve wildlife habitat throughout Soldier Meadows!
2 - Cabin/campground cleanup, trash removal, and beautification
And more to come! We are still in the planning phase and will have projects for every level! Check back for updates closer to the event!
As always, this project is free! We will be providing breakfast with coffee Saturday and Sunday as well as a delicious dinner on Saturday night. For this project, a 4-wheel drive vehicle is not required to reach the campsites (as long as it's not too wet), but, higher clearance and good tires are recommended. We have camping gear available for those who need it. We will have limited space in Friends trucks to transport volunteers and carpooling is an option as well.
Check out photos from last year's National Public Lands Day here!
Information:
Difficulty: All Levels. There will be projects available for all skill levels and children.
Location: Soldier Meadows
Dates: Friday, September 27th - Sunday, September 29th
Travel: For this project, a 4-wheel drive vehicle is not required to reach the campsites (as long as it's not too wet), but, higher clearance and good tires are recommended.
Food: Breakfast and coffee are provided on Saturday and Sunday, Dutch Oven Cook-off and potluck dinner on Saturday night
Gear/Clothing: Long sleeves, long pants, sturdy work or hiking shoes. Camping equipment: tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad. Camping gear is available for loan. Check out our suggested Packing List.
More Details: Details such as exact camping location, projects, daily schedule, and weather-related factors will be provided to those who have RSVP'd on a date much closer to the project. Plans are subject to change. We will always give as much notice as possible when this happens.
Questions?: Check out our FAQ page here or email [email protected].
RSVP is required to participate.
Friends of Nevada Wilderness and our partners put a great deal of time and resources into organizing volunteer projects. When you RSVP you are committing to join us on that project. We understand circumstances may arise where you need to cancel. So, if you’re no longer able to attend, please cancel your RSVP as soon as possible so other volunteers can join the project. You can cancel your RSVP through the cancellation link in your project confirmation email or by emailing [email protected].
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Whitebark Pine Collection #2 8 RSVPs
Friday, October 11, 2024 at 12:00 PM through October 13, 2024
Help the Whitebark Pine Species!
On December 25th, 2022 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service published a final rule (87 FR 76882) to list the Whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. The Whitebark Pine is an important component of western high-elevation forests, their populations have been declining in both the United States and Canada from combined effects. Warmer temperature trends have triggered epidemic outbreaks of the mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae) and lowered the trees’ resistance to white pine blister rust, caused by a nonnative fungus (Cronartium ribicola), both of which have killed millions of trees. Historical fire suppression allowed the march of more shade-tolerant competitors into Whitebark pine habitat, replacing this species through succession.
Photo sourced from "Conservation and Management of Whitebark Pine Ecosystems on Bureau of Land Management Lands in the Western United States"
The overall goal of this project is to provide the BLM with Whitebark Pine seeds so they can study this specific Whitebark Pine population's resiliency towards known killers, propagate seeds, and keep seeds in a seed bank for dispersal at a later time in the event of a fire or population die-off.
The Whitebark Pine is considered a keystone species, meaning it increases the biodiversity of a community because of the important and critical role it plays in the lifecycle of many other species. This tree provides shelter and food for numerous other plants and animals so the work we are doing is an important step in helping save this tree and its surrounding ecosystem.
This project has two parts. This RSVP page is for part two of the project.
For this project we will return to the Pine Forest Range Wilderness. Here we will be hiking to and working with small, isolated populations of Whitebark Pine. During this project we will be removing the cages we placed during the first project in June and collecting the mature pine cones. These collected pine cones will be delivered to the BLM for future studies.
Read about Pine Forest Range Wilderness!
Check out last years photos from the Whitebark Pine Project!
Information
Difficulty: Most Challenging - See our difficulty rating scale here. Strenuous with longer hikes, off-trail hiking, sometimes with significant elevation changes. These trips are very challenging and require excellent aerobic conditioning, past experience in outdoor settings, and familiarity with backcountry hiking and/or camping. Not for beginners.
Location: Pine Forest Range Wilderness
Dates: October 11th - October 13th
Travel: 4WD and high clearance required. A limited number of spots are available in Friends trucks.
Food: Breakfast and coffee are provided Saturday and Sunday as well as a big group Dinner Saturday night with dessert!
Gear/Clothing: Please wear long sleeves, long pants, and sturdy work or hiking shoes. Camping equipment: tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad. Camping gear available for loan. Suggested Packing List
More Details: In-depth information such as camping location, weather, and project specifics will be sent out about a week before to those who have RSVP'd
Questions?: Check out our FAQ page or email [email protected]
RSVP is required to participate.
Friends of Nevada Wilderness and our partners put a great deal of time and resources into organizing volunteer projects. When you RSVP you are committing to join us on that project. We understand circumstances may arise where you need to cancel. So, if you’re no longer able to attend, please cancel your RSVP as soon as possible so another volunteer can join the project. You can cancel your RSVP through the cancellation link in your project confirmation email or by emailing [email protected].
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2024 Mount Rose Native Seed Spreading 47 RSVPs
Tuesday, October 15, 2024 at 09:00 AM through December 14, 2024
Join us in Restoring Mount Rose Wilderness!
In Spring 2024, volunteers will work hard to remove invasive musk thistle from Mount Rose Wilderness! This fall, we will head into Mount Rose Wilderness to spread native seeds in these recovering riparian areas and help bring back native plants. We will hike bags of seeds from native grasses and pollinator-friendly plants, spread them across the meadows by hand, and then let nature take them from there. These are fun projects that usually only take half a day to complete, but can make a huge difference in the ongoing restoration efforts.
Information:
Timing: Seeds are the most successful if spread right before snow or rain, so therefore, we are not setting specific dates at this time. Our timeframe is Late October through mid-December. Those who register on this page will be notified as soon as possible before we head out (about a week's notice). At that point, you can let us know if you are available to join us. Spots will be limited on those projects.
Difficulty: Moderate - See our difficulty rating scale here. This project is suitable for individuals in good physical condition who participate in a semi-exercise routing. Most people who are physically active can participate at this level. The project involves hiking 2-6 miles, partially off-trail, creek crossings, steep hills up and down, carrying a shovel, using the shovel, bending up and down. We will carry no more than 10 lbs of seed each. These projects may not be appropriate for children under 12 years of age.
Location: Hunter Creek Trailhead
Gear/Clothing: Long sleeves, long pants, sturdy work or hiking shoes. Bring at least 2 liters of water, sunscreen, and a lunch/snacks. Shovels and gloves will be provided.
RSVP/Registration: If you are interested in joining us, please register below. We will contact you as soon as possible before a re-seeding project (about a week's notice). Because this is weather-dependent, flexibility in scheduling is necessary, thanks for your understanding.
Questions?: Check out our FAQ page or email [email protected]
RSVP is required to participate.
Friends of Nevada Wilderness and our partners put a great deal of time and resources into organizing volunteer projects. When you RSVP you are committing to join us on that project. We understand circumstances may arise where you need to cancel. So, if you’re no longer able to attend, please cancel your RSVP as soon as possible so other volunteers can join the project. You can cancel your RSVP through the cancellation link in your project confirmation email or by emailing [email protected].
PLEASE NOTE: We are not setting specific dates at this time. Seeds are most successful if spread right before snow or rain, so therefore flexibility in scheduling is necessary.
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Fence Removal at Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge #2 18 RSVPs
Friday, October 18, 2024 at 09:00 AM through October 20, 2024
Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge
This project is currently full. To join our waitlist, please email [email protected]
Spend a weekend in the beautiful and pristine Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge while working on restoration projects that will help improve wildlife habitat and re-naturalize the area. Project specifics are still in the works but we will update the details once we know more! Whatever the work entails it will directly help improve the natural area, wildlife, and their habitat.
Research shows that the West contains enough fencing to circle the equator 25 times which creates a huge problem for wildlife. Sage grouse, peregrine falcons, and other birds collide with fences, and ungulates (hooved wildlife such as deer and pronghorn antelope) must navigate an endless obstacle course. A 2021 paper found that pronghorn in Wyoming encountered fences an average of 249 times in a single year and changed their behavior around the barriers nearly 40% of the time. Fences often ensnare and kill large animals and is a leading factor in sage grouse mortality. Fences also separate mothers from calves, exclude herds from prime habitat, and exhaust and injure animals.
To help with this important issue, we will be removing the barbed wire and pulling out the metal or wooden posts holding it up. It is such a rewarding project to remove these fences and see a significant difference within a few hours.
The Sheldon is a vast and rugged land that provides year-round habitat as well as major wintering areas for the Oregon-Nevada interstate pronghorn herd. This is the largest protected land scape in Nevada managed exclusively for native wildlife species. The Sheldon Refuge contains some of the highest-quality sage-grouse habitat remaining in North America. Protecting this habitat and enhancing its health is an important part to minimizing the impact of a possible Endangered Species Act listing of the sage-grouse in 2015. The area's sparse vegetation is dominated by sagebrush, grasses and other shrubs with local areas of juniper or patches of mountain mahogany. Along the wetter drainages at lower elevations you can find willow, cottonwood and aspen. Away from the creeks, water sources are rare, and due to the underlying rock and soil, most upland areas are remarkably dry.
Photos from the 2021 Sheldon Volunteer Project
Check out our Stewards of Sheldon video and Sheldon Story Map.
Information:
Difficulty: Moderate - See our difficulty rating here. This project is suitable for individuals in good physical condition who participate in a semi-exercise routine. Most people who are physically active can participate at this level.
Location: Sheldon National Wildlife RefugeDates: Friday, October 18th - Sunday, October 20th
Travel: Leave Reno on Friday Morning, returning Sunday afternoon. Road conditions are still unknown for this year. We will be reaching out with more information closer to the project. A limited number of spots are available in Friends trucks to transport volunteers and carpooling is also an option.
Food: Breakfast and coffee are provided on Saturday and Sunday, big group dinner (with dessert) on Saturday night.
Gear/Clothing: Long sleeves, long pants, sturdy work or hiking shoes. Camping equipment: tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad. Camping gear is available for loan. Check out our suggested Packing List.
More Details: In-depth information such as camping location, weather, and project specifics will be sent out about a week before to those who have RSVP'd.
Questions?: Check out our FAQ page here or email [email protected].
RSVP is required to participate.
Friends of Nevada Wilderness and our partners put a great deal of time and resources into organizing volunteer projects. When you RSVP you are committing to join us on that project. We understand circumstances may arise where you need to cancel. So, if you’re no longer able to attend, please cancel your RSVP as soon as possible so other volunteers can join the project. You can cancel your RSVP through the cancellation link in your project confirmation email or by emailing [email protected].