Join Friends for our October Wild Speaker Series, “Recreating Responsibly at Your Local Refuge”, online in a Zoom presentation. Joshua Contois, Park Ranger, will give us an overview of the uniqueness of the Desert National Wildlife Refuge, located just north of Las Vegas. Come learn about the Fish & Wildlife Service's #RecreateResponsibly campaign and how you can connect with your local refuge for a wide variety of recreational opportunities. The Fish & Wildlife Service is a federal agency dedicated to the management of fish, wildlife, and natural habitats. The National Wildlife Refuge System includes 568 refuges including nine here in Nevada. Find out about the types of recreation available this fall on your local wildlife refuges and how you can support park rangers. This will be an informative chat for the whole family. 

Joshua Contois has been the park ranger for the Desert National Wildlife Refuge Complex since February 2019. His responsibilities include operating the Corn Creek Visitor Center, volunteer recruitment and management, community outreach and engagement, and delivering a wide range of interpretive and environmental education programming. Prior to joining the Fish & Wildlife Service, Josh worked for the Smithsonian Institution, National Park Service, and U.S. Forest Service. He has two degrees: a BA in American History and an MS in Parks and Resource Management. In his spare time, Josh is an avid hiker, photographer, and craft beer enthusiast.

**UPDATE**

The Wild Speaker Series will go online during the COVID-19 Pandemic for the safety of our staff and supporters. Please join us on Zoom for an online interactive experience. We will return to REI - Boca Park in the near future.

Wild Speaker Series - October 1, 2020 - Joshua Contois

When: Oct 1, 2020 06:45 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Register for the Zoom Meeting here:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAtcuuorT0vEtwefCI6CoKPOzSZLM9Od-yE

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

General Information

Every first Thursday of the month, Friends of Nevada Wilderness hosts a local environmental expert at REI Boca Park (online for now!) in their Community Room. This is a great event for folks who are interested in the outdoors to learn more about hikes, local habitat, and ways to get involved with conservation efforts.

Doors open at 6:45 giving you enough time to socialize and grab a snack before the presentation begins at 7 pm.

Please join us at REI Boca Park every first Thursday for a new speaker every month!