REI and Friends in the Desert Refuge

REI employees rolled up their sleeves to restore the Desert National Wildlife Refuge on Thursday, February 23.

Joining Friends of Nevada Wilderness staff and four interns from the Student Conservation Association, the team installed 167 feet of post and cable fence. The enclosure, measuring 1,800 square feet, encourages camping in the impacted area.

The volunteers dug 30 holes two feet into the rocky soil, then installed natural-looking juniper posts.

Half-inch cable was strung between the posts.

A huge thanks to the volunteers who came out and made a lasting difference in wild Nevada!

2011: Year of the Volunteer!

In 2011, volunteers worked on 135 projects, totalling over 10,500 hours, and donating a total of $225,000 of in-kind labor. If Nevada's wild lands could thank you, they would!

Make A Difference This Spring Break!

Join Friends of Nevada Wilderness and the US Fish and Wildlife Service for a weeklong camping trip to restore the natural beauty of southern Nevada.

Sunrise over the Desert Refuge (photo by Kurt Kuznicki)

March 18-24, 2012

Do something different this spring break and meet people who care about Nevada’s wild lands! You will work hard with a small crew of other volunteers to protect wild places in the Desert National Wildlife Refuge — about 30 miles north of Las Vegas. Meet, travel, work and camp with new people in a wild and scenic part of Nevada.

For more information and to sign up, contact: Lyndsey with University of Nevada, Reno, at altbreakclub@gmail.com or Wes Hoskins from Friends of Nevada Wilderness at wes@nevadawilderness.org

Participants under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a legal guardian.

This Is Nevada...

Stars over Goblin Knobs Proposed Wilderness Area (photo by Brian Beffort)

Where the Wild Places Are: Bridge Canyon Wilderness Trio

The Bridge Canyon Wilderness is home to a cross-section of Sonoran, Mojave and Great Basin plant communities (photo by Brian Beffort)

Petro glyphs abound in Grapevine Canyon (photo by Brian Beffort)

Mule deer and bighorn sheep wander the 7,700 acres while sharp-shinned hawks and peregrine falcons circle overhead (photo by Brian Beffort)

This Is Nevada...

An ancient cottonwood in the Citizen Proposed Wovoka Wilderness Area (photo by Brian Beffort)

Where the Wild Places Are: A Trio from Spirit Mountain Wilderness

Designated in 2002, the Spirit Mountain Wilderness encompasses over 33,000 acres in the Newberry Mountains and boasts the northernmost populations of smoke trees in the state (photo by Brian Beffort)

Spirit Mountain is sacred to the Mojave and Yuman tribes and has been designated a Traditional Cultural Property (photo by Brian Beffort)

The desert tortoise finds critical habitat here, and other sensitive species include the California leaf-nosed bat, banded Gila monster, Townsend's big-eared bat, and Yuma myotis (photo by Brian Beffort)

Soldier Meadows Cabin - Repaired and Ready for the Public

A solitary, scenic spot for photographers, hunters, hikers, and wilderness warriors, the Soldier Meadows cabin is first-come public use. Located in the heart of the Black Rock National Conservation Area, the primitive cabin - there is no electricity or plumbing - comfortably sleeps five, and is open year-round. The area offers access to multiple designated wilderness areas, including the North Black Rock Range Wilderness, High Rock Lake Wilderness, and East Fork High Rock Canyon Wilderness.

The historic cabin is open to all responsible users, from hot springs afficionados to chukar hunters (photo by Phil Akins)

Contractors donated their skills to assist with structural repairs, including the roof. Over three weekends, the storage area was enclosed, two new windows were put in, a gravel floor was laid, and obscene graffiti was painted over (photo by Pat Bruce)

Ladders and tool belts decorate the cabin at lunch (photo by Pat Bruce)

Installed in January, the wood stove will keep visitors toasty! Recommended fire wood size is less than 24 inches long and no more than 4 inches wide (photo by Phil Akins)

Zach Million of the Winnemucca BLM lends a helping hand by installing new shingles (photo by Pat Bruce)

UNR student Seth Barton takes a break from working on the chimney (photo by Pat Bruce)

Project Leader Pat Bruce and a couple volunteers smile after a long day of work!

UPDATE: On March 30, 2012, installation of the new door was finished at the cabin, completing the bulk of the restoration.

 

Pat Bruce ensures a good seal when the door is shut. (photo by Zack Million)

 

The solid new door will keep cabin visitors warm and eliminate drafts during cold weather. (photo by Pat Bruce)

Where the Wild Places Are: A Trio from Wovoka Citizen Proposed Wilderness

Native grasses decorate a high-dry playa (picture by Brian Beffort)

A historic structure from the old town of Pine Grove. Wilderness designation would not affect this historic site or public access to it, and would preserve the natural, wild conditions of this district as a living-museum. (picture by Brian Beffort)

Willows and cottonwoods decorate the banks of the East Walker River (picture by Brian Beffort)

This Is Nevada...

A still day at Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge (picture by Kurt Kuznicki)