Volunteer Ian Robinson unclipping barbwire from fence posts during the Sheldon Rendezvous

Volunteers Bob Milne and Jim Jeffress are removing metal fence posts after other volunteers stripped off the barbwire from unneeded fences. Removing this fence will make it easier for pronghorn to migrate freely within the Sheldon Refuge.

US Fish and Wildlife Service manager Paul Steblein joining volunteers to remove old fence that threatens wildlife on the Sheldon Refuge

Cattle grazing was retired from the Sheldon Refuge in 1994, yet hundreds of miles of barbed-wire fence remain, endangering wildlife and people.Volunteer Caleb Burke hard at work. By Graham Stafford.

Volunteer Liz Bell breaking apart a fence structure to improve wildlife habitat on the Sheldon Refuge

Wild Kids for the Sheldon

Kids are our future land managers. Friends of Nevada Wilderness involves children in the work required to manage our public lands. Here, they are removing invasive halogeten from Duferrena Ponds campground. The kids worked harder knowing cookies were waiting after they were done. By Brian Beffort

Pronghorn

...FAST
The fastest land mammal in North America, the pronghorn races across Sheldon Refuge on a yellow carpet of evening primrose

Happy Birthday to Jim Yoakum.

We were honored by having renowned pronghorn biologist Jim Yoakum celebrate his 83rd birthday with the group. Jim first came to the Sheldon in 1954 and has been a strong voice for protecting pronghorns ever since.
'When Jim was asked by Dave Rice for an article for the RGJ in 2005, what he likes to do to relax, his answer came quickly.“I like to study pronghorn,” he said.'

Link to the 2005 interview with Jim Yoakum https://secure.rgj.com/news/printstory.php?id=107179

Bittner Ranch

Late Spring at the Bittner Ranch. I love this wonderful image captured by Brian Beffort, it shows the hidden beauty of Nevada just waiting to be discover and enjoyed ...by you.

On the Ground

Getting out on the ground with land managers to discuss the challenges facing our public lands and how best to address them is some of the behind the scenes work of our very successful stewardship program.

BTW-The roads can be a little challenging themselves.

Black Rock Rendezvous 2009

Friends of Nevada Wilderness volunteers, Nevada Outdoor School and the BLM partnered in the rehabilitation and restoration of the Coyote Springs Dune Black Rock Desert High Rock Canyon Emigrant Trails National Conservation Area. This area had suffered damage from repeated illegal OHV use. These dunes are sensitive habitat for kit fox, as well as other small animal species. They are also a crucial source of water in the area. To prevent further damage a total of 500 feet of buck and rail fence was constructed and dune surfaces were re-inflated, restoring original contours. Volunteers also removed trash from the surrounding areas. Twenty-five volunteers participated in the restoration event.

Also twelve volunteers hiked down into Fly Canyon to finish the removal of an unnecessary barbed wire fence. On this project volunteers removed one quarter mile of barbed wire.

There was cowboy poetry, three bands from Reno, site tours, chuck wagon dinners and the Control Burn fire dancers as well as a Dutch Oven cook-off, Stephanie LeFevre and Holly Palmer of Nevada Outdoor School split the victory, Stephanie with Short Ribs and Holly with a crunchy apple crisp.

Kids and Camping in the News

Stewardship Director Pat Bruce and Associate Director Brian Beffort were interviewed by the Reno Gazette-Journal and gave advice on camping with children. Read the ten tips here: "10 tips for camping with kids"

Our Birthday in the News

Reno News and Review writes about the celebration surrounding the 25th anniversary of the founding of Friends of Nevada Wilderness! Check out the article: "Friends of Nevada Wilderness turns 25"

Leave No Trace, Train the Trainer Trip , Lava Beds

A couple weekends ago Friends taught a Leave No Trace “Train the Trainer” course in the Lava Beds area, which consists of a little valley and spine that lies about 1 hour east of the Black Rock National Conservation Area. We base camped at a cool sheep inholding on Friday night, the weather ranged from rain to hail to snow but the 5 participants were hardcore and the mood was upbeat. On Saturday morning we backpacked about 4 miles to an awesome (but windy) overlook near elephant head rock. There are trails that run all over the range and make for really smooth cross-country hiking, and the granitic buttes and formations were candy for the eyes. On Sunday we put down a hearty dinner at Bruno’s, the spaghetti was marvelous. Special thanks to NCA Wilderness Ranger Justin Robbins who represented the BLM in a very positive way. Also, thanks to Catherine who took the dare and licked the salt like a trooper.

Reno Earth Day

Reno Earth Day
Thanks go out to all the volunteers who helped out and the hundreds of folk who stopped by to chat at Friends'Earth Day booth last Sunday. It is great to see all the enthusiasm that our fellow Nevadans bring to the protection of our wildlands.

Wilderness Warriors

Pat Bruce & Sheena Britschgi in Washington DC last year for Wilderness Week.

Caleb Burke

Though Caleb was born in NC his family has been in NV for 2 generations, and he has been in Reno since he was 2. Caleb is the third of four boys in the Burke family, and according to his mom, Lori, he was the cutest of all her babies and is the peacemaker of the family.
Caleb started volunteering for FNW in June 2007, and has been one of our most dedicated volunteers. He has generated 185 hours of Volunteer service, and has been recognized by Sen. Reid for his service to Nevada’s public lands in 2007 and 2008.
“Caleb is the kind of guy you want to be working with on a project. He is a machine with a pick in his hand, and he always has a great attitude and sense of humor” says Field Project Coordinator, Pat Bruce. photo (c) Pat Bruce

FLY CANYON/SOLDIER MEADOWS

FLY CANYON/SOLDIER MEADOWS
March 27-29 2009

On Saturday March 28 volunteers from Friends of Nevada Wilderness ,the Nevada Outdoor School and the Friends of Black Rock High Rock participated in a restoration project in the High Rock Lake Wilderness at Fly Canyon.

Twenty-three hard working volunteers worked on five projects including a Soldier Meadows Hot Spring Campsite clean up. Folks also re-seeded the area with native plants and removed about 20 pounds of litter. Volunteers also re-seeded a previously decommissioned route at Chukar Gulch, installed carsonite sign posts to limit redundant routes on the Fly Canyon Road, decommissioned about a ½ mile of illegal trespass in the Wilderness area in and around Fly Canyon, and if that was not enough folks removed 300 pounds of barbed wire from Fly Canyon.

On Saturday night folks were treated to Holly Palmer’s world famous Ranchers Pie complete with a cornbread topping for dinner and a delicious Dutch oven pineapple upside down cake was served up to celebrate Seira Ploriez’s birthday. There is also an unconfirmed report courtesy of the Royal Marines that Volunteer Dick Ross lost his pants sometime during the trip, and the pants have not been heard from or seen since. Please contact Pat Bruce for more information on Mr. Ross's missing garments.

A big Wild Nevada thank you goes out to all those who made this trip a great success, from those who participated on the ground as well as those folks whose generous donations to Friends helped pay the trip expenses and made this restoration project possible.

Wes Hoskins

Wes is the Forest Project Coordinator for Friends of Nevada Wilderness. Wes has some great trips coming up so I hope you'll check your schedule and see if you can join him. Wes is a native Nevadan and has been a hard working stewardship volunteer with Friends for a number of years. Friends is very fortunate and proud to have Wes on staff.



BTW- Wes makes the best chicken stew this side of the Snake Range...Good Stuff

East Walker River 3/13-15/09

We headed to the East Walker River in beautiful Lyon County to work on several restoration projects with Jeff Weise from the USFS’s Bridgeport Ranger District. We camped near the East Walker River at a beautiful spot called the Elbow (courtesy of the Flying M Ranch) and woke up on Saturday with frozen water bottles... brrrrr! Despite the chilly conditions, 16 volunteers carpooled to the Rosaschi Ranch, our work site for this project. The Rosaschi Ranch is now public land and considered by many to one of the best trout fishing areas in this part of the country. After a brief work safety talk by Jeff and Wes, we formed teams and went to work. We removed an old fence line, consolidated a myriad of walking trails down to one route and installed a few carsonite signs to guide folks down to the river. When we returned to camp that evening Wes, Eva, and Brian cooked up a hearty meal of chicken stew, pasta, corn bread and salad, complete with smores for desert. We sat around the campfire enjoying each others company and one by one headed to our sleeping bag knowing in our hearts we had made a difference not only today, but also for future generations.