Volunteer Position Announcement

Friends of Nevada Wilderness
Volunteer Position Announcement

Position Title: Volunteer Wilderness Ranger
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Application Deadline: On going
Supervised By: Southern Nevada Program Director, Friends of Nevada Wilderness

Position Summary: Friends of Nevada Wilderness in cooperation with the Spring Mountain National Recreation Area (SMNRA), is recruiting 10 volunteer wilderness rangers. The wilderness volunteer ranger will be an integral member of the wilderness team. This position will be expected to take on most of the duties of a wilderness ranger. The rangers will primarily be working in teams, but may be required to work alone or with volunteer groups from time to time. While no salary is provided for this position, per diem and work related mileage is available to those who qualify. Volunteers are asked to volunteer at least 20 hours a month

Responsibilities:
• Makes visitor contacts at trailheads and within wilderness (when appropriate) to inform visitors about proper behavior to minimize impacts to the resource (Leave No Trace ethics).
• Uses education as the primary method of disseminating wilderness rules and regulations to the public.
• Collects data on visitor use, invasive weeds, and campsites located within wilderness areas. Enters data into specified database and/or spreadsheet.
• Performs maintenance at dispersed recreation sites including site naturalization and/or cleanup with direction from the Forest Service.
• Ensures that all trails and access points into the wilderness areas are signed and boundaries delineated to encourage appropriate wilderness behavior.
• Coordinates with Southern Nevada Program Director to help implement volunteer stewardship trips; monitor past restoration work to evaluate outcomes.
• Normal patrols will require day hiking with a small backpack. The Volunteer Wilderness Ranger may be required to backpack 1-2 nights carrying tools and equipment associated with the required work.
Qualifications:
• The wilderness volunteer ranger must be physically able to hike in an altitude ranging from 6000 ft to 12000ft, covering distances of up to 16 miles over rough and uneven terrain. The ranger must be experienced in backpacking and wilderness travel.
• Knowledge of the Wilderness Act, wilderness ethics, and Leave No Trace principles is desirable.
• Must have good communication skills, as positive interaction with wilderness visitors will be a primary responsibility.
• Knowledge of basic computer applications is desirable.
• Should be available to volunteer from April 2010 through at least mid-September 2010. Flexibility with starting and ending dates is possible, including flexibility to work around school schedules.
• 18 years of age older.

Length of volunteer opportunity: April 2010 to end of September 2010.

To Apply: Please contact Kurt Kuznicki at 775.745.3119 or kurt@nevadawilderness.org
For more information on Friends of Nevada Wilderness, please visit the website at http://www.nevadawilderness.org/

Wilderness.net

Wilderness.net

Southern Nevada Heart of the Wilderness Award

The Southern Nevada Heart for Wilderness Award.
This years recipients of the Heart for Wilderness Award are Crystal DiPietro for her exceptional artwork depicting the wilderness areas of southern Nevada and her work in the wilderness areas of Lake Mead. Andy Sanchez for his commitment to wilderness and for making a huge difference this winter in the Rainbow Mountain & La Madre Mountain Wilderness Areas. Justice Rwechungura for his passion for wilderness and the deep rooted concern he has for future generations. We thank these volunteers for all that they have done for Wild Nevada, and we know the best is still ahead.

La Madre Mountain Wilderness Route Restoration

What a great day! Every volunteer event is fun, but then there are always those that seem to stand a bit above the rest and this was one of those projects. It seemed like everyone was really energized and ready for some fun. We did a tough restoration on a hillside (a real ankle twister),but everyone pitched and in no time we were finished. We hiked in to the second route, but not before some PB&J's and an interesting game of Ninja Wars(???) After lunch Tom one of the Archeologist's talked about his work in the La Madre Mountain Wilderness and the importance of leaving what you find for future generations of Americans to enjoy. We then grab our Pulaskis and restored the second closed route in no time flat. It seemed that even when the trip was over no one wanted to go home so we just hung out and chatted for a while. I think we all felt that we made a difference and made some new friends along the way.

Desert Wildlife Refuge

Bill James

If you were to tell Bill James that he was a "Uber Volunteer" he would just shake his head and laugh, but he just might be one of the greatest volunteers & wilderness stewards on the planet today. Bill works tirelessly for Friends of Nevada Wilderness and countless other conservation groups. I'm always amazed that Bill seems to know about everyone in Southern Nevada and is loved by all. If there work to be done on public land Bill is there to lend a hand and to make a difference. Thanks Bill, future generations will enjoy the fruit of your labors.

Rainbow Mountain Wilderness

Lovell Canyon Route Restoration # 2

We're really making a difference in Lovell Canyon this winter, with two clean-ups and three restoration projects. I can't really tell you how great it feels when we drive pass the gateway to the wilderness areas and it is so nice and clean. Everyone is really taking ownership of the place and we speak often on how wonderful it will look in another 20-30 years....Give the gift of wilderness to the next generation, please volunteer.

Lovell Canyon Route Restoration # 1

A hardy group of wilderness volunteers made a difference in Rainbow Mountain Wilderness. It's good to be a volunteer!

Lovell Canyon Clean-up Numero Dos

We had a great volunteer project with a awesome group of folks come out to the Spring Mountains NRA to make a difference. Over thirty folks turned out to clean-up of the main portal to the Rainbow Mountain & La Madre Wilderness. We then divided up into groups and some folks led by board members John & Hermi Hiatt hiked a mile in the Rainbow Wilderness to clean-up a camping area. The other Wilderness went up the Lovell Canyon road to the La Madre Wilderness and cleaned up a campsite and a shooter area inside Wilderness. The volunteers worked very hard and once again got a lot done and had a lot of fun while doing it. The day came to a close with a spirited snowball fight leaded by Ryan with the Circle K International Service Club with UNLV...Go CKI Rebels! Special thanks to everyone who gave up their Saturday for the greater good of the Rainbow Mountain and La Madre Wilderness Areas. Special thanks to the Mt Charleston Licence Plate Program, National Forest Foundation. REI and the Nevada Community Foundation for making this day possible through their support of this program.

Nellis Wash Wilderness 16,423 acres

Weather in the Springs

Wilderness Monitors hiked into a canyon in the Rainbow Mountain Wilderness to check the condition of the Wilderness. It was a great day in the Wild and the monitors found a few things that were reported to the managing agency to help improve the wilderness quality of the area. How is your favorite Wilderness doing today?

Volunteer for Wilderness!

Kate cares. Kate's day job is working as ecologist in Wilderness areas all over the state, so one would think she does her part for the Wild. But for Kate that's still not enough, she writes articles for the Friends of Nevada Wilderness enews, provides website content and helps out on stewardship projects on her days off. Kate is making a real differnce for Wilderness. She is one of the few, the proud, a Wilderness Volunteer....Thanks Kate!

Do you like to write, take photos, help out in the office, or swing a pulaski? Wilderness needs you.

Lovell Canyon Clean Up Numero Uno

Sixteen hardy southern Nevadans gave up their Friday to clean up the West Side of the Spring Mountains NRA. They picked up over 27 full bags of trash, litter, broken glass by the bucket full and some bowling pins (???). We had a good time and enjoyed the Rainbow Mountain Wilderness while were at it. If you want to get out and make a difference the Spring Mountains or a Wilderness near you ...give us a call.

Boundary Peak

Boundary Peak (13,147ft) the highest point in Nevada stands watch on the western border of the Silver State in Esmeralda County.

Wilderness Wingding 2009

Thanks to all who attended Friends' big party
A big thanks to those 150 members and friends who braved deep snow to attend the 2009 Wilderness Wingding celebrating our volunteers and our Nevada Wilderness.

For more pictures and more fun click on the link below on the and slideshow in the sidebar.

http://www.nevadawilderness.org/items/enews/09_1215.html

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Make a difference, be a volunteer

When the call for volunteers goes out John Bialecki always answers. John loves the outdoors and Southern Nevada Wilderness, his big smile has been seen on many a volunteer trip. Why does John volunteer? Because he know by volunteering once a month he can make a huge difference for southern Nevada Wilderness and for future generations of Nevadans (not to mention have a lot of fun too) So if you want to give back to the outdoors and have some fun, volunteer with Friends of Nevada Wilderness today. See the side bar for upcoming projects and information.

Petroglyphs

Petroglyhs love Wilderness

Rain Tree Project

Some folks go to the Mt Charleston Wilderness for enlightenment, others go there to get a from it all, some to esacape the summer heat or enjoy the winter snow, and some folks go there to build things, like wind structures, they're everywhere, on top of peaks, in windy saddles ( am I missing something???) or at the foot of one of the oldest if not the most famous tree in the forest. Wind structures take away from the undeveloped character of the lands and cause damage to the resource. So fight that construction urge if you think you have to build stuff...go buy an erector set or some legos but please leave the Bristlecone alone. Even the stuff that looks dead as door nail it could be 1000's of years old and that old stump could still be alive. Some wonderful volunteers from Friends of Nevada Wilderness hiked up to the Rain Tree via trail Canyon and removed some of the downed Bristlecone from around the area where the Raintree holds court.