'Get Outdoors' Gets Outside Recognition

"'Get Outdoors' Gets Outside Recognition," by LaNelda Rolley, Inside UNLV.

PLI Makes Mark in Community

"PLI Makes Mark in Community," by LaNelda Rolley, Inside UNLV.

New Conference to Explore Outdoor Education Techniques

"New Conference to Explore Outdoor Education Techniques," by Gian Galassi, UNLV News Bureau.

New Staff Member Joins Office of Research/Public Lands Institute

12/1/05, "New Conference to Explore Outdoor Education Techniques," by Gian Galassi, UNLV News Bureau.

Local Take Pride Affiliate Receives National Thanks

LAS VEGAS -The Take Pride in America® Program, a national partnership established by the U.S. Department of Interior, has awarded UNLV’s Public Lands Institute a Certificate of Appreciation for its contribution to the nationwide effort. The Public Lands Institute, through its Southern Nevada Take Pride in America Program, was one of 16 contributors to Take Pride’s Public Service Announcement campaign featuring actor, director, and conservationist Clint Eastwood.

In May 2005, the national organization began an ambitious effort to create a campaign to help spread the word on volunteerism and motivate people to respond to the many volunteer opportunities presented on its website. The Public Lands Institute joined with such contributors as the American Recreation Coalition and the Walt Disney Company to provide funding for the filming, production, and distribution of the PSAs.

In the letter accompanying the certificate, Take Pride Executive Director Marti Allbright noted that the Public Lands Institute’s “generous contribution made this broad, sweeping public outreach campaign a reality.” She thanked the institute “for the dedication shown to the Take Pride mission.”

The Public Lands Institute provided $12,500 in funding from the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act. “The local Take Pride affiliate saw this as an excellent opportunity to show our commitment to the national effort,” said Nancy Flagg, director of the Public Lands Institute. “However, it was also an important first step to introduce our relatively new program to the community. We were fortunate to have Mr. Eastwood personalize the message for Nevada.”

The PSAs began airing this fall on television, radio, and print media outlets nationwide. The UNLV Public Affairs Office secured agreements to have the Southern Nevada Take Pride PSAs air on the local NBC, CBS, and Fox affiliates; Cox Cable; and local channels CCTV, KCVB, and UNLV-TV.

Take Pride in America® aims to engage, support, and recognize volunteers who work to improve our public parks, forests, grasslands, wildlife refuges, cultural and historical sites, local playgrounds, and other recreation areas. To participate in local Take Pride events, visit www.getoutdoorsnevada.org.

Research Highlights Outdoor Recreation Education

LAS VEGAS -Three UNLV researchers are breaking new ground in environmental education research. Jeanne Klockow, education curriculum coordinator for UNLV’s Public Lands Institute, has joined with Gregory Schraw and Lori Olafson of the College of Education, to develop assessment instruments to evaluate the effectiveness of a federally based recreational education program. The research, “Assessing Discover Mojave: Instrument Development and Analysis,” is gaining regional and international attention from educational researchers.

The research team recently was notified their work has been accepted for presentation at the Conference on Research and Practices in Science Education in Hong Kong December 16-17, 2005. It also will be published in the Teachers’ Handbook after the conference. The study was first presented October 6, 2005, at the 23rd Annual Northern Rocky Mountain Educational Research Association in Jackson, Wyoming.

Klockow, Schraw and Olafson developed an assessment plan to determine whether hands-on outdoor events through informal education promote any changes in the knowledge, attitude, and performance of at-risk urban children. They studied a total of 44 children in Clark County, aged eight to 12, who participated in the Discover Mojave Outdoor World Program’s canoeing, bird watching, art, and fishing activities . The recreation education program is for urban, economically disadvantaged youth and is designed to encourage lifelong recreation on public lands. The program is funded by the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act and managed by UNLV’s Public Lands Institute on behalf of the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and U.S. Forest Service.

“This is ‘lived’ research,” explained Klockow. “The research is being produced as the programs are delivered,” she said. “The results are letting us know whether or not we are on the right track with the education-in-the-environment curriculum.”

The study’s findings revealed that knowledge, attitudes, and performance increased substantially as a result of the youths’ participation in the outdoor recreation events.

• 44% of the children had little knowledge prior to the events compared to 78% having more complete knowledge after participating in the events.


• 94% of the participating children demonstrated all performance skills.


• Post-event attitudes were significantly higher than pre-event attitudes, suggesting that participating in the events had a positive impact on the children.

The next phase of the research will study how informal education can affect formal education. Specifically, Klockow, Schraw and Olafson want to see if teachers report student attitudinal changes toward science and if the students’ participation leads to improvement in their science grades.

Public Lands Volunteers Recognized During Special Ceremony

Las Vegas – Nearly 200 volunteers in Southern Nevada were honored recently at a special luncheon hosted by the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Forest Service. The volunteers have spent countless hours in the past year toward the conservation and preservation of public lands.

The four federal agencies held the Southern Nevada Interagency Volunteer Recognition Luncheon October 28, 2005 at the Tuscany Hotel & Casino. Southern Nevada federal land managers and volunteer coordinators presented awards to recognize several individuals and organizations.

The Outside Las Vegas Foundation and its executive director, Alan O’Neill, received the Founders Award. Foundation President Thalia Dondero accepted the award. In 2001, Outside Las Vegas, a private non-profit organization, asked the National Park Service, through its Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program, to build a partnership among the federal volunteer programs and to secure funding through the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act. The request laid out the vision for the Southern Nevada Interagency Volunteer Program and Get Outdoors Nevada, which were established in 2004.

The leader of the Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program also was honored with the Special Recognition Award. Elizabeth Smith-Incer, director of the program’s Nevada Field Office, was instrumental in turning the volunteer vision into program reality.

The Volunteer Service Award was presented to Earnestine Bronson, who has been a volunteer at Lake Mead National Recreation Area for more than 12 years. She serves as a campground host, greeting and providing information to all campers so that their visits are enjoyable. The National Park Service and the Interagency Volunteer Program honored Bronson for contributing the most hours of service on Southern Nevada’s public lands in 2005.

The Lifetime Achievement Award was awarded posthumously to Walter “Pete” Roberts, who logged more than 3,000 hours assisting the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and visitors to Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. In addition to working on the front line with visitors, Roberts also improved habitat for threatened and endangered species at the refuge.

The Volunteer of the Year Award went to a U.S. Forest Service volunteer who spent many hours at the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area and the Bureau of Land Management. Howard Balduc completed a great number of tasks because of his exemplary technical and physicals skills as a backcountry ranger, a GPS specialist mapping campgrounds, and as the one and only geocache locator for the Forest Service.

While individuals made a great impact on the success of the volunteer efforts, so did the private sector. Sponsor awards were presented to HSBC, Red Rock Canyon Interpretive Association, Southern Nevada Scuba Retailers Association, and Spring Mountains Volunteer Association.

HSBC has made a tremendous difference in a short period of time by recruiting its employees to participate in clean-up events, helping to restore habitat for the endangered Moapa dace, and donating funds and equipment to maintain restoration activities at the refuges.

The Red Rock Canyon Interpretive Association has been unmatched in its support of Sloan Canyon and Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Areas, contributing financially and logistically to practically every project for the Interagency Volunteer Program.

The Southern Nevada Scuba Retailers Association has been steady in its commitment and assistance to the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, coordinating 12 eco-dives and beach clean-ups a year.

The steadfast work of the Spring Mountains Volunteer Association makes a difference to anyone who visits, works on, or lives near the Spring Mountains. It has worked closely with the Forest Service for more than 18 years to help manage, protect, and educate the public about the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area.

Southern Nevadans Improve Public Lands Yard-By-Yard

LAS VEGAS - Volunteers in southern Nevada once again showed their commitment to improving the area’s public lands by participating in 12 th annual National Public Lands Day events held September 17 and 24, 2005. More than 300 volunteers picked up a total of 128 cubic yards of litter at three separate clean-up events. The Southern Nevada Interagency Volunteer Program, a project of the UNLV Public Lands Institute, coordinated the events with the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and U.S. Forest Service.

The northeast corner of Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area was littered with trash as small as broken glass and as large as an old golf cart. A total of 57 volunteers spent four hours on September 17 picking up those items along with shotgun shells, bullet casings, and building and car parts. They filled more than three 20-yard dumpsters for a total of 70 cubic yards of litter.

On September 24, 114 volunteers headed south to Lake Mead National Recreation Area and another 160 went northwest to Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area to tackle the litter challenges there. Participants included several large groups, such as Albertsons, Bank of America, HSBC, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, UNLV’s Labor of Love, and several area Girl Scout troops.

Volunteers cleared a one square mile area of litter and debris at Lake Mead’s Hemenway Harbor, filling a 20-yard dumpster. It is estimated that nearly 500 pounds of broken glass was removed from the beach and desert areas. Community members also cleared 1.5 miles of road and trail in Red Rock Canyon’s Cottonwood Valley and another 1.0 mile of trail in Bird Springs Valley. When the volunteers were done, a 38-yard dumpster was full of litter, debris, electrical wire, cable reels, car parts, and tires.

“In total, community volunteers contributed nearly 1,500 hours over the past two Saturdays to beautify our public lands for the benefit of all Nevadans,” said Nancy Flagg, director of the Public Lands Institute. “On behalf of our federal partners, we extend our thanks to the volunteers and sponsors for their hard work and community involvement.”

Event sponsors included the Southern Nevada Interpretive Association, Friends of Red Rock Canyon, Starbucks Coffee Company, Albertsons, Republic Services of Southern Nevada, Boulder City Disposal, Las Vegas Boat Harbor, and the Desert Princess.

To volunteer for future events, visit the Get Outdoors Nevada website at www.getoutdoorsnevada.org. More information about the UNLV Public Lands Institute is available at http://publiclands.unlv.edu.

UNLV is a doctoral-degree-granting institution with more than 27,000 students and approximately 2,800 faculty and staff. More than 200 undergraduate, master’s and doctoral degrees are offered. Founded in 1957, UNLV is located on 337 acres in dynamic Southern Nevada. The university is ranked in the category of Doctoral/Research Universities-Intensive by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.

National Spotlight Shines on UNLV's Public Lands Institute

LAS VEGAS- The Southern Nevada Interagency Volunteer Program, administered by the UNLV Public Lands Institute, is among the 25 recipients of the 2005 Take Pride in America National Award. The awards ceremony will be held September 30 in the Indian Treaty Room at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building of the White House in Washington, D.C. UNLV program manager Donna Grady will be joined by the federal interagency team in accepting the award.

The Interagency Volunteer Program is funded by the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act of 1998 and combines the volunteer efforts of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), National Park Service (NPS), U.S. Forest Service (USFS), and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) into one program, Get Outdoors Nevada.

“We are honored by this national recognition for an innovative program that’s been in operation for a little more than a year,” said Dr. Margaret (Peg) Rees, executive director of the Public Lands Institute and Associate Vice President for Research and Outreach at UNLV. “Our program manager, Donna Grady, has worked diligently with the volunteer coordinators at the federal agencies and with dedicated community volunteers to effectively demonstrate how a united effort can have a greater impact on our public lands,” Rees said.

Initiated in August 2004, Get Outdoors Nevada recruits, trains and recognizes volunteers who assist in maintaining southern Nevada’s public lands. The program sponsors volunteer events on public lands throughout the year. Over a 12-month period, Get Outdoors Nevada recruited nearly 600 new volunteers who contributed 3,000 volunteer hours for habitat restoration and clean-up/maintenance.

“We exceeded our goals, and the volunteers exceeded our expectations,” said Grady. “We’ve established a stronger connection with a growing network of community volunteers in a relatively short period of time.”

The UNLV Public Lands Institute is dedicated to strengthening the national fabric that is essential for the protection, conservation, and management of public lands. Its innovative partnership with the four land management agencies was formally established in April 2004 to implement cooperative projects that fit the university’s educational and research strengths.

For more information on the Interagency Volunteer Program, visit www.getoutdoorsnevada.org. More information about the UNLV Public Lands Institute is available at publiclands.unlv.edu.

National Public Lands Day Congressional Record Statement by U.S. Senator Harry Reid. (PDF)

The name of UNLV’s Public Lands Institute (PLI) is now listed among the most successful conservation partnerships in the nation. The White House Conference on Cooperative Conservation, which was held in St. Louis, Missouri, August 29-31, 2005, highlighted the best examples of cooperative conservation throughout the United States.

“The Inclusive Approach to Stewardship” featuring the Southern Nevada Lands Partnership was honored as a model program for its multi-agency approach to the conservation and enjoyment of public lands in southern Nevada. The partnership includes the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, the Outside Las Vegas Foundation, and the Public Lands Institute.

PLI Executive Director Dr. Peg Rees and Director Nancy Flagg received the certificate on behalf of the Institute. “This honor recognizes the importance of conservation in southern Nevada and the organizations who are dedicated to it,” said Dr. Rees. “Even though we’ve only been in existence for a little more than a year, our partnership is strong and its impact upon cooperative conservation continues to grow.”

PLI Director Nancy Flagg at PLI booth

PLI also was invited to exhibit at the conference. Approximately 100 exhibitors from throughout the U.S. showcased products, services, and projects that positively impact environmental conservation.

This was the first time in 40 years – and only the fourth time in U.S. history – that the White House has hosted an environmental conference. The purpose was to promote and encourage cooperative conservation among federal agencies, states, local governments, tribes, and individuals. Conference speakers included Interior Secretary Gale Norton, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns, and Environmental Protection Agency Director Stephen L. Johnson.

Nevadans Urged to 'Get Outdoors' for National Public Lands Day Events

"Nevadans Urged to 'Get Outdoors' for National Public Lands Day Events," by Gian Galassi, UNLV News Bureau.

UNLV Public Lands Institute Names New Staff Member

LAS VEGAS-The University of Nevada, Las Vegas Public Lands Institute, in partnership with the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and U.S. Forest Service, has named LaNelda Rolley to oversee outreach and marketing for the Institute’s projects.

Rolley brings to the Public Lands Institute over fifteen years of experience in public relations, marketing and management in the travel and tourism industry and the public sector. She previously served as the Cabinet Secretary and Deputy Secretary of the New Mexico Department of Tourism. In those capacities, Rolley took the lead in working with the industry to market the state and its attractions to prospective visitors. "The Institute has had a positive impact on Southern Nevada in a relatively short period of time. I look forward to working closely with the federal land management agencies and the public as we protect and enjoy our public lands,” Rolley said.

The Public Lands Institute is dedicated to strengthening the national fabric that is essential for the protection, conservation, and management of public lands. Its innovative partnership with the four land management agencies was formally established in April 2004 to implement cooperative projects through the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act that fit the university’s educational and research strengths. The act specifies that a portion of the proceeds from federal land sales in southern Nevada be used for capital improvements, education, and conservation initiatives on public lands.

More information about the UNLV Public Lands Institute and SNPLMA is available at publiclands.unlv.edu.

UNLV is a doctoral-degree-granting institution with more than 27,000 students and approximately 2,800 faculty and staff. More than 200 undergraduate, master’s and doctoral degrees are offered. Founded in 1957, UNLV is located on 337 acres in dynamic Southern Nevada. The university is ranked in the category of Doctoral/Research Universities-Intensive by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.

2005 Take Pride in America National Award Winners Announced

Office of the Secretary
Contact: Michelle Cangelosi
For Immediate Release: August 18, 2005
(202) 208-5848

2005 TAKE PRIDE IN AMERICA ® NATIONAL AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED

WASHINGTON – Executive Director Marti Allbright today announced the 2005 Take Pride in America National Award recipients in 11 different categories. These individuals, groups and partnerships will be honored at an awards ceremony held September 30 in the Indian Treaty Room at the White House’s Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington, D.C.

“It is such a delight to inform each of the award winners that we appreciate all that they have contributed to enhancing our public lands and we want them to be recognized for their accomplishments,” said Allbright. “They embody the mission of Take Pride, and we want that message spread across the country. This is just one way we can say ‘Thank you’ for what they represent.”

Each year, the award winners are selected by a panel of judges from hundreds of qualified nominations representing outstanding examples of stewardship across the country. The judges, representatives of government agencies and private corporations with an interest in the mission of Take Pride, scored the applications in four categories 1) did it coincide with Take Pride’s mission, 2)were there measurable accomplishments, 3) was there an identified need and results that had an impact, and 4) did they collaborate with others.

This year, there are 25 National Award winners, representing projects and events in more than 15 states. The projects range from Girls Scouts preparing a wetland for plants and fish to Take Pride in Florida organizing a single day event that involved 1,900 volunteers working at more than 100 state and national facilities in the aftermath of hurricanes that ravaged the State.

Take Pride in America ®, coordinated by the U.S. Department of the Interior, is a national partnership program that recruits, supports and recognizes volunteers who work to improve our public parks, forests, grasslands, reservoirs, wildlife refuges, cultural and historic sites, local playgrounds, and other recreation areas. With more than 100 Charter Partners, Take Pride involves Federal, state and local governments; conservation, youth and recreation groups; and top national corporations and organizations. Together, we protect and enhance the special legacy all Americans share – our public lands that cover more than one in every three acres across the Nation.

2005 Take Pride in America National Award Winners

Outstanding Take Pride Partner

• America the Beautiful Fund; Nationwide

Corporate

• Tauck World Discovery; Yellowstone National Park, WY


• Toyota Motor Sales, USA; Nationwide

Individual

• Darryll and Terri Wade; Ely , NV


• Dona Horan; Boise, ID

Youth

• Girl Scout Troop 187 and 506, Heart of Ohio ; Cutler, OH

Non-profit Organization

• Continental Divide Trail Alliance ; Colorado, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, New Mexico


• Morris Land Conservancy's Partners for Parks programs ; Northern New Jersey


• The National Public Lands Day Program; Nationwide

School, Elementary

• Deer Creek Elementary School; Edmond, OK

School, Post-secondary

• Des Moines Area Community College, Biology 172 ; Johnston, IA

School, Secondary

• Rock Springs High School Environmental Students ; Rock Springs, WY

Local Government

• City of Colorado Spring Parks; Colorado Springs , CO

Public/Private Partnership

• Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary Restoration Project ; Saint Paul, MN


• Friends of Anahuac Refuge ; Anahuac, TX


• San Gorgonio Wilderness Association ; San Bernardino, CA

State

• Take Pride in Florida


• Texas Master Naturalist Program

Federal Land Managers

• Jeff Brune; Bureau of Land Management; Anchorage, AK


• Valerie J. Curley; Bureau of Reclamation; Fresno, CA


• Marsha Kearney; US Forest Service; FL


• Mark H. Woods; National Park Service; Middlesboro , KY


• Mark J. Musaus; Fish and Wildlife Service; Boynton Beach , FL

Federal Volunteer Program

• Chesapeake and Ohio Canal NHP ; Hagerstown, MD


• Southern Nevada Interagency Volunteer Program ; Las Vegas, NV

On the Move:Environmental

"On the Move:Environmental," Las Vegas Business Press.

Enviromental

UNLV's Public Lands Institute, in partnership with the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Forest Service, has named Douglas Joslin, Jr., to manage the Southern Nevada Take Pride in America Program. He most recently worked as environmental health manager for the Clark County Health District solid waste and compliance department

UNLV Public Lands Institute Names New Staff Member

LAS VEGAS-The University of Nevada, Las Vegas Public Lands Institute, in partnership with the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and U.S. Forest Service, has named Douglas Joslin, Jr., to manage the Southern Nevada Take Pride in America Program. This program is a cooperative effort between the four federal agencies and is funded by the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act of 1998.

The Take Pride in America Program will provide a comprehensive strategic plan to combat littering and desert dumping on public lands throughout Southern Nevada, with particular attention to coordinating clean-up events. The program will also oversee the development of a public lands recycling plan.

Joslin brings to the Public Lands Institute over nine years of environmental health and safety experience in the municipal, private, and university settings. He most recently served as environmental health manager for the Clark County Health District Solid Waste and Compliance Department. "Having worked for many years on illegal dumping enforcement. I look forward to working with the federal land management agencies to develop a campaign that focuses on illegal dumping and litter prevention," Joslin said.

The Public Lands Institute is dedicated to strengthening the national fabric that is essential for the protection, conservation, and management of public lands. Its innovative partnership with the four land management agencies was formally established in April 2004 to implement cooperative projects through the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act that fit the university’s educational and research strengths. The act specifies that a portion of the proceeds from federal land sales in southern Nevada be used for capital improvements, education, and conservation initiatives on public lands.

More information about the UNLV Public Lands Institute and SNPLMA is available at publiclands.unlv.edu.

UNLV is a doctoral-degree-granting institution with more than 27,000 students and approximately 2,800 faculty and staff. More than 200 undergraduate, master’s and doctoral degrees are offered. Founded in 1957, UNLV is located on 337 acres in dynamic Southern Nevada. The university is ranked in the category of Doctoral/Research Universities-Intensive by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.

Approval of the UNLV Public Lands Institute

Approval of the UNLV Public Lands Institute

Office of the Executive Vice President & Provost



MEMORANDUM

19 April 2005

To: UNLV Campus Community

From: Michael W. Bowers

Vice Provost for Academic Affairs

Subject: Approval of the UNLV Public Lands Institute



The UNLV Public Lands Institute was approved at the April 2005 UCCSN Board of Regents meeting. The UNLV Public Lands Institute will be dedicated to developing public/private partnerships in support of agencies and organizations that protect, conserve, and manage natural and cultural resources.

The Institute will demonstrate responsiveness to its partners’ needs while creating new knowledge, advancing technology, improving education, engaging the public, and providing timely practical solutions. Primarily focusing on southern Nevada, the Institute will establish an organizational structure that will become a fundamental local resource for individuals and agencies addressing issues regarding public lands that surround the fastest growing metropolitan population in the nation. Institute participants with needed expertise will be drawn from UNLV, UCCSN, and our local communities as well as from across the nation and around the world. The Institute will demonstrate a commitment to partnering for research, education, and services to meet the demands of public lands stewardship. The Institute reports to the Office of the Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies.

For information, please contact the Institute at 895-4678 or Dr. Margaret Rees, Executive Director.

Volunteers Needed to Clean Red Rock

"Volunteers Needed to Clean Red Rock," by Melissa Rothermel," Rebel Yell.

Volunteers Needed to Help Protect Endangered Species

"Volunteers Needed to Help Protect Endangered Species," by Gian Galassi, UNLV News Bureau.

Public Lands Initiative Hires Four

"Public Lands Initiative Hires Four," Las Vegas Sun.

UNLV Public Lands Initiative Names Two New Staff Members to Lead Environmental Education Efforts

"UNLV Public Lands Initiative Names Two New Staff Members to Lead Environmental Education Efforts," by Gian Galassi, UNLV News Bureau.

Programs Add Two New Staff Members

"Programs Add Two New Staff Members," by Jennifer Barnhurst, Rebel Yell.

UNLV Public Lands Initiative Names Two New Staff Members

"UNLV Public Lands Initiative Names Two New Staff Members," by Gian Galassi, UNLV News Bureau.