Friday, April 28, 2006

Southern Nevada to Celebrate Red Rock Day on May 13

Residents asked to put their outdoor passion into action at Red Rock Canyon


April 28, 2006


LAS VEGAS - The Southern Nevada Interagency Volunteer Program, Get Outdoors Nevada, is seeking volunteers to participate in Red Rock Day on Saturday, May 13, 2006, from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Volunteers are needed for a variety of restoration projects at Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, which is managed by the Bureau of Land Management.


The Interagency Volunteer Program is joining with Friends of Red Rock Canyon to sponsor the annual event, which last year attracted nearly 200 volunteers. Community volunteers will participate in groups to repair trails, install signs, remove graffiti, and paint and apply wood preservative to structures.


“Last year, our dedicated volunteers contributed more than 1,000 hours to improve one of the area’s natural wonders,” said Nancy Flagg, director of the Public Lands Institute, which manages the interagency program. “We are hopeful residents will come out again in large numbers to help keep the canyon beautiful.”


Volunteers are being asked to wear long pants and sturdy shoes and to bring a hat, gloves, and sunscreen. A buffet lunch and entertainment by Traffic Jam will be provided and sponsored by Friends of Red Rock Canyon.


To pre-register, visit www.getoutdoorsnevada.org or call 895-5734. The registration deadline is May 10, 2006.


The Southern Nevada Interagency Volunteer Program, Get Outdoors Nevada, is funded by the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act (SNPLMA) and managed by the UNLV Public Lands Institute on behalf of the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and U.S. Forest Service. More information about the Public Lands Institute and SNPLMA is available at http://publiclands.unlv.edu.


FOR INFORMATION CONTACT:

Donna Grady , Interagency Volunteer Program

702-895-4890

Hillarie Patton, Bureau of Land Management

702-515-5046

State hires coordinator to oversee historical sites

"State hires coordinator to oversee historical sites," by Jan Hogan, The View - Green Valley/Henderson.

Tuesday, April 18, 2006

UNLV Public Lands Institute Hires Program Administrator

Program monitors research at Lake Mead National Recreation Area and Parashant National Monument

April 18, 2006


LAS VEGAS-The University of Nevada, Las Vegas Public Lands Institute has named Dr. Jef Jaeger to administer research projects conducted in partnership with the National Park Service (NPS). As the program administrator for the NPS Monitoring Program, Jaeger currently oversees a staff of 14 who execute a variety of research projects in the areas of vegetation, wildlife, and archaeology at Lake Mead National Recreation Area and Parashant National Monument. In addition, Jaeger manages the Institute’s wildlife research projects and serves as a research assistant professor in the UNLV Department of Biological Sciences.


NPS Resource Monitoring Program staff conduct surveys and research, and manage data collected to monitor sensitive rare plant and animal species, track their numbers, and recommend corrective actions when necessary. In particular, the wildlife monitoring focuses on desert tortoise, relict leopard frog, peregrine falcon, and songbird and shorebird populations. Further efforts address the effects of federal highway construction on desert tortoise and bighorn sheep habitats.


“It is imperative that we continue to monitor the urban encroachment on Southern Nevada’s desert ecosystem and track what effect it may have on sensitive animal species,” said Nancy Flagg, director of the Public Lands Institute. “Jef has extensive knowledge gained from more than fifteen years of experience conducting research in population and conservation biology in Nevada and California.”


Jaeger has been with UNLV for 12 years. He also has worked for a state resources agency and as a biological consultant in the private sector.


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 (Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and U.S. Forest Service) 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 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.

Friday, April 7, 2006

UNLV Public Lands Institute Hires Plant Expert

Program to monitor rare plants and advance ecological restoration of the desert ecosystem


April 7, 2006


LAS VEGAS-The University of Nevada, Las Vegas Public Lands Institute has named Dr. Scott Abella to lead its efforts to monitor sensitive and rare plant species in partnership with the National Park Service (NPS). As a Research Assistant Professor overseeing the NPS Vegetation Monitoring and Data Management Program, Abella will supervise a variety of vegetation research projects at Lake Mead National Recreation Area and adjacent lands. He will also teach part-time in the UNLV Department of Biological Sciences.


The vegetation monitoring program seeks to preserve and conserve various plant species of interest within all federal lands in Southern Nevada. The program addresses the monitoring of exotic, non-native plants, as well as shoreline and aquatic plants. It also bridges the gap between science and management to implement knowledge gained from research.


“We are in an ongoing struggle to protect Southern Nevada’s desert ecosystem from non-native plants overtaking native plants,” said Nancy Flagg, director of the Public Lands Institute. “Scott has extensive knowledge of vascular plants in the desert southwest and will be an asset to the vegetation monitoring program.”


Abella comes to UNLV from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, where he was a research specialist with the Ecological Restoration Institute. While there, he performed field experiments that advanced the restoration of the ponderosa pine forest and Sonoran Desert. Abella previously worked for the Metroparks of the Toledo Area in Ohio and the Department of Forest Resources at Clemson University in South Carolina.


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 (Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and U.S. Forest Service) 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 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.