For Sun, Science & Saving the Planet: Sail Forever Earth

"For Sun, Science & Saving the Planet: Sail Forever Earth," by Stephanie Espinoza, Class!. (PDF)

UNLV and BLM Work Together To Preserve Historic Ranch

"UNLV and BLM Work Together To Preserve Historic Ranch," by Gian Galassi, UNLV News Bureau.

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.

Secret and Safe

"Secret and Safe," by Andrew Kiraly, Las Vegas City Life.

Making Connections: 2006 Educators Conference a Success!

2006 Educators

Conference University of Nevada, Las Vegas

January 24-27, 2006

Las Vegas, Nevada

EDUCATORS THROUGHOUT THE WEST MAKE CONNECTIONS

The Our Places Tell Stories: Making Connections with Our Audiences conference attracted more than 120 informal educators from Nevada, Arizona, Utah, California, Washington, and Idaho. The participants represented the federal and state public lands, nature centers, museums, zoos, aquariums, and other attractions.

These professionals came together to learn successful educational and interpretive strategies to make better connections with their visitors. “Our vision is that once the connections are made, children and adults will be inspired to understand, appreciate, and take care of our environment, particularly Southern Nevada’s desert environment,” said Allison Brody, program manager of the Education-about-the-Environment Strategy at UNLV’s Public Lands Institute.

EXCERPTS OF PARTICIPANT COMMENTS

“One of the best organized conferences I have attended and I have gone to many professional conferences.”



“This was an excellent and long-needed conference.”



“The conference is a wonderful value – I was able to send several staff members and several volunteers.”

REGIONAL AND NATIONAL EXPERTS SHARE THEIR STORIES

Two of the foremost authorities on interpretation joined with local and regional experts to share techniques so that children and adults can become motivated stewards of the environment.

The conference keynote speaker was Dr. Sam Ham (pictured below), director of the Center for International Training and Outreach at the University of Idaho’s College of Natural Resources. He is the author of a comprehensive interpretive planning process that has been adopted by national parks, historic sites, and private tourism businesses in the United States, Australia, Scotland, England, Costa Rica, and Ecuador.

Also speaking at the conference was David Guiney, director of the Interpretive Media Institute at the National Park Service’s Harpers Ferry Center in West Virginia. Guiney (below left) shared techniques to effectively communicate with audiences through such media as exhibits, signs, and brochures. Alan O’Neill (below right), executive director of the Outside Las Vegas Foundation, delivered the keynote address to share the importance of making personal connections to nature and place.

EXCERPTS OF PARTICIPANT COMMENTS

“You got top notch, head of the class people to teach the classes – give the speeches – to have access to that caliber is phenomenal.”



“A great deal of the material David Guiney presented goes right to work on planning projects in which I have immediate participation.”



“I appreciated the expertise of the presenters.”



“Without a doubt the speakers and topics were stimulating and timely – thanks for spotlighting and unifying them.”



“Quality of presenters was outstanding.”



“Speakers and presenters were of high quality, and the organization was great.”



“The speakers really added to ‘telling the story’ message.”

The innovative conference was prompted by a project of the Southern Nevada Agency Partnership (SNAP) titled Education in the Environment, which seeks to create an area-wide strategic plan for the delivery of environmental education throughout Southern Nevada. SNAP is comprised of the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Forest Service. The UNLV Public Lands Institute is developing the strategy on behalf of SNAP, and the project is funded by the 1998 Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The Public Lands Institute extends a very special thank you to the speakers who shared their expertise and knowledge. We gratefully acknowledge our partners and sponsors: SNAP, Western National Parks Association, Southern Nevada Interpretive Association and the Outside Las Vegas Foundation, Friends of Red Rock Canyon, UNLV Division of Research & Graduate Studies, REI, Photo Viewpoints, UNLV Educational Outreach, Nevada Department of Wildlife, Las Vegas Springs Preserve, CHOLLA, and the Nevada State Museum and Historical Society. We are indebted to the conference planning committee, the SNAP Interagency Environmental Education Team, and the Public Lands Institute staff for contributing their time and energy to making the conference a success.

CONFERENCE DOCUMENTS (Click to view)

• “Developing our Connection to Place in Southern Nevada”
  
  Alan O’Neill, Executive Director of Outside Las Vegas Foundation

• “No Child Left Behind Act and Nevada State Standards: SO WHAT?”
  
  Loretta Asay, K-12 Science and Health Coordinator, Clark County School District

• “Poetry and Podcasts”
  
  Podcasts created by participants of conference session led by Dr. Mary Banbury, Visiting Professor at UNLV, and Dr. Greg Levitt, Chairperson, UNLV Department of Curriculum and Instruction

• Conference Program (PDF)

Wild at Heart

"Wild at Heart," UNLV Magazine. (38MB PDF)

Archaeologist Joins UNLV Public Lands Institute

January 6, 2006

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 Debra Dandridge to lead its Interagency Science and Research Strategy. Dandridge will collaborate with the four agencies to develop a coordinated interagency science initiative for federal lands in southern Nevada. Specifically, the program will conduct research and find solutions to address agency needs in the areas of ecosystem health, wildlife and habitat management, physical resources, natural and cultural resources, anthropology, and social sciences.

Dandridge comes to UNLV from Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, where she completed interdisciplinarydoctoral studies in archaeology. In addition, she has more than 20 years of experience working as a federal program manager and archaeologistwith experience in the Great Plains and the Southwest. Areas of expertise include historic preservation and cultural resources management.

“We are excited to have Dr. Dandridge join our efforts to increase the effectiveness of scientific research on federal lands,” said Nancy Flagg, director of the Public Lands Institute. “She will work closely with our federal partners to identify their strategic needs, integrate efforts to reduce redundancy, improve communication between the agencies and science providers, and develop funding mechanisms to support research programs.”

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 theuniversity’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.