Walking Box Ranch -- A Conservation Highlight for Nevada

The historic Walking Box Ranch is one of the 2006 conservation highlights touted by The Nature Conservancy’s Nevada Chapter. UNLV, through the Public Lands Institute, and the Bureau of Land Management, through its Las Vegas Field Office, cooperatively manage the ranch to make it available for education and interpretive purposes. Click here to read the Nevada Conservation Update – 2006 Summary.

Bald Eagles Hanging On : Annual survey expected to show birds doing well

"Bald Eagles Hanging On : Annual survey expected to show birds doing well," by Keith Rogers, Review-Journal.

New Interagency Pass Program Will Help Public Enjoy Enhanced Recreation Sites on Public Lands

"New Interagency Pass Program Will Help Public Enjoy Enhanced Recreation Sites on Public Lands."

PLI Staff Gain State and National Accolades

Staff members of the Public Lands Institute recently received recognition at the state and national levels.

	Forever Earth/Discover Mojave Project Manager Daphne Sewing made a presentation to the North American Association of Environmental Educators at its 2006 annual conference in October. The presentation, “Connecting a Disconnected Youth to the Outdoors,” highlighted the Discover Mojave Outdoor World Program and the assessment results to date.
	Research Assistant Professor Jef Jaeger has received the 2006 Outstanding Dissertation Award from the UNLV College of Sciences. The award is presented to the outstanding dissertation submitted by a College of Sciences Ph.D. student as selected by the faculty committee. Jaeger also is the program administrator of the National Park Service Monitoring Program for the Public Lands Institute.
	Research Assistant Professor Scott Abella has been named Distinguished Alumnus-in-Residence from the Biology/Natural Resources Management Department at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan.
	Conservation Education and Interpretation Strategy Project Manager Allison Brody has been selected to serve a two-year term on the board of directors for the Nevada Natural Resource Education Council (NNREC). The NNREC is a statewide non-profit organization that works to develop and promote natural resource education in Nevada. Allison has been working closely with NNREC to help the organization obtain its EETAP capacity and certification grants.

Congratulations to Daphne, Jef, Scott, and Allison!

From the Classroom to the Ballroom: UNLV Event Planning Seniors Get Real

by LaNelda Rolley, UNLV Public Lands Institute

When the UNLV Public Lands Institute (PLI) and the Southern Nevada Interagency Volunteer Program started making plans for an annual volunteer recognition event, talks soon led to involving students from UNLV’s William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration in the event planning. A key component of PLI’s mission is to provide opportunities for faculty and students to contribute professional expertise to the institute’s programs. In PLI’s view, the College of Hotel Administration was a great resource to draw upon, since it has a well deserved reputation for providing its students with quality education in the classroom as well as real-life opportunities for practical experience.

The federal volunteer recognition event was created by the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Forest Service to recognize community residents who have dedicated hundreds of volunteer hours to such efforts as repairing trails and picnic areas, removing litter, staffing visitor centers, and hosting campgrounds. The agencies also present special awards to selected individuals and groups.

In August 2006, at the suggestion of Tourism and Convention Administration Department Chair Patti Shock, PLI Director Nancy Flagg and Interagency Volunteer Program Manager Donna Grady met with Gael Hancock, a member of the college’s adjunct faculty. “Gael was immediately enthusiastic about using this event as a team exercise in her senior capstone course,” said Flagg. “We quickly realized the partnership would benefit both entities, with students being able to practice their event-planning skills while providing us with additional staffing.”

As the fall semester got underway, 15 undergraduate students in TCA 490 – Festival and Event Management began planning the Southern Nevada Interagency Volunteer Recognition Breakfast. The initial assignment called for the students to form two teams to develop competing proposals for the event, which was to be held Saturday, November 4, 2006. Each team was required to prepare and present a professional package using the theme “Our Volunteers are Gems.”

Team proposals were reviewed by the interagency team and PLI staff on September 15, 2006. “We were impressed with the students’ knowledge, creativity, and attention to detail,” said Interagency Volunteer Program Manager Donna Grady. “The ideal would have been to weave elements of both proposals into one, but we had committed to honoring each team’s concept as presented.” Grady explained that the second assignment called for all 15 students to work together to implement the winning team’s proposal. Over the next six weeks, the students held several planning meetings, finalized the invitations and program, and created decorations for the event.

On the morning of the event, the students moved into implementation mode at the Renaissance Las Vegas Hotel – arranging signage, checking the room set-up, making sure the audio/visual equipment was operational, decorating the room, and greeting guests. Tables were decorated with jewel-toned centerpieces containing photograph holders highlighting volunteers in action. When the doors opened, more than 200 community volunteers felt truly treasured as they joined federal land managers, volunteer coordinators, and invited guests to celebrate their contributions to Southern Nevada’s public lands.

“The student teams did a fantastic job, and we valued their assistance,” said Grady. As their final assignment in the course, the students provided a summary of the event along with suggestions for improvement. In particular, the class will provide recommendations on ways to improve the experience for students designing the 2007 program.

Senior capstone students work on table decorations for the event.
UNLV event planning students pose after staging a successful volunteer recognition breakfast. Joining them are IVP Program Manager Donna Grady (front left), Instructor Gael Hancock (front center), and PLI Graduate Assistant Tyra Jenkins (front right).

Southern Nevada Residents Honored for Volunteering on Public Lands

LAS VEGAS -- Under the theme “Our Volunteers are Gems,” the Southern

Nevada Interagency Volunteer Program recently recognized more than 200 residents who have volunteered many hours toward the preservation and conservation of Southern Nevada’s public lands. The Second Annual Southern Nevada Interagency Volunteer Recognition Ceremony was held at the Renaissance Las Vegas Hotel on November 4, 2006. The event was hosted by the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Forest Service.

Federal land managers, volunteer coordinators, and invited guests saluted the volunteers and celebrated their accomplishments:

1. During Fiscal Year 2006, residents volunteered for 150,000 hours to maintain visitor facilities, monitor cultural sites, host campgrounds, educate the public, and answer visitors’ questions. These contributions carry an estimated value of $2.7 million.


2. Maintained more than 120 miles of trails.


3. Removed cattails in national wildlife refuges, clearing more than 2,500 linear feet of stream to provide habitat to threatened and endangered species.


4. Cleared lands of more than 126 tons of trash.


5. Restored habitats and removed invasive species.

Awards also were presented to several individuals and organizations for their outstanding service. Pictured with the recipients are agency volunteer coordinators Nancy Bernard (National Park Service), Amy Meketi (U.S. Forest Service), Callie Leau Courtright (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service), and James Cribbs (Bureau of Land Management).

Volunteer Supervisor of the Year David Hughey, Maintenance Team Lead for Boulder District of the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, supervises 25 volunteers who maintain the campgrounds and serve the public at the Boulder Beach and Las Vegas Bay areas.

Volunteer Service

This award recognized the volunteer who contributed the most hours to the federal agencies. National Park Service volunteer Judy Orr contributed 2,874 volunteer hours as a campground host at Boulder Beach Campground.

Volunteer Group of the Year The Lake Mead National Recreation Area Volunteer Water Safety Patrol Program was honored for its members logging more than 4,000 hours to provide boat tows and respond to search and rescue missions.

Volunteer of the Year

Terry Conner donated 2,534 hours serving as the spokesperson for the Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge Upper Lake Campground and assisting U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff with maintenance and administration.

Lifetime Achievement This award recognizes sustained volunteerism to one or more agencies over a long period of time. Emma Schliepp, who was unable to attend, has volunteered with the Bureau of Land Management for more than 21 years, contributing 4,800 hours to Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. In those years, Schliepp has conducted aerial surveys and cultural site inspections, removed litter, cleaned graffiti off rocks and in caves, and built and repaired trails. Accepting the award on behalf of Ms. Schliepp is BLM Volunteer Coordinator Jim Cribbs.

Environmental Education

Norm Kresge, a retired school principal, has served as a dedicated volunteer at Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area for five years. As chair of the environmental education committee for Friends of Red Rock Canyon, he helps to fund teacher workshops, writes the “Explore the Great Outdoors” curriculum, coordinates the transportation scholarship for inner city schools, and works with the Mojave Max Program.

Volunteer Leadership

Two special awards were presented for outstanding leadership of volunteers. Manager Sharon McKelvey and the staff of the Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge stepped up volunteers’ efforts so that on some workdays their staff increased by 1000 percent! Volunteers had the rare opportunity to work closely with endangered species while protecting unique species.

Shawn Goodchild, an Ecological Services Biologist with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, helped develop the Desert National Wildlife Refuge Complex Volunteer Program. His work became the cornerstone for establishing Stewardship Saturdays, held on a regular basis throughout the year.

Allison Brody, Conservation Education and Interpretation Strategy Program Manager

for the UNLV Public Lands Institute, served as event emcee.

Alan O'Neill, Founder of the Southern Nevada Interagency Volunteer Program

and President of Outside Las Vegas, was guest speaker.

2006 volunteer award recipients pose with federal land managers and volunteer coordinators.

Rock Art Sites Vulnerable

"Rock Art Sites Vulnerable," by David Bly, Desert Valley Times, Vol. 11, No. 91. (PDF)