Contributions of UNLV and PLI Staff Recognized at the Great Basin CESU Annual Meeting

Congratulations to Glendee Ane Osborne and Dr. Scott Abella! Both were in the spotlight during the annual meeting of the Great Basin Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU), which was held December 8, 2008 in Reno.

Osborne, a graduate student in UNLV’s Department of Anthropology and Ethnic Studies, received the 2008 Great Basin CESU Outstanding Student Contribution Award. She was nominated by her mentor, Dr. Karen Harry, UNLV associate professor of Anthropology, for completing a predictive model for archaeological site distribution based on vegetation, elevation, soil types, and other environmental factors. The model for Lake Mead National Recreation Area and Parashant National Monument was part of a larger CESU project funded by the National Park Service and awarded to UNLV’s Public Lands Institute. In addition to being the sole author on the predictive model, Osborne also completed several reports and presentations resulting from the project. PLI Executive Director Dr. Peg Rees presented the award to Osborne on Dr. Harry’s behalf during the CESU meeting.

Abella, assistant research professor in Vegetation Ecology, was selected as one of two presenters for the CESU Showcase. Abella highlighted vegetation monitoring and analysis at Lake Mead and demonstrated how the CESU project yielded high value-added results from collaborative agreements between land managers and university scientists. In a two-year period, all deliverables were met, which included surveying 1,747 kilometers of travel corridors for invasive exotic plant species on federal land in Clark County, removing more than 600,000 individual exotic plants, and monitoring of more than 12 rare native species to assist the National Park Service in meeting the monitoring requirements under the Clark County Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan. In addition to the monitoring, Abella noted that 29 articles have been published from the research, with Lake Mead managers co-authoring half of six published articles from CESU-funded projects.

“I am proud of Glendee Ane’s and Scott’s accomplishments,” said Rees. “UNLV’s importance as a research institution was prominent since half of the formal presentations at the CESU annual meeting were conducted by individuals from UNLV and PLI.” 

PLI and Discover Mojave Project Manager featured on Inside Education TV Program

Thanks to the efforts of Discover Mojave Project Manager Daphne Sewing, the UNLV Public Lands Institute is a new partner with the Clark County School District's Physical Education Adventure Project. Sewing and the project are featured on Inside Education, a television program airing on Vegas PBS Channel 10. Click here to watch the program:

The show will air during the following times:

Channel 10

Wednesday, December 24, 2008 at 12:30 a.m.

Sunday, December 28, 2008 at 6:00 a.m.

Channel 111

Friday, December 19, 2008 at 4:30 p.m.

In addition, Sewing and the rock climbing activity will be included in a PBS documentary about childhood obesity, which is set to air on January 22, 2009 at 9:00 p.m. on Channel 10.

PLI Partners with Clark County School District's Adventure Project

PLI Partners with Clark County School District's Adventure Project

Bridging the Gap: Hotel College and Public Lands Institute combine resources for common goal

Bridging the Gap: Hotel College and Public Lands Institute combine resources for common goal

REI Awards Grant to Forever Earth Research & Learning Center

The Discover Mojave Forever Earth Program soon will extend its reach to more Clark County students thanks to a grant from Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI). Officials with REI presented a $10,000 check to the Outside Las Vegas Foundation (OLVF) and the Public Lands Institute (PLI) on November 18, 2008 aboard the Forever Earth Research & Learning Center, which is berthed at Callville Bay Marina at Lake Mead National Recreation Area.
REI, a national gear and apparel retail cooperative, supports local and national non-profit organizations that share the company’s commitment to increase youth participation in outdoor recreation and the conservation of shared outdoor spaces. OLVF was successful in receiving a grant on behalf of the Forever Earth program.

Bruce Gardner, manager of the REI Henderson store, presented the check to OLVF Executive Director Alan O’Neill, PLI Executive Director Peg Rees, and Forever Earth Project Manager Daphne Sewing. Sewing explained that the grant will fund ten to 15 additional trips for Clark County School District students in grades four through twelve. That means up to one thousand students will learn about science, the environment, and water quality issues. Sewing said Forever Earth has served more than 7000 Clark County residents since 2004, with 5000 being students. Following the presentation, fourth grade students from Reedom Elementary School boarded Forever Earth to explore the importance and water use cycle of Lake Mead.
The Forever Earth Program was established by OLVF in conjunction with the Southern Nevada Agency Partnership, which is comprised of the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Forest Service. It is managed by PLI on behalf of the National Park Service. Forever Resorts, a concessionaire of Callville Bay Marine, donates the use of the boat and provides logistical and maintenance support.

The slob museum- Illegal dumping trashes our desert -- and leaves Las Vegas awash in filth. Why keeping it clean shouldn't be such a chore

The slob museum- Illegal dumping trashes our desert -- and leaves Las Vegas awash in filth. Why keeping it clean shouldn't be such a chore," by Amy Kingsley, Las Vegas CityLife.

PLI HIRES INTERPRETATION AND VOLUNTEERISM EXPERT

LAS VEGAS-The UNLV Public Lands Institute (PLI) and the William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration have hired Beth Barrie as research assistant professor in recreation. In that capacity, Barrie will serve as project manager of the Southern Nevada Interagency Volunteer program, which is managed by PLI, and associate professor for recreation and sport management in the college’s Department of Recreation and Sport Management.



Barrie has an extensive background in interpretation and developing interpretive curriculum and training for employees and volunteers of the National Park Service. She will use that expertise to research, manage, and coordinate the recruitment and training of volunteers on federal lands in Southern Nevada that are managed by the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Forest Service. Barrie also will work with UNLV students to develop interpretive programs for public lands.



Barrie comes to PLI from the Eppley Institute for Parks and Public Lands at Indiana University, where she was an instructional designer for the National Park Service Interpretive Development Program curriculum revision project. Prior to that, she was an instructor and researcher in recreation and an interpretive ranger. Barrie holds a B.A. in Communication from the University of Michigan and an M.S. in Outdoor Recreation and Resource Management and a Ph.D. in Leisure Behavior from Indiana University.



PLI was created in 2005 to work in collaboration with federal, state, and non-profit partners to create new knowledge, advance technology, improve education, and engage the community to enhance public lands stewardship. More information about PLI is available at http://publiclands.unlv.edu/.