WINNEMUCCA - Dedicated community members from Winnemucca, Carson City and Reno volunteered their time out on the Santa Rosa Ranger District in Paradise Valley this past weekend on May 12, and had tremendous stewardship success. Ten hardworking volunteers came together to help revive land seriously damaged by a wildfire that took place in 2011 out on Tom Basin.
The overall project was designed to ensure the restoration of habitat for mule deer, sage grouse and native plants in this fire-damaged area. The 10 volunteers worked hard on May 12 to plant 175 bitterbrush plugs and 325 sagebrush plants. They also accomplished the cutting and replanting of 500 native willows.
This project was in coordination with the U.S. Forest Service and the Nevada Department of Wildlife, as well as Nevada Outdoor School. Volunteers worked hard on a total of three separate weekends to make an incredible difference on Tom Basin! The total amounts of planting and outcome of incredible volunteers and stewardship accomplished are truly astonishing. Dedicated volunteers planted a total of 1,575 bitterbrush, 611 sagebrush and 950 willows in a total of only three work days!
Friends of Nevada Wilderness and its partnering organizations are excited about the involvement from community members in Winnemucca, Lovelock, Battle Mountain, Carson City and even Reno. They look forward to continue the efforts with future projects on the Santa Rosas which include Summit Trail and Lye Creek Campground maintenance, as well as a celebration for National Public Lands Day in September.
There is still a great deal of work to be done in the Santa Rosa Ranger District, so if you would like to volunteer on any events with your family, friends or organization, please join them. Many are classified as "Family Friendly," which means they are open to anyone despite age or skill.
Barbara Wall, a first-time volunteer with Friends of Nevada Wilderness had this to say about working on the project: "The weekend experience as a volunteer in the Santa Rosa Range doing restoration work definitely gave me an extra bounce in my step and sparkle in my eyes on Monday morning. It was great to be part of a team with the goal of restoring the wilderness in such a beautiful and pristine area. Very few stories of white emigrants crossing Nevada in the 1800s include the term 'paradise,' so when you hear of a town with the name 'Paradise Valley,' you'd do well to check it out ... Definitely a trip to remember."
For more information visit www.nevadawilderness.org, or contact Brenna Archibald at brenna.archibald@nevadaoutdoorschool.org to join the volunteer efforts.
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