WINNEMUCCA - Community members of Winnemucca and Reno volunteered their time out on the Santa Rosa Ranger District last weekend to rehabilitate areas burned in this past summer's wildfires. A total of nine volunteers worked together on the project to rehabilitate burned land. Over the course of one day the volunteers were able help revive land damaged by the Hanson wildfire this past summer in Paradise Valley. The project was designed to ensure the restoration of habitat for mule deer, sage grouse, and native plants, as well as minimize the chance of noxious weeds such as cheatgrass and Medusa Head. Volunteers successfully planted 260 bitterbrush starts on an area of about 8.5 acres of designated U.S. Forest Service land. Friends of Nevada Wilderness partnered with the U.S. Forest Service and the Nevada Division of Wildlife on this stewardship project. The bitterbrush starts from NDOW are plants that have been raised in the Lowry High School, and French Ford Middle School greenhouses and planted by local Humboldt County students. This project of rehabilitating Hanson will keep dedicated volunteers from Winnemucca, Battle Mountain, Lovelock and surrounding communities busy for the upcoming months as the efforts continue to aid the damaged land. The project is scheduled to continue full speed ahead into 2013 and more planting will take place in the early spring. Although opening weekend was a great success, Friends of Nevada Wilderness and its partnering organizations are looking forward to continuing the efforts. There is a great deal of work to be done in the future on the damaged land, so if you would like to come together in this effort with your family, friends, organization, or group, please contact us to contribute to rehabilitating Hanson. Wes Hoskins, a staff member for Friends of Nevada Wilderness, had this to say about the projects to be done in the Santa Rosa Wilderness this season: "Paradise Valley in northern Nevada is one of the most verdant, beautiful places I have seen in this state. It has something for everyone-from birdwatchers to hunters to hikers seeking the solitude of the Santa Rosa Range. I'm looking forward to the series of projects we have scheduled in the Valley this year and I can't wait to get people out there who have never had the opportunity to experience this awesome place." For more information and details about the project, visit www.nevadawilderness.org, or contact Brenna Archibald at brenna.archibald@nevadaoutdoorschool.org to join the volunteer efforts.[[In-content Ad]]
