Habitat

Describing the Silver State Tag is a lot like watching one of those late night infomercials. With all the extra gear and services a person can win, you are constantly saying the phrase, “but wait, there’s more!”

The weekend has arrived, and it will be an exceptionally long one for the schoolkids of Carson City: spring break begins Monday. There’s a rumor of snowfall for this weekend, but it’s not expected to be too heavy in the valley. Don’t quote me on that, though, I’ve been wrong before. Break a leg to the Douglas students performing in ‘Game of Tiaras’ this weekend; the show sounds hilarious, but be warned, it’s not for kids. For a family friendly outing, check out Story Time with Suzie at the Nevada Railroad Museum, or photos with the Easter Bunny at PetSmart.

SATURDAY:

This is definitely not the year to wait until the last day to apply for the big game draw.

In an effort to promote early applications this year, the Nevada Department of Wildlife will hold four drawings for a number of prizes from Vortex Optics. Depending on how early you apply, you could be entered into each of the four drawings.

This weekend may feel like it goes by a little quicker than usual, and it’s not your imagination. In the wee hours of Sunday morning we spring forward into Daylight Savings Time. The Children’s Museum of Northern Nevada is teaming up with NDOT and the Head Injury Association of N. NV for a Brain Safety Day and free bicycle helmet giveaway. Join up with our Parks and Recreation Department for a guided walk at Riverview Park. The Experimental Aircraft Association is holding a Young Eagles event today, so if your kid loves airplanes, you won’t want to miss it.

CARSON CITY — University of Nevada Cooperative Extension and the Nevada Section of the Society for Range Management are now accepting applications for the Nevada Youth Range Camp to be held June 17-23 in central Nevada’s Desatoya Mountains. Applications must be submitted by April 27.

The Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources aims to educate residents about threats posed by invasive plants, animals and microorganisms in the Silver State during National Invasive Species Awareness Week, being recognized now through March 2.

Join a Park Ranger for a guided hike to learn about the habitat along the Carson River, your drinking water, & the Carson Watershed!

Please wear sturdy shoes and meet us at Riverview Park: 600 Marsh Road on March 10th at 10:00am

My friend Will asked me if I knew that the dawn redwood grew in Reno. I thought there was one at the University, but he had seen one at someone’s home. Since I couldn’t remember the scientific name, I looked it up: Metasequoia glyptostroboides.

UPDATE: After voting in December to come up with a plan, the Nevada Department of Agriculture released a request for proposals Tuesday to identify a new owner of the Virginia Range estray horses.

The Bridgeport Winter Recreation Area (BWRA) on the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest's Bridgeport Ranger District opened for snowmobiling starting at 12 a.m. Saturday.

The Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team, which includes local, state and federal agencies continue to carry out prescribed fire operations this week in multiple locations around Lake Tahoe, weather and conditions permitting. Smoke may be present.

Individual and groups have come forward to generate reward money in the amount of $10,000 for information that would solve a crime in which an adult moose was illegally killed 20 miles southeast of Jarbidge in Elko County.

The days have been sunny and have me thinking of spring and flowers. In some areas the daffodils are poking up already. I miss color at this time of year. Wouldn’t it be nice to have flowers outside in December? A friend Paul mentioned that witch hazel (Hamamelis) blooms in winter, an unusual feature for a plant, especially in Nevada.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Nevada District 2 Congressman Mark Amodei released the following statement Wednesday after the House unanimously passed H.R. 1107, the Pershing County Economic Development and Conservation Act, a bipartisan piece of legislation he reintroduced on February 16, 2017:

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – The Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team, which includes local, state and federal agencies, will continue prescribed fire operations this week in multiple locations around Lake Tahoe, weather permitting.

I was recently reading a magazine called “Garden Design” that featured award-winning eco-friendly gardens. In it was a story by Louisa Jones about ecologist and landscape architect, Gilles Clément. He is renowned for his concept of the “Moving Garden.” It is a concept of biological gardening, the idea of working with, not against nature.

The Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team, which includes local, state and federal agencies, may continue prescribed fire operations this week in multiple locations around Lake Tahoe, weather permitting. Smoke may be present.

A crowd of more than 100 people gathered Saturday evening along North Carson Street in front of the Nevada State Capitol, holding a candlelight vigil for an estimated 3,000 Virginia Range wild horses currently under state of Nevada jurisdiction.

Local citizens will gather Saturday afternoon for a candlelight vigil calling on Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval to reverse the Nevada Department of Agriculture’s cancellation of the humane management cooperative agreements and current plan to sell the estimated 3,000 Virginia Range wild horses who fall under the state of Nevada’s jurisdiction to a private entity, according to a press release from local wild horse advocacy groups.

There is a natural phenomenon that takes place each January to February that is celebrated annually in Carson Valley.

Weather permitting, the Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team may conduct prescribed fire operations this week on the north end of Lake Tahoe. Smoke may be present.

Editor's Note: The following item was written by Emma Doty, Christian Garcia-Perez, and Edwin Vasquez who are Honors Biology students at Carson High School.
Carson High School's honors biology class students recently shared their thoughts on the school's three native habitat gardens that help attract wildlife, expand learning, and benefit the environment.

The annual Silver Saddle Ranch Holiday Open House is the perfect time to explore this hidden gem of open space in east Carson City. The Silver Saddle Ranch (SSR) is a 703-acre working ranch located between the Pine Nut Mountains to the east and Prison Hill to the west. The Ranch and surrounding landscape is dominated by agricultural fields, sagebrush, and wetland and riparian habitats.

The Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team will continue prescribed fire operations over the next several weeks, weather permitting. Lake Valley, North Lake Tahoe and Tahoe Douglas fire protection districts, California State Parks, California Tahoe Conservancy and the U.S. Forest Service will conduct prescribed fire operations in multiple areas around Lake Tahoe.

After taking a break during the Thanksgiving holiday, the Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team resume prescribed fire operations next week, beginning Monday, Nov. 27, 2017.

A new study from the Wildlife Conservation Society, Nevada Department of Wildlife and the University of Nevada-Reno finds that conservation efforts have resulted in successful re-colonization of black bears into portions of their historic ranges in the Great Basin in Nevada. The animals had been absent from these areas for more than 80 years.

The U.S. Forest Service announced Wednesday its hazardous fuels reduction burning plans for the Carson and Bridgeport Rangers Districts. Among those planned pile burns include 102 acres in Little Valley near the area of last year's catastrophic wildfire in Washoe Valley.

Fall is the time of year for increased bear foraging activity and more human and bear encounters are possible, according to wildlife officials in Nevada and California.

CARSON CITY, NV – The Nevada Excellence in Mine Reclamation Awards for 2017 were presented on September 9 at the annual Nevada Mining Association Convention in South Lake Tahoe. Four awards were presented this year:

With this year’s wildfires already destroying more than 500 square miles of crucial winter range for antelope and mule deer herds in Elko County, the Nevada Board of Wildlife Commissioners have endorsed several fire related emergency depredation hunts for both deer (doe) and antelope (horns shorter than ears).