natural resources

Tamzen Stringham, professor at the University of Nevada, Reno in the Department of Agriculture, Nutrition and Veterinary Sciences, is part of a multi-agency team of scientists who have been awarded the 2013 Secreta­ry of Agriculture’s Honor Award. The team called the Interagency Ecological Site Implementation consists of professionals from the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management.

Unmanned Aerial Systems, also known as drones, may be relatively small, but could have a big impact on Nevada’s economy and natural resources, especially when the necessary pieces and experts come together to do the work and research.

To that end, University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, in partnership with the Governor’s Office of Economic Development and the University’s Center for Economic Development at the College of Business, is holding a public workshop on unmanned aerial systems, with a focus on how communities in Nevada can become involved with this economic initiative.

Here is this week's fishing report for rivers, lakes and streams in Nevada, Northern California and the Sierra. This report is for the week of Oct. 30 to Nov. 5.

Agencies and schools throughout Carson City will participate in an earthquake drill Thursday morning. Along with millions of people worldwide, Nevadans are encouraged to “Drop, Cover and Hold On” at 10:17 a.m. on Oct. 17 for the 2013 Great Nevada ShakeOut.

State agencies throughout the Carson City area, as well as the Public Health Preparedness Program of the Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health, the Nevada Division of Emergency Management, and the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources plan to participate in the earthquake drill.

The Carson City Harvest Hub, along with food production programs in Douglas and Lyon counties, have been awarded funding through the Nevada Department of Agriculture, officials announced Monday.

Grant awards amounting to $250,730 will go to 13 programs throughout Northern Nevada for crop research, education marketing and production.

Here is the latest fishing report for rivers, lakes and streams in Nevada, Northern California and the Sierra. This report is for the week of Oct. 2-9.

Former U.S. Vice-President Al Gore said in his speech to scientists, elected officials, environmentalists, business leaders, fire department officials, students and others in the audience of the 2013 Lake Tahoe Summit, that what we’ve learned at Tahoe can help inform the rest of the world to protect their resources and communities.

Nevada Division of Environmental Protection air quality monitors in Carson City and in Gardnerville are reporting high particulate matter from smoke indicating the air quality Thursday is unhealthy, officials said.

A fire burning in Tuolumne County, Calif., near Yosemite National Park, is the main source of smoke in the Carson City, Carson Valley, Reno and Lyon County regions. The Rim Fire is estimated at nearly 54,000 acres and growing Thursday with 2 percent containment.

I was recently reading local commentary over on Carson Now titled, Driving is Interesting and an Adventure in Carson City. The title is sarcastic, the article really expressing the author’s frustrations with driving in our city. While the points made in the article are valid, they’re certainly not unique to Carson City. This is simply the reality of driving a car in an urban environment.

CARSON CITY, Nev. – The Nevada Division of Forestry would like help determining how widespread and severe the White Satin Moth, Leucoma salicis, infestation is in northern Nevada. The non-native insect is capable of defoliating aspen, cottonwoods and willows.

In flight now, the White Satin Moth can be found flying in the upper canopy of any poplar species and laying eggs or mating on trunks, leaves or branches.

by ALEX POMPLIANO Gov. Brian Sandoval has been named Vice-Chairman of the Western Governors’ Association (WGA). The Republican governor was elected by his peers during the organization’s annual meeting held over the weekend in Park City, Utah. “From natural resources to human...

Nevada Senators Harry Reid and Dean Heller have introduced the Douglas County Conservation Act of 2013, which is designed to promote conservation, improve recreation opportunities, and provide for sensible development in Douglas County.

Carson City resident and Carson High graduate Miranda Grato was named to the Honor’s List for spring semester at Unity College in Maine.

Grato, who will graduate in the 2016 class, is a marine biology and wildlife biology double major, attained a 3.33 grade point average or above.

In recent years Unity College has gained national attention for a variety of achievements including its focus on sustainability science, the leading-edge of 21st century ecological problem solving and the vanguard in the fight for the mitigation of global climate change.

CARSON CITY — The Assembly Committee on Natural Resources, Agriculture and Mining met Thursday to discuss a bill that would require the development of a program to regulate the use of hydraulic fracturing in Nevada.

Commonly known as “fracking,” hydraulic fracturing is a process in which an amalgam of water, sand and chemicals is pressurized and injected into the ground to break up rock formations. Fracking can be used in the retrieval of natural gas and oil from deep beneath the earth’s surface, which is exactly what Houston-based Noble Energy Inc. intends to do in Elko County.

CARSON CITY — The Assembly has passed a bill that will require a three-year suspension on black bear hunting in Nevada while the Department of Wildlife conducts a scientific study to determine if a healthy population of the animals can be sustained in the event that a sanctioned bear-hunting season is re-instituted permanently.

SB82 was originally aimed at banning bear hunting indefinitely but has since been amended several times. Only two Assembly members spoke prior to the vote during today’s Assembly Floor Session.

by NATASHA VITALE

A Nevada Assembly committee supported banning most “horse tripping” for sport, entertainment, or practice Thursday, sending a bill to the full Assembly.

State Senate Bill 72 was one of many bills prohibiting animal cruelty that were discussed in the Assembly Committee on Natural Resources on Thursday. It bans horse tripping unless it is part of an event that is allowed by the local government.

The bill passed the committee by a vote of 10-2, with Assemblymen Ira Hansen, R-Sparks, and John Ellison, R-Elko, opposing the bill.

by MOLLY MOSER & STEPHANIE GLANTZ

The Nevada Assembly welcomed a new member today during its floor session. Tyrone Thompson was sworn in as the new representative for Assembly District 17 in Clark County. The North Las Vegas democrat is taking the seat left vacant by ousted Assemblyman Steven Brooks, who was expelled following a series of public incidents and threats to his colleagues.

A memorial dedicated to Nevada’s fallen soldiers could be the next monument in Carson City’s Capitol Complex with the passing of Senate Bill 230 by the Committee on Natural Resources.

The American Legion, the largest veteran’s service organization in the state, is acting as the lead organization in completing the project and needs approval to use state grounds.

Originally Gold Star Families, a smaller organization was going to spearhead the project. Thursday's "amend and do pass" allowed The American Legion to take the reigns.

The Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (US Forest Service/LTBMU) and the Tahoe Area Mountain Biking Association (TAMBA) have been working together for a couple of years to improve mountain bike trails all while protecting the natural resources of our local forests. Lake Tahoe is a special place, loved and used by millions of visitors each year from around the world. The local forest service has been at the forefront of working collaboratively with user groups and the public to ensure that protecting the environment of this special place, still allows for uses that are compatible and fun.

A bill to repeal Nevada's threat to withdraw from the bi-state Tahoe Compact is up for a hearing before the Senate Natural Resources Committee.