friendsofwovoka

The Bald Mountain

2009-05-30T00:13:00.000-07:00

East Walker River

2009-04-14T21:13:00.000-07:00

Lyon County Board of Commissioners supports state resolution

2009-04-03T08:02:00.000-07:00

April 3, 2009
Lyon County Board of Commissioners supports state resolution regarding wilderness designation

By Keith TroutNews Editor
After battling a proposed wilderness designation as part of a lands bill last year that would have affected some Lyon County lands, the Lyon County Board of Commissioners approved a motion of support for a state resolution calling for local approval of federal wilderness designation.

http://www.rgj.com/article/20090403/MVN01/904030318/1305/BIZ01

unlikely partnerships

2009-03-31T19:28:00.000-07:00

Collaboration on conservation
By JANE DANOWITZ
President Barack Obama recently signed into law Monday one of the most significant conservation milestones in a decade. Chock-full of new protections for pristine and historic places, the measure sets the gold standard for land preservation by designating more than 2 million acres in nine states as wilderness .
The Omnibus Public Land Management Act also offers a new roadmap for conserving our natural resources, placing a premium on bipartisan collaboration and local engagement. Perhaps most important, though, this early action by the new Congress signals a welcome change in the way our federal lands will be managed - through some unlikely partnerships - that will benefit Americans for generations.

Link to the rest of the article : http://www.miamiherald.com/news/environment/story/976474.html

Act Locally

2009-03-29T17:13:00.000-07:00

Lands bill is a good start for Congress
Adam Hamburg, Las Vegas
Sun, Mar 29, 2009 (2:03 a.m.)
As an environmental biologist, there has been little news in the past decade to give me hope that America will again lead the world in environmental protection. However, the passage this past week of the omnibus lands bill in Congress has given me a great deal of hope and pride that America, the world’s No. 1 polluter, will begin to lead the world on a path toward environmental protection.
The omnibus lands bill will establish 2 million acres of wilderness, protect thousands of acres of scenic rivers, create one national monument and three national parks. In the past we have been the world’s leader when the world needed us most. In this new time of crisis, I hope we have the courage and resolve to lead once more.
Actions such as these are not just altruism. Working toward environmental protection will provide America with greater national security by reducing our dependence on foreign oil, boost our economy by creating industry and enhance the health of Americans, thus reducing health care costs and increasing productivity.
We should thank Congress for passing this historic lands bill, but unfortunately it does not protect any additional land in Nevada. We must now act locally and encourage Nevada’s congressional delegation to protect treasures in Nevada such as Gold Butte.

Wilderness Bill Passes House

2009-03-25T22:50:00.000-07:00

House protects 2 million acres as wilderness, including in Nevada - Las Vegas Sun
Source: www.lasvegassun.com
The House passed a bill today that protects 2 million acres across the country as wilderness, and Nevada received benefits as well.

Huge public lands bill gets final congressional approval McClatchy
Source: www.mcclatchydc.com
WASHINGTON -- The House on Wednesday gave long-awaited final approval to a massive public lands package that designates more than 2 million acres as federal protected wilderness and expands the authority of federal land management agencies in ways that conservatives have long distrusted.

Nevada gets a few acres protected in Nye County and 19 miles along the Amargosa River. Meanwhile Wovoka sits like the redheaded step child without any protection whatsoever.... Folks we really need to come together on this thing. Can we put aside our differences and work together. I'm willing to do that, are you?

Kurt Kuznicki
A friend of Wovoka

"Angry as one may be at what careless people have done and still do to a noble habitat, it is hard to be pessimistic about the West. This is the native home of hope. When it finally learns that cooperation, not rugged individualism, is the pattern that most characterizes and preserves it, then it will have achieved itself and outlived its origins. Then it has a chance to create a society to match the scenery."

- Wallace Stegner

Wilderness Bill Passes House

2009-03-25T22:39:00.000-07:00

House protects 2 million acres as wilderness, including in Nevada
By Mary Manning

Wed, Mar 25, 2009 (4:29 p.m.)
The House passed a bill today that protects 2 million acres across the country as wilderness, and Nevada received benefits as well.
The vote was 285-140 and President Barack Obama is expected to sign it.
In Nye County near the Nevada-California state line, the act will protect critical habitat for a toad, a fish and a small rodent.
While 19 miles of the Amargosa River in California will be protected under the bill, that protection extends to the Amargosa toad, the Amargosa pupfish and a vole, said David Lamford, a biologist working with the National Parks Conservation Association.
These species' habitat was threatened by development, off-road vehicle use and other environmental impacts.

The view from Sweetwater Summit and thoughts of spring.

2009-03-19T22:24:00.000-07:00

I am really looking forward to spring; I miss getting out and walking in the high country (without snowshoes, & long underwear) and discovering new stuff like the old corrals we found last summer. One of my favorite memories from last season was the bear that circled our camp one night while we were backpacking. I thought at first those sounds I heard in the middle of the night were just my compadres passing a little gas from dinner, but it seemed rather strange when it came from the bushes 15 feet from me...hmmm??? I just sank a little lower in my sleeping bag and thought there are worst ways to leave the planet and drifted off to an uneasy sleep. When I crawled out of my bag the next morning, I was not too surprised to see some giant bruin footprints circling our camp (I do mean BIG). I started to question whether smoked salmon was the thing to bring to Wovoka on a backpack. On the return hike we changed up our route a bit and we came upon a rather well used game trail it was a fauna super highway, we not only saw the big bear tracks, but lots of deer and lion tracks too. Wovoka is alive with game of every type I cannot wait to get back up there. Ahhh, the hiking/exploring season is almost here and I cannot wait.

Wovoka Sunrise

2009-03-17T20:29:00.000-07:00

Looking northwest from the vicinity of The Elbow on the East Walker River you can see Wovoka and the very tip of Bald Mountain peeking above the ridge.

Rosachi Ranch Burn

2009-03-16T08:42:00.000-07:00

This year's prescribed burn seem to go fairly well with around 110 arces burned at the west end of the ranch. I haven't heard whether any more burns are planned this year.