Also see tag “Marilyn Mackett” for presentation summaries.
November 10th, 2008 – “The California Condor”
Robert Mesta is a biologist with the US Fish and Wildlife Service and has spent most of his professional career working to protect, conserve, and recover threatened and endangered North American bird populations. He has directed national level programs to recover the bald eagle, peregrine falcon, and California condor.
Robert coordinated the California Condor Recovery Program from 1990 to 2000 and directed the first releases of the condor back to the wilds of California and Arizona. He will be giving a presentation on the recovery of the California condor from the brink of extinction. He will also have copies of his new book; Condor-Spirit of the Canyon for sale.
October 13th, 2008 – “Keeping Nevada Wild”
Hermi Hiatt will be giving a presentation on Friends of Nevada Wilderness, its outreach and wilderness stewardship programs. Friends of Nevada Wilderness is dedicated to extending the protection of designated wilderness to Nevada’s federally owned public lands that qualify as wilderness according to the Wilderness Act of 1964.
Hermi, as a board member since 1987, has been involved with almost every piece of wilderness legislation in the state. She is a professional plant ecologist, her knowledge of the land and vegetation communities have been instrumental to Friends’ success in conserving over three million acres of Nevada’s Wilderness. Learn more about Friends of Nevada Wilderness.
September 8th, 2008 – “Images from the Wildlands of Southern Nevada”
Discover the hidden beauty and grace of southern Nevada’s less traveled wilderness areas through artist/naturalist Sharon K. Schafer’s new works. Sharon will provide a multimedia presentation and sketches, paintings, and photographs of the region’s inspiring wild lands and is designed to reveal southern Nevada’s wild lands as a place of unparalleled natural beauty and diversity.
Sharon K. Schafer has a diversified background with skills ranging from wildlife biologist, naturalist, and photographer, to writer, illustrator, and river guide. Now as a full time artist, she combines two loves – art and nature. Sharon founded Skydance Studio in 1998. With the studio, she has dedicated herself to the creation of fine art images that promote a deeper understanding and appreciation of the beauty and diversity of the natural world.
April 14th, 2008 – “Changes to Desert National Wildlife Refuge”
Amy Sprunger, Desert National Wildlife Refuge Manager. Ms. Sprunger will discuss upcoming projects on the Desert National Wildlife Refuge. These include major modifications to Corn Creek. The current plans will remove the man-made ponds and create a wetland area in the horse pasture west of the existing Visitor Center. A new Visitor Center will be constructed as well.
March 10th, 2008 – “Bird Research Activities in Central Eastern Nevada by SNWA”
Zane Marshall, SNWA Environmental Division Manager. Mr. Marshall will give a brief overview of the In-State Water Project and the related Federal Stipulation Agreements to monitor the environment. The talk will then concentrate on the Raptor and Sage Grouse Surveys that SNWA has been performing recently.
Feb 11th, 2008 – Wetlands Park: Take a Walk on the Wild Side of Clark County
Christie Leavitt, Curator of Education for the Clark County Wetlands Park, will discuss plans for current facilities and future expansion of the Nature Preserve and the Wetlands area.
Jan 14th, 2008 – Burrowing Owl Project
Dorothy Crowe, from the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, will discuss results and progress from an ongoing study conducted on the Burrowing Owl population within the LMNRA. The results will be a nice compliment to our own Urban Burrowing Owl project.
