The Goggio Foundation Interpretive Garden is located at the Great Basin Institute’s international volunteer facility at 1341 North Virginia Street, directly across from the student center at the University of Nevada-Reno campus.  Through the generous support and interest from Melissa and Tim Clover, local Reno philanthropists, the Goggio Foundation Interpretove Garden provides learning opportunities to understand and appreciate our native flora.  Environmental volunteers, both domestic and international, have a unique place to learn about the importance of habitat conservation and the preservation of native habitat.  The Goggio Foudnation, who have provided to date  not only funding for the garden but a generous grant for learning equipment and supplies that help volunteers and students understand science and the outdoor learning environment.  Below are a few images of the garden and its diverse species richness.  Much graditude to the Goggio Foundation and the Clover family for their continued support of the Great Basin Institute’s regional ecological literacy outreach efforts.

View of the the Goggio Foundation Interpretive Garden

GBI's International Volunteer Facility

Get your Camp Application here!

Galena Naturalists from the Great Basin Institute offer the summer day camp series as part of a partnership between the Great Basin Institute and Washoe County Regional Parks and Opens Space. Each camp is five days, taking place Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Youth aged 8-12 are invited to participate in this groundbreaking summer day camp.The Great Basin Naturalists summer camp is aimed at making youth an active part of restoring local ecosystems through hands-on environmental activities and service-learning projects. Youth will be organized into “Trail Crews,” each supervised by experienced naturalists. Crews will take part in a range of projects and activities that have been designed to suit every child’s learning needs.

The Great Basin Naturalists Day Camp features ten themed weeks, ranging from Animal Adventure to Weather and Climate Studies. See more details about each week at Summer Sessions 2010. Along with these environmental education opportunities, we provide counselors who have been trained to coach campers in conflict resolution, team building, and personal responsibility.

Our Day Camp has flexible registration options. Sign your child up for just one week, or choose all ten weeks and get ready to hear about your young scientist’s adventure-filled summer. To register, download a Camp Application or call 775.674.5475 (ext. 5). We accept checks and credit cards (VISA, MC, and Discover).Camp sessions costs $195, with a $20 nonrefundable deposit due for each camp session selected at the time of registration. Applications are due on May 15th, with later applications being accepted depending on space availability each week.

To find out more, we invite you to attend one of our Discovery Days at Galena Creek Regional Park to meet our Camp Director, pick up an application, and try out some of the camp activities. Our upcoming Discovery Days include “Archeology and Rocks” on May 8th and “Water Ways” on May 22nd. Discovery Day events run from 10 am to 1:30 pm, with the camp activities in the morning. There will be a break for you to eat a bring-your-own picnic lunch, followed by a kid friendly hike at 12:45 that goes until 1:30. To sign up for a Discovery Day, Summer Camp or for more information, visit The Great Basin Institute’s website at call our camp staff at (775) 674-5475 (ext.5) or e-mail camp@thegreatbasininstitute.org

Find out more about camp on our website at Great Basin Naturalists Summmer Day Camp.

After trotting in snowshoes to a clearing, Richard Covey knelt down and shoved his bare hand down into the snow.

He dug and pushed his arm further down, trying to reach the frozen ground of the lower Bristlecone Trail at Mount Charleston.

He never reached his destination.

“That shows how much accumulation we’ve gotten,” the U.S. Forest Service field naturalist said on a recent February afternoon.

Covey then shook off his snowy hand and pointed out fresh deer tracks nearby.

“They don’t have snowshoes so they sink right in,” he said. “They’re basically on stilts.”

Covey’s quips aren’t just observations, they’re a segment of interpretive snowshoe hikes offered by the U.S. Forest Service through a partnership with the Great Basin Institute.

A field naturalist outfits participants with modern snowshoes and leads them on a trip through the snow-covered forest.

The walks are provided free of charge and conducted on weekends all winter for individuals and groups of up to 30 people.

“Don’t be afraid,” Covey said gingerly of the hike. “You’re not out of shape — it’s just the air.”

At elevations of between 8,000 to 9,000 feet above sea level, Covey, 25, leads groups on hikes of varying lengths and skill levels. He weaves in information about how animals and nature adapt to winter’s chill.

Animal tracks — deer, horse, chipmunk, fox — are imprinted alongside boot indents and snowshoe tracks. Covey tried to identify each he passed.

In between one set of stops, Covey encountered a fellow snowshoe hiker coming down the trail.

The man, Hal Street, was finishing up a solo three-mile hike, and the Las Vegan told Covey he knows several of the trails of the Spring Mountains well. “This is my second home,” Street said. “I don’t think I could live in Vegas without it.”

He skis or snowshoes two or three times a week, often never encountering fellow snow adventurers.

“A lot of the time, I am the only one,” he said. “It’s a good feeling — you’re it.”

Covey has led two snowshoe hikes so far this winter — “I just love any reason to get out,” he said — with adults and children.

He challenges youngsters to foot races to see who can top a snowy hill faster in boots versus snowshoes. He shows how humans conduct body heat with jackets, like animals use fur.

He fields questions along the way and, no, there are no bears, he says.

“It’s the wildlife that people are most curious about, and that’s maybe because they aren’t aware of everything up here,” he said.

The snowshoe hikes are a workout, but Covey accommodates for the speed and skill level of the group, he said. He also totes around a radio, a first-aid kit and supplies for emergency situations. Hikes are canceled if inclement weather is in the forecast.

Participants should wear clothing that protects their heads, hands and feet from the elements.

“It’s pretty basic,” Covey said. “If they show up, we have the shoes.”

Walks and other programs are provided year-round by the U.S. Forest Service.

For more information about reservations, call the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area Education Department visitors center at 872-5486.

- By Maggie Lillis, View Staff Writer for Centennial View

View the original article by clicking here.

Craig L. Moran/ViewRichard Covey, right, a U.S. Forest Service field naturalist, leads the way during a snowshoe tour on Mount Charleston, Feb. 3. Covey leads groups on hikes of varying lengths and skill levels.

Craig L. Moran/ViewU.S. Forest Service field naturalist Richard Covey displays casts of mountain lion footprints.

Craig L. Moran/ViewRichard Covey, right, stops to chat with snowshoe hiker Hal Street during a snowshoe tour.

Craig L. Moran/ViewU.S. Forest Service field naturalist Richard Covey holds up pinon nuts as he guides a snowshoe tour through the lower Bristlecone Trail at Mount Charleston, Feb. 3.

Are you a full-time student who will have junior or senior status by Fall 2010? Are you majoring in environmental studies, natural resources, biology, ecology, hydrology, resource economics, or statistics? Does working in the scenic eastern Sierra Nevada watershed, with renowned University of Nevada, Reno research faculty, on real-world environmental conservation projects, sound exciting to you? Summer 2010 REU projects will range from the impact of wildfire to watershed restoration to water quality issues facing Lake Tahoe. Doing hands-on research, you’ll learn how science influences land and water use policies, management, and conservation. And, you’ll learn how to present the research you do. Throughout your ten-week, REU experience, you’ll be provided with on-campus housing. You’ll also earn a $4250 stipend, just for participating in the program. If doing real science with great mentors in one of the West’s most spectacular regions sounds like a good way to spend your summer, the 2010 REU Program could be your ticket to ride! For more information about eligibility and application details, click on the following links. If you have questions, you can contact Mike Collopy at mcollopy@unr.edu or 775-784-8262, or Lynn Zimmerman at lzimmerman@thegreatbasininstitute.org or 775-674-5487.

Full position description.

Summer 2009 REU Article.

Martin Luther King Day presents an excellent opportunity to uphold the AmeriCorps mission of strengthening communities through public service. The Nevada Outdoor School (a BLM and AmeriCorps partner) organized a MLK Day Community Cultural Fair, aimed at engaging youth and adults in a celebration of Winnemucca’s diverse local culture. Held at the Armory Building on Monday, January 18, 2010, the afternoon fair featured many cultural groups and organizations. Each group was invited to host a table and offer an educational activity for youth, aged five to twelve.

At the table they hosted, GBI AmeriCorps members Allie Henson and Shannon Henke showed kids how to use recycled paper to make origami pygmy rabbits, an activity that could be translated into a simple educational message. Making the origami rabbits proved very popular with the target audience. This fun activity created an opportunity to discuss the importance of conserving habitat for sensitive species, such as the pygmy rabbit. Allie and Shannon also presented an informative poster, aimed at education outreach.

In addition to hosting their own table, Allie and Shannon also worked with the BLM’s Fire Mitigation and Education Specialist, Carmen Thomason, for the event. Carmen’s activity involved a message of fire safety, and kids learned the proper way to build and put out a camp fire.

After enjoying various activities and a free spaghetti lunch, the participants were ready to volunteer at different service projects for the rest of the afternoon. Overall, the MLK Day Cultural Fair was a great success. It created a forum for engaging the community through education and service on this important national holiday.

- Shannon Henke

Sunday, November 1 and Monday, November 2, 2009 marked the 9th annual “Dia de los Muertos” (Day of the Dead) celebration, held at Winchester Park and Recreation Center in Las Vegas. Southern Nevada Agency Partners (SNAP) collaborated with law enforcement officers from four federal land management agencies (NPS, USFWS, BLM, and USFS) to take part in the celebration. Research Associates Emily Montoya, Laura Brinson, and Virginia Ramos, who work at Lake Mead NRA’s Education and Interpretation division on community outreach projects, oversaw this team effort. This was the second year that SNAP participated in the event.

The Day of the Dead, or “All Souls’ Day,” celebrations originated in Latin America, where for two days people honor deceased loved ones by constructing elaborate altars decorated with flowers, candles, food, and photographs. Across Mexico and the United States, people celebrate this tradition in similar ways, integrating themes and experiences common to their region. SNAP and federal agency law enforcement officers chose to remember the sixteen people who, in 2009, committed suicide on southern Nevada’s public lands. Emily, Laura, and Virginia took on the project of constructing an altar. Emily says, “We were given this theme, and complete freedom to express it.”

The three Research Associates bring their expertise as environmental educators to school fairs, career days, Earth Day festivals and other community events, such as this one. Emily explains, “Working with Lake Mead and SNAP, our goal is to educate the public about Southern Nevada’s diverse natural environment. We focus on how human activity, for better and worse, affects the desert environment. Our aim is to inspire groups of all ages to get outdoors and get involved.”

To honor the sixteen individuals, whose identities were kept anonymous, SNAP decided to build an altar, or “ofrenda,” that integrated four sites located on public lands in Southern Nevada: Red Rock Canyon, Lake Mead National Recreation Area, the Spring Mountains, and Desert National Wildlife Refuge. The team also assembled a collage from photos of Southern Nevada’s public lands that served as a stunning backdrop for the ofrenda. “We had about 5 days to put it all together,” Emily recalls. “The GBI RAs, as well as Laura’s husband and SNAP volunteer, Jim, worked literally day and night to put the altar together. The process was exhilarating. Nobody knew exactly what the outcome would look like, so we took it day by day, hour by hour. Jim was instrumental in the ofrenda’s construction, because he wasn’t afraid to bust out the duct tape.”

The group embraced the spirit of the event, carefully attending to every detail of the altar’s construction, even tracking down traditional ofrenda items. Sixteen white candles commemorated each suicide, and marigold flowers, paper mache flowers, and “Pan de Muerto,” (Bread of the Dead) adorned the completed ofrenda. Emily made the bread herself. She explains, “The bread recipe I used originated with Frida Kahlo, which made it authentic and significant to me from the start. When I went to buy the ingredients, a baker at one of the Hispanic groceries gave me practical advice and encouraged me. Many people commented on how rare it is to make your own bread. That time of year, every Hispanic bakery has pan de muerto coming out of the oven seven times an hour!”

By participating in this Day of the Dead celebration, SNAP hopes to raise community awareness about the prevalence of suicide on public lands, and to send the message that Southern Nevada’s public land managers care about this issue. The personalized altar makes the point that, statistics aside, suicide involves real people. The event also gave SNAP the opportunity to meet informally with members of the community, many of whom they encounter in the course of managing public lands. “A few people had direct experience with suicide on public lands—finding someone while camping, or encountering someone climbing up a mountain with a loaded gun—and were happy to share,” Emily says. “Other people were moved by the directness of our topic and commented that these suicides often go overlooked.”

During the Day of the Dead celebration, SNAP shared its message with over 10,000 people. “We also let them know who we are and what we do,” Emily adds. “Because our ofrenda was a mock-up of Southern Nevada, we could talk to people about Red Rock RCA, Desert NWA, LAME, and the Spring Mountains, and share with them ways to get involved in fun outdoor activities.”

- By Emily Montoya, with Chris Robertson

Hi, I’m Devon the intern.

I’m not from around here.  You might not guess it from my Taft-esque moustache and brass Wild Turkey belt buckle, but if you ask me, sure, I’ll admit it: I’m from California. San Francisco even. I’m no gold miner, buckaroo or anything close to a cowboy poet. But I am a fan of interesting slices of American culture and a pretty adaptable dude. Maybe that’s why I finished college, packed up and moved to Elko, Nevada for an AmeriCorps internship with the Western Folklife Center.

I’ve only been here since August, and I’ve never even been to a Gathering, but – from the WFC to the NCPG, the poetry to the music, my coworkers to the townsfolk, and the nearby ghost towns to the all-night local karaoke dives – this place has made me into something of an Elkoholic.

I’m here thanks to the gov’ment. When the economy went south, Nevada’s Great Basin Institute harnessed some AmeriCorps coin, teamed up with the WFC and rescued me from a post-graduate life of Segway tour guiding and Awful-Awful gobbling in Reno.

Since arriving, I’ve tried on quite a few new hats. Working mostly alongside Meg and Tamara on our programming, I’ve had tasks as diverse as working on contracts and grants, organizing an Energy Symposium, selecting photos for the NCPG program book and packing saddles (well, to be shipped).  Whatever needs to be done, really.

It’s been nice acquiring new real-jobbish-type skills, as well as being around people who like to work good, long and hard every day of the week. Consequently, it’s also been nice having a bar downstairs.

Best of all so far, though, has been all the great people I’ve met here. Or at least talked to on the phone. With many of the artists, I expect no shortage of shaking hands and hearing “Ohhh! So YOU’RE that guy!” And now, after reading this, I guess you can do that, too.

For the Gathering, when it comes to education, I’m your man. If you’ve received an email about a workshop you’re attending, probably one with – to Tamara’s chagrin – a handful of exclamation points and lame jokes, it probably had my name at the bottom. And if you’re a local student yodeling with Riders in the Sky at the Cowkids Stampede or discussing songwriting with Corb Lund in your school’s band room next week, I’ll be the scrawny moustachioed dude running around making sure everything works.

In fact, I’ll probably be that dude all over town this Gathering. So if you see me, feel free to flag me down and remind me that I’m the intern and make me do something for you. Or to say hello and sneak me a quick nip of Wild Turkey. You know, whatever you prefer.

Either way, I’ll see you at the Gathering – my first, as I already can tell, of many.

– Devon Blunden, The Intern aka Programs Assistant aka AmeriCorps/GBI Volunteer