Program Overview

University Field Studies Programs

GBI coordinates a wide range of undergraduate and graduate environmental field courses for students throughout the state. Collaborating with faculty across the UCCSN system, GBI field courses typically combine classroom seminars with field components, many of which offer elements of direct service. Courses are typically team taught with faculty from both the sciences and humanities. A sampling of GBI courses are listed below.

·Sierra Field Studies
·Restoration Ecology
·Jarbidge Wilderness Studies
·The Aesthetics of Advocacy
·Field Methods of Mountain Geography
·Yosemite Conservation History

Jarbidge Wilderness Conservation Studies Environmental Studies 301 or English 400.02/790 · 3 credits

Horsepack into the Jarbidge Wilderness Area, a natural forum to explore ideas and initiatives for the preservation of the wild. Pristine rivers, subapline lakes, and verdant meadows will provide the backcountry setting as we study the aesthetic and biological impetus for the conservation movement in the American west. Students will actively engage the criteria for defining wilderness areas with current political, social, and cultural concepts that challenge wilderness conservation.

Evening Seminars July 19, August 9, 6-8 p.m. on UNR campus (USBM Rm 203)
Field Studies July 28-August 4, Jarbidge Wilderness Area, Northeastern Nevada
Lab Fee $50 Transportation from UNR to Jarbidge Wilderness provided. Personal camping gear and transportation to UNR not provided. Students will also cost-share for horsepack services and food.
Instructors Jerry Keir, Ph.D. candidate, UNR Literature and Environment
Sanjay Pyare, Ph.D., UNR Conservation Biology

The Aesthetics of Advocacy: Nature Writing, Photography, and Found-Art Sculpture* English 205 / Art 319 · 3 credits

Spend four days exploring the canyonlands of the Silver Peak Wilderness Study Area. Creative writing projects will provide field experience in writing environmental poetry, fiction, and literary natural history while developing a detailed knowledge of the landscape and natural history of this unique Nevada wilderness. Students will consider varied artistic approaches to advocating the preservation of unprotected wild lands. With pending grant monies, student writing, nature photography, and found-art sculpture will be professionally published in a multi-media journal and displayed as part of Reno’s Up Town, Down Town, Art Town festival.

Seminars June 5 – July 7, MW F 6-8p.m. on UNR campus (USBM Rm 203)
Backcountry Field Studies June 16-19, Silver Peak WSA, Southwestern Nevada
Fee $50 (Students will also cost-share for food and transportation)
Instructors Corey Lewis, Ph.D. candidate, Literature and Environment
Dean Burton, MFA, UNR Art Deptarment
Tamara Scronce, MFA, UNR Art Department
*See registration form for special notice regarding Art 319 credit.

Field Methods in Sierra Nevada Mountain Geography Geography 470 · 1 credit

Natural resource managers, surveyors, emergency care providers, backcountry enthusiasts, and those with general interests in geography, geology or natural history may find this class particularly interesting. Participants will learn techniques used in the exploration of mountain environments. Topographic map interpretation, map and compass navigation, application of global positioning system (GPS), and terrain recognition will be emphasized through a series of field exercises held in the Sierra Nevada.

Evening Seminars July 20 & 21st, 6-8 p.m.on UNR campus (USBM Rm 203)
Field Studies July 22-23rd, Little Valley, Eastern Sierra Nevada
Fee $50 (Students will also cost-share for food)
Instructor John Korfmacher, M.S. candidate’

Great Basin Service-Learning Initiative

GBI has received several grants from the Nevada Department of Education to serve over six hundred county students and educators, providing service-learning field programs that explore the intersections between classroom curricula and “real world” environmental issues. Partnering with Master teachers, GBI designs field components to K-12 curricula, offering regional educators and their students experiential learning opportunities to explore and discover alpine and desert systems within the context of regional environmental initiatives. Our programs synthesizes national and regional watershed service curricula, including Project Learning Tree, Project Wet, Aquatic Wild, Adopt-A-Watershed and the River of Words programs. 

Natural History Workshops

Natural History Sketching

Sierra Nevada River Ecology
Wilderness Initial Responder
Mcullough Mountains Wilderness Initiative

Sierra Nevada River Ecology

Raft the scenic Carson River on an overnight journey through spectacular Eastern Sierra canyons. Learn rudimentary river skills and whitewater safety techniques as well as methods for identifying aquatic and terrestrial organisms. We will discuss the importance of watersheds in the West through river-based readings while running one of the Sierra Nevada’s most scenic rivers. An overnight camp at hot springs along the Carson River is included. Fee covers meals, materials, and transportation departing from and returning to UNR. Personal camping gear and transportation to UNR not provided.

Field Studies May 6-7th, Carson River, Eastern Sierra Nevada
Fee $185
Instructor Eric Martin, Whitewater Rescue Instructor, American River College

Nevada Wilderness Project: Mcullough Mountains Wilderness Initiative

Join environmental professionals in preserving Nevada Wilderness. Travel and camp within the northern and southern territories of the rugged McCullough Mountains Wilderness Study Area (WSA). Assist in gathering data to protect the mountains through garnering support for “Wilderness Area” status. Learn flora and fauna identification techniques and help preserve important habitats for desert fauna. Fee includes meals, materials, and transportation, departing from and returning to UNLV. Personal camping gear and transportation to UNLV not provided.

Field Seminar March 31-April 1, The Mcullough Mountains, So. Nevada
Fee $145
Instructors Kevin Mack, Program Coordinator, Nevada Wilderness Project
John Wallin, Director, Nevada Wilderness Project