April is Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights Month in Nevada 4/6/2012
Burrowing Owls Don't Mind the Wind 1/24/2012
On Saturday January 21, SNAP Education staff participated in a Families in Nature event at Floyd Lamb City Park. The Families in Nature program takes families by bus, from the Winchester Cultural Center, out to a public lands site. The participants usually participate in three different activities in the morning, have pot luck lunch or grill out, and then in the afternoon enjoy the site with more education or a stewardship project. This Saturday, even though there were gusts up to 75 mph, there were 46 participants that attended the event. In the morning, the USFWS staff, Christianna Manville, John, Geri, Layloni, setup spotting scopes, handed out binoculars and talked to the families about the burrowing owl project. The participants were so excited to "meet a real scientist". The also went on a hike and learned how to use binoculars to spot wildlife. They saw some birds, two jackrabbits, and plenty of 'evidence' that animals live in the Mojave Desert. There was a burrowing owl that made an appearance! They actually got to see an owl in its burrow! The last activity was done in one of the historic buildings, thanks to Darren Copeland, City of Las Vegas. Who would have thought that dissecting owl pellets, which they thought was sooo gross when Ranger Amanda talked about it on the bus ride, would be sooo cool after they saw the owl and wanted to know what they would find in the pellets. The group enjoyed their lunch in a group picnic site with some hot cocoa to stay warm. The volleyball net was set up and some participates played an intense 10 games of volleyball while others walked around Floyd Lamb enjoying the ponds, farmer's market, and other interesting areas of the park. Overall the owls and the Families in Nature families, did not mind the wind!
Let's Get Healthy Workshop with Educators and Health Professionals 12/5/2011
Afterwards some members of the group did a service project at the Boulder Campgrounds helping to spruce up the area around the amphitheater. REI funded the first of two workshops that will bring this diverse group of community members together to promote outdoor play and getting youth and their families outdoor exercising on a regular basis.
Explore! RV on the Road 12/5/2011
The Explore RV has taken to the road. In October it visited FWS Corn Creek and Tivoli Gardens in Summerlin. The first Friday in November it made a brief stop at the Interagency Office for the SNAP Board of Directors and staff to tour before heading to Logandale for the off-highway vehicle (OHV) Hump N Bump event and Pomegranate Festival - both staged at the Clark County Fairgrounds in Logandale.
Life in Death Festival 11/4/2011
This year's ofrenda was to honor those who have lost their lives on public lands due to the elements. The ofrenda was planned, built, and staffed by Lake Mead NRA staff as a part of the Southern Nevada Agency Partnership (SNAP).
International Hispanic Parade 10/13/2011
Everyone loves a parade! On Saturday October 8, 2011 in Henderson, NV the International Hispanic Parade took place downtown on Water Street. The SNAP Education Team helped to coordinate participants from all SNAP agencies. The NPS Lake Mead NRA, pulled a boat with lifejackets displayed, FS Fire Engine, FS Law Enforcement Truck, and Smokey Bear and the USFWS Blue Goose also made appearances. NPS staff also assisted in handing out materials to the people attending the parade. The street were full of people that came out to celebrate cultural diversity within the Hispanic Community. The announcers spoke about the agencies to the audience and recognize what park rangers do for the natural environment. They also announced the importance the SNAP law enforcement for the community overall.