Post by Karen R Quinn on Aug 11, 2009 11:56:20 GMT -7
Keeping the Sheldon Wildlife Refuge Wild
Featured Wilderness
August 2009 Newsletter
July 30th, 2009
Featured Wilderness
Keeping the Sheldon Wildlife Refuge Wild
The vast rugged area known as the Sheldon Wildlife Refuge is located in the Northwest corner of Nevada in Humboldt and Washoe counties, encompassing about 500,000 acres of land managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). It protects one of the last remaining ecosystems of its kind in the west — the sagebrush-steppe. The Sheldon was created in 1931, primarily to protect the pronghorn antelope which were nearly extinct. It continues to provide critical habitat for an abundance of wildlife, and offers outstanding recreation opportunities. However, Sheldon is currently in serious need of a better management plan that will restore damaged habitat and add a greater degree of protection.
Roughly 20 million years ago, the climate in this area was much milder and supported lush grasslands, marshes, and forests with an abundance of lakes and springs. Since then it has undergone a tectonic face lift. The stretching of the Earth’s crust during the Cenozoic era resulted in a thinner and weaker crust. This enabled a series of volcanic eruptions that covered the area with ash, followed by pyroclastic flows subsequently covering much of the ash and creating the volcanic uplands we see today. The steep rocky bluffs and narrow gorges in Sheldon are a direct result of these basaltic and rhyolitic flows. Natural forces such as wind, water, and ice began working away at the basalt and rhyolite covering much of the area, allowing vegetation to take root and changing the landscape of the new volcanic surface. Over the years, numerous drainage's have cut through the volcanic landscape, some of them creating steep and narrow gorges.
Sheldon’s meadows, rolling hills, and valleys are predominantly covered with several varieties of sagebrush and grasses with patches of wildflowers and other shrubs scattered about. The sagebrush is important to the wildlife in the refuge--it offers cover for the greater sage grouse and is a critical source of food and protection for other wildlife species. At higher elevations there are patches of mountain mahogany. This globally rare plant is particularly well-adapted to the hot, dry climate and high elevations and slopes of Sheldon. The mountain mahogany is also an important shrub that offers protection and a source of food (seeds) for birds and small mammals. Near water sources and at lower elevations willow, cottonwood, and aspen offer cover for resident wildlife as well as birds and waterfowl that visit Sheldon along their migration route.
Despite the area’s rugged conditions, nearly 300 species of wildlife manage to thrive here. The pronghorn antelope, an icon of Sheldon and primary reason for which the Sheldon Wildlife Refuge was created, can sometimes be seen bouncing over the hills and through valleys.
Pronghorn are the fastest land mammal in North America. They evolved long ago, developing their blazing speed from being chased by Dire wolves and saber tooth tigers. In the 1800s, the pronghorn population was estimated at 50 million: shortly after the turn of the century they were nearly extinct. The Sheldon is critical in maintaining the Pronghorn population, and also provides habitat for the bighorn sheep, mule deer, pygmy rabbit, kit fox, greater sage grouse, as well as various raptors, waterfowl, and lizards. The Alvord chub, Sheldon tui chub, and Lahontan cutthroat trout are native to the waters of Sheldon.
Recreation opportunities abound in the Sheldon—chief among them are viewing and photographing the extraordinary variety of wildlife. In the month of April, one can watch the charismatic sage grouse display their plumage on strutting grounds called leks, in an effort to attract a mate. Horseback riding and hiking in Sheldon are great ways to explore the refuge as well as increase the opportunity to encounter wildlife. Fishing and hunting are permitted in many parts of the refuge. And those seeking solitude can easily find it within this expanse.
Sheldon is in dire need of a comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) that will manage the area to maintain and improve wildlife habitat by improving the condition of its vegetation. One of the most significant problems plaguing Sheldon is the out-of-control population of horses and burros. Because they lack natural predators, these animals damage the ecosystem and displace native wildlife that the refuge was created to protect. Currently over 80 percent of the refuge’s budget is spent trying to address the impact of horses and burro. Off-highway vehicle use and road pioneering is another problem in the eastern portion of the refuge. Sheldon has many miles of roads that have been created by users over the years that damage and fragment habitat. The CCP will assess the roads that are necessary to provide access to the public and work to restore the habitat destruction caused by the roads that are not. The potential for development and uranium mining also pose a great threat to Sheldon. There are recent mining claims staked for uranium in the sensitive Virgin Valley — the most biologically diverse area in the refuge. The CCP will also re-assess areas suitable for wilderness protection. Back in the 1970s, the refuge managers reported to Congress that about 341,000 acres were found to have wilderness characteristics.
Thankfully, organizations like Friends of Nevada Wilderness are working with the Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge Network. The network, composed of sportsmen and wildlife enthusiasts, and groups like the Coalition for Nevada’s Wildlife and the Nevada Wildlife Federation, have found broad common ground to develop a comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) that will improve the management of this very special wild area that so many people cherish. Working together, these groups will help protect Sheldon’s wild character and make it a better place for wildlife, for recreationists, and for the future.
To learn more.....or to make a donation please click on this hotlink below:
www.leaveitwild.org/news/newsletter/issue/2009-08/featured_wilderness
Featured Wilderness
August 2009 Newsletter
July 30th, 2009
Featured Wilderness
Keeping the Sheldon Wildlife Refuge Wild
The vast rugged area known as the Sheldon Wildlife Refuge is located in the Northwest corner of Nevada in Humboldt and Washoe counties, encompassing about 500,000 acres of land managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). It protects one of the last remaining ecosystems of its kind in the west — the sagebrush-steppe. The Sheldon was created in 1931, primarily to protect the pronghorn antelope which were nearly extinct. It continues to provide critical habitat for an abundance of wildlife, and offers outstanding recreation opportunities. However, Sheldon is currently in serious need of a better management plan that will restore damaged habitat and add a greater degree of protection.
Roughly 20 million years ago, the climate in this area was much milder and supported lush grasslands, marshes, and forests with an abundance of lakes and springs. Since then it has undergone a tectonic face lift. The stretching of the Earth’s crust during the Cenozoic era resulted in a thinner and weaker crust. This enabled a series of volcanic eruptions that covered the area with ash, followed by pyroclastic flows subsequently covering much of the ash and creating the volcanic uplands we see today. The steep rocky bluffs and narrow gorges in Sheldon are a direct result of these basaltic and rhyolitic flows. Natural forces such as wind, water, and ice began working away at the basalt and rhyolite covering much of the area, allowing vegetation to take root and changing the landscape of the new volcanic surface. Over the years, numerous drainage's have cut through the volcanic landscape, some of them creating steep and narrow gorges.
Sheldon’s meadows, rolling hills, and valleys are predominantly covered with several varieties of sagebrush and grasses with patches of wildflowers and other shrubs scattered about. The sagebrush is important to the wildlife in the refuge--it offers cover for the greater sage grouse and is a critical source of food and protection for other wildlife species. At higher elevations there are patches of mountain mahogany. This globally rare plant is particularly well-adapted to the hot, dry climate and high elevations and slopes of Sheldon. The mountain mahogany is also an important shrub that offers protection and a source of food (seeds) for birds and small mammals. Near water sources and at lower elevations willow, cottonwood, and aspen offer cover for resident wildlife as well as birds and waterfowl that visit Sheldon along their migration route.
Despite the area’s rugged conditions, nearly 300 species of wildlife manage to thrive here. The pronghorn antelope, an icon of Sheldon and primary reason for which the Sheldon Wildlife Refuge was created, can sometimes be seen bouncing over the hills and through valleys.
Pronghorn are the fastest land mammal in North America. They evolved long ago, developing their blazing speed from being chased by Dire wolves and saber tooth tigers. In the 1800s, the pronghorn population was estimated at 50 million: shortly after the turn of the century they were nearly extinct. The Sheldon is critical in maintaining the Pronghorn population, and also provides habitat for the bighorn sheep, mule deer, pygmy rabbit, kit fox, greater sage grouse, as well as various raptors, waterfowl, and lizards. The Alvord chub, Sheldon tui chub, and Lahontan cutthroat trout are native to the waters of Sheldon.
Recreation opportunities abound in the Sheldon—chief among them are viewing and photographing the extraordinary variety of wildlife. In the month of April, one can watch the charismatic sage grouse display their plumage on strutting grounds called leks, in an effort to attract a mate. Horseback riding and hiking in Sheldon are great ways to explore the refuge as well as increase the opportunity to encounter wildlife. Fishing and hunting are permitted in many parts of the refuge. And those seeking solitude can easily find it within this expanse.
Sheldon is in dire need of a comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) that will manage the area to maintain and improve wildlife habitat by improving the condition of its vegetation. One of the most significant problems plaguing Sheldon is the out-of-control population of horses and burros. Because they lack natural predators, these animals damage the ecosystem and displace native wildlife that the refuge was created to protect. Currently over 80 percent of the refuge’s budget is spent trying to address the impact of horses and burro. Off-highway vehicle use and road pioneering is another problem in the eastern portion of the refuge. Sheldon has many miles of roads that have been created by users over the years that damage and fragment habitat. The CCP will assess the roads that are necessary to provide access to the public and work to restore the habitat destruction caused by the roads that are not. The potential for development and uranium mining also pose a great threat to Sheldon. There are recent mining claims staked for uranium in the sensitive Virgin Valley — the most biologically diverse area in the refuge. The CCP will also re-assess areas suitable for wilderness protection. Back in the 1970s, the refuge managers reported to Congress that about 341,000 acres were found to have wilderness characteristics.
Thankfully, organizations like Friends of Nevada Wilderness are working with the Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge Network. The network, composed of sportsmen and wildlife enthusiasts, and groups like the Coalition for Nevada’s Wildlife and the Nevada Wildlife Federation, have found broad common ground to develop a comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) that will improve the management of this very special wild area that so many people cherish. Working together, these groups will help protect Sheldon’s wild character and make it a better place for wildlife, for recreationists, and for the future.
To learn more.....or to make a donation please click on this hotlink below:
www.leaveitwild.org/news/newsletter/issue/2009-08/featured_wilderness