Wildlife refuge system turns 100

Special events are planned nationwide this week in recognition of the 100th anniversary of the National Wildlife Refuge System, the only system of federal land devoted specifically to wildlife. Among its members is the Desert Wildlife Refuge Complex in Southern Nevada.

The complex consists of four areas: the Desert National Wildlife Range, Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge, Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge and Moapa Valley National Wildlife Refuge.

Locally, activities are planned at Pahranagat and Ash Meadows.

Pahranagat is located about 90 miles north of Las Vegas, off of U.S. Highway 93. It serves as a rest area for migratory birds and offers camping, hiking, fishing, hunting and wildlife observation opportunities.

The public is invited to attend an open house on Tuesday from 4 to 8 p.m. in the refuge's headquarters. Planned events include nature activities for children, stargazing, refreshments, giveaways and musical entertainment. Visitors are encouraged to bring refuge-related items, such as stories, photographs and artwork, for placement within a time capsule that will be re-opened in 100 years.

On Saturday, an observance will be held at Ash Meadows, which is about 90 miles west of Las Vegas, off of state Route 160.

From 1 to 4 p.m., visitors can enjoy free refreshments, giveaways, guided walks along a boardwalk, and children's activities. Also on hand will be representatives from the Nevada Division of Wildlife, Pahrump Cooperative Extension, Death Valley National Park and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

"Ash Meadows is a wetlands with 25 endemic species. It has about 30 seeps and springs that pool up, and all of the plants adapt to live in the fragile environment," said Callie Le'au Courtright, outdoor recreation planner for the complex.

The Desert National Wildlife Range is located just north of the Las Vegas Valley, and the Moapa Valley National Wildlife Refuge is roughly 60 miles northeast of Las Vegas.

The Desert National Wildlife Refuge Complex was created in 1936 and encompasses about 1.6 million acres. It is the largest refuge within the continental United States. Since 1940, about 846,000 acres have been used by Nellis Air Force Base for armament testing and training pilots.

The size of the complex has posed some challenges for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, which oversees the acreage, according to project leader Richard Birger.

"The complex is so large that we do not do a lot of active management there; it is pretty much an intact system. One of our main focuses right now is managing its water for the bighorn sheep," said Birger, pointing out that the area's future is also under consideration.

"In a nutshell, our vision for the next decade is to restore the natural process that allows the plants and species to thrive in the Mojave Desert, which is a brittle environment. One of the things that will be of particular interest is where the Desert National Wildlife Range and (new development in the) northern valley come together."

Birger said representatives of the refuge complex have been coordinating with representatives of local governments, special-interest groups, as well as the public to create a comprehensive conservation plan. It will address issues such as air quality, biology, geology, hydrology, vegetation, wildlife, recreation, economics and land use. He expects the plan to be completed by year-end 2004.

"We've had a number of meetings with the public so far in the plan's development and we are devising a draft that will be out by the spring for public review," Birger said. "The plan will not offer step-by-step details of what we should do, but will be a general plan looking at the big picture. After it is developed, we will have to go even further to figure out how to implement it. We don't have the resources to do everything that we would like to do, and we want to make certain that the resources that we do have go toward our highest needs."

For more information about the complex or comprehensive plan, visit www.desertcomplex.fws.gov.

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