Artistic fifth grade students wanted for Arbor Day poster contest

Art from the Nevada Arbor Day Poster Contest Hall of Fame

CARSON CITY, Nev. — Nevada’s fifth grade students are being sought to showcase their artistic talents by creating posters for the National Arbor Day Foundation’s annual Arbor Day Poster Contest, “Trees are Terrific…in Cities and Towns!”

The activities teach fifth grade students about the important roles urban trees play in their community and meet national and state education standards in science, social studies, math and art.

One poster entry will be selected by Nevada Division of Forestry to represent Nevada in the National Contest. Prizes will be awarded to teachers submitting their school’s winning poster. The deadline for poster entries is Monday March 9, 2009.

Guidelines and a free activity guide are available here or by calling Susan Stead at 775-684-2506.

The last 13 years of Nevada’s winning posters are located here.

Fire assistance grants available for fuels reduction projects

CARSON CITY, Nev.–Fire season is coming upon us and the thought on the minds of many homeowners is, “Would my home survive?”

The Nevada Division of Forestry is seeking applications for the 2009 Wildland Urban Interface grant program’s state fire assistance grants. There is about $1 million available for projects statewide. The purpose of this funding is to mitigate risk of wild fires in wildland-urban interface areas.

Funds can be used for costs associated with implementing on-the-ground hazardous fuels reduction projects, information and education relating to wildland-urban-interface and homeowner and community action projects. Projects must be implemented on state and/or private lands located in Nevada. Projects on federal lands are not eligible.

Applications must be submitted on the approved form available on the Nevada Division of Forestry Web site. The site also contains a more detailed description of the criteria and instructions for eligibility and the scoring criteria that will be used to rank applications.

Applications must be received by the Nevada Division of Forestry no later than 5 p.m. March 27, 2009. Late, incomplete, faxed or electronic applications will not be accepted.

For more information, contact Kacey KC at (775) 684-2511.

Director’s Report: Special Edition

[This was sent to DCNR employees Friday, January 16, 2009.]

Good afternoon to everyone in DCNR.

As I am sure you are aware, last night was the Governor’s State of the State address. This event sets the stage for the Executive Branch’s agenda for the upcoming legislative session and formally rolls out the Governor’s Recommended Budget.

Nevada is in a deep economic crisis where revenues are not matching expenditures. The gap is the billions. The Governor pledged in his campaign that he would not raise taxes. As a result, the recommended budget makes some significant programmatic and personnel related reductions to spending.

Some of the issues that are probably are of greatest interest to state employees are:

• An across-the-board 6% reduction in salaries of state workers (both classified and unclassified) and teachers.
• Elimination of step increases.
• Elimination of longevity pay.
• Impacts to the insurance subsidies for state workers and retirees.

Note that the Governor characterized these salary reductions as temporary and indicated he would reinstate them (including calling a special legislative session) when economic conditions improve.

Two-Day Burn Project in Little Valley

Nevada Division of Forestry winter fuels treatment project in the Sierras.

Click here for a slideshow.

During a two-day burn in Little Valley, just west of Washoe Valley, the Nevada Division of Forestry conducted a controlled burn of wood piles from previously thinned forest lands. The NDF helicopter inserted two 12 person crews one day and 130 piles were burned. On day two the helicopter inserted three 12 person crews and 250 piles were burned. A total of 380 piles burned, an effort which helps enhance forest health in the Sierras.