On the Ranch

KILEY RANCH PRESERVANCY FOUNDATION RECEIVES $1.7 MILLION GRANT

FROM STATE TO ACQUIRE LAND FOR WILDLIFE WETLAND PRESERVE IN SPARKS

SPARKS, Nev. (July 16) – The Kiley Ranch Preservancy Foundation (the “Foundation”) announced today that it has acquired fee title to more than 200 acres of wetlands and uplands, plus 70 acre feet of allocated reclaim water for the creation of a special Wildlife Wetland Preserve located in the southern portion of Spanish Springs, one of the City of Sparks primary growth areas.  The Kiley Ranch North community lies to the west of the Preserve, Pioneer Meadows lies to the north, Vista Boulevard to the east and the Spanish Springs Flood Detention Dam lies to the south.

The Foundation received a generous grant from the State Question 1 Bond Fund in the amount of $1.7 million along with a matching donation from the Kiley family for the acquisition.

“Preserving this area is an important step in demonstrating the need to balance urban development with the preservation of natural wildlife habitats.  I hope this can serve as a model for other development within the region,” said Paul Curtis, president of the Foundation.  “Although still in the initial development and funding stages, we envision creating a visitor’s center, walking paths, bird viewing observation decks, interpretive signs and educational opportunities for the public, “ explained Curtis.
 

The Foundation will be the governing body of the Kiley Ranch Wildlife Wetland Preserve.  The 501(c) (3) not-for-profit foundation was founded in 2008 to acquire and manage the Preserve in order to protect and maintain the biodiversity of the natural resources, flora and fauna, and to provide environmental educational opportunities so that residents of the region can make informed decisions leading to respect for, and the enjoyment, conservation and responsible use of the natural systems.

 “The Kiley Ranch Preservancy Foundation demonstrated their strong commitment to preserving this valuable resource for the Spanish Springs Valley and worked diligently with State Lands and other agencies to ensure proper protection and management of these important wetlands in perpetuity,” stated Jim Lawrence, administrator of the Nevada Division of State Lands. 

A portion of the site has been identified by the US Fish and Wildlife Service as a suitable habitat for the endangered species known as the Carson Wandering Skipper (CWS). The CWS was identified within the boundary of the Preserve in the summer of 2005. Through site visits and close collaboration with the Foundation, the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the Army Corps of Engineers, all agreed that the proposed trails and observation areas are located in areas not thought to be harmful to the CWS habitat or the wetlands.

The Foundation hopes that the community will recognize the regional benefit of preserving this unusual resource.  The Foundation intends to create partnerships with business groups, government and other non-profit organizations to secure donations and to gain the support of community volunteers to help navigate the complex and exciting issues of maintaining the Preserve and its wildlife.

For more information about the Kiley Ranch Wildlife Wetland Preserve, log on to http://www.kileyranch.com/preservancy or contact Stacey Crowley, Vice President of the Foundation at scrowley@kileyranch.net or (775) 560-9228.

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I won’t even try to summarize this list – GRIST does a great job all on its own, so I’ll just list their top 5 here. See the link below for the entire list. They’ve also got a great RSS feed if you’re interested!

Cover the Waterfront – 15 green books you can actually read at the beach
by Michelle Niijhuis

So maybe you’ll finally have a chance to catch up on some reading this summer. But so many of those books about the environments seem kind of…well, homework-y. What’s a vacationing enviro to do? Turn to Grist for advice, of course! Here are 15 recent page-turners just perfect for stuffing in your beach hemp tote.

1.  The Wild Trees: A Story of Passion and Daring
Richard Preston, Random House, 2007

Think nature writing is boring? The Wild Trees is about as boring as a car chase. Master storyteller Richard Preston follows a motley group of professional and amateur botanists into the canopies of the tallest tree in the world, where they explore a sky-high ecosystem almost entirely unknown to humans. A great tale of science and adventure — and a love story to boot.

2.  Farewell, My Subaru: An Epic Adventure in Local Living
Doug Fine, Villard, 2008

A breezy journal of Doug Fine’s attempts to live a low-carbon life in rural New Mexico, despite his lack of gardening and electrical skills. After a year of wrestling with weather, goats, and tax assessors on the Funky Butte Ranch, Fine concludes that “…the greatest impact we can have on crafting a sustainable future is not just by buying ‘green products,’ but rather by actively understanding that every part of life can and should be infused with carbon reduction.”

3.  The Zookeeper’s Wife: A War Story
Diane Ackerman, W.W. Norton, 2007 

During World War II, Antonia Zabinski, the wife of Polish zookeeper, rescued Resistance fighters and Jews by hiding them in her Warsaw villa — and in the empty zoo cages surrounding it. In this real-life historical drama, Diane Ackerman shows how Antonia’s love for the animal world inspired heroism, even as Nazi romanticism about nature led to grossly different acts.

4.  Winter Study
Nevada Barr, Putnam Adult, 2008

The 14th installment in Nevada Barr’s reliably entertaining National Park Service mystery series is one of her darkest and scariest yet. Winter Study takes our heroine, park ranger Anna Pigeon, to a wolf study at Isle Royale National Park in Lake Superior, where she contends with all sorts of mayhem, from interagency rivalry to bitter cold to a canine — or human — with murderous intent.

5.  World Made By Hand
James Kunstler, Atlantic Monthly, 2008

An absorbing and disturbing novel about the near future. After a constellation of plagues — war, disease, declining oil supplies, climate change — fracture U.S. society into isolated outposts, former insurance salesmen and software executives are forced to grow their own food, build their own houses, and defend their communities against violence and fanaticism. As dark as Kunstler’s world gets, hints of rural romanticism keep the reader guessing.

Try our locally owned bookstore Sundance Bookstore for these and other environmental books.

Amazon.com, of course, has its own list Enviro Books. Take a look! Amazon.com/Environmental

–Stacey Crowley, Director of Master Planning and Environmental Initiatives – scrowley@kileyranch.net 

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It’s that time of year – when all I want to do is enjoy the long days and warm evenings in my backyard with friends. The work that goes into an enjoyable backyard gets full compensation for the time spent lounging in it. I’ve looked into some unique ways of making the backyard activities as green (and as fun) as possible. Here are a few:

1.  Why mow when you can peddlemow?

The alternative to the gas or electric powered mower has always been the hand mower, but recently creative individuals have turned their daily commute into a mowing machine.

2.  Solar Burger

We all know that the “charcoal briquettes with combustible lighter fluid” grilling method is somewhat passé and emits more carbon monoxide into the air. Now, with propane, electric and even solar powered grills, you can reduce your footprint and still enjoy an outdoor BBQ.

* Don’t forget that grilling leaner meats can reduce the carcinogens that get released from the fat when grilling at high temps.

3.  Repel naturally

Use DEET-free repellents and avoid the harmful chemical that has been linked to neurological problems in children. Although you may need to apply more frequently, natural bug repellents are safe, kid-safe, and a good habit to get into.

• While grilling, throw sage or rosemary on the rack to repel mosquitos.
• Try mixing one part garlic juice to five parts water in a small spray bottle. Shake well and spray lightly on exposed body parts for an effective repellent lasting up to six hours. Strips of cotton cloth can also be dipped in this mixture and hung in areas, such as patios, as a localized deterrent.

Try an herbal repellent, found in stores and online such as Burt’s Bees Herbal Insect Repellent.

When having friends and family over for backyard fun, think about how much waste can be accummulated from paper plates, napkins and plastic cups. Invest in cloth napkins, earth friendly, recyclable or washable plates, cups and silverware and limit the waste. Buy locally, recycle bottles and cans and compost what you can.

Cheers!
scrowley@kileyranch.net

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The Nevada Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup awards were announced at a fundraising dinner on Friday, April 25th. Seven out of nine awards were given to students whose ideas were focused on sustainable living, alternative energy and waste reduction. Seven out of nine! Student teams from around the state are encouraged to develop viable business plans that would make it in the real world. The winners receive a cash prize as well as chance to win at a tri-state competition between Arkansas, Oklahoma and Nevada in May. The Governor’s Cup is presented by Nevada’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology.

A quick glimpse at some winners….

• 1st Place Undergraduate – WATTs – Waste Alternatives Transformation Technologies (UNLV)
  By utilizing a multi-faceted approach that maximizes usable products extracted from municipal, commercial and industrial waste, WATTs will reduce the ecological burden on traditional landfills while producing clean, sustainable energy and energy products that do not rely upon fossil fuel sources.
• 3rd Place Undergraduate – KG BioSolutions (Sierra Nevada College)
  KG BioSolutions is a company offering a self-sufficient co-gen product marketed towards restaurants. The fully automated system will process crude vegetable oil at the push of a button and then burn processed biodiesel in an industrial generator providing supplemental electricity to the restaurant on location.
• 2nd Place Graduate – Go Green Outdoors (UNR)
  Go Green Outdoors, LLC connects people to green culture, green businesses and a green way of life. We are an online resource for green culture news, information and conversation. We provide daily updates of environmental and outdoor recreation news as well as a guide to green products and services.
• 3rd Place Graduate – More Water Company (UNR)
  More Water Company uses Atmospheric Water Generation technology to produce drinking water from the air. The company will produce water regionally to sell into local markets diminishing the reduction of natural resources such as lakes and streams and reducing pollutants caused by transportation.
• Lt. Governor’s Award Winners Graduate Winner – Bio-Grounds LLC (UNR)
  Bio-grounds LLC is turning waste streams to profit streams. Our company uses spent coffee grounds to produce high quality eco-friendly and low cost biodiesel.

In other news, the American Institute of Architects and the Committee on the Environment (COTE) announced the winners of the 2008 top ten best examples of sustainable architecture last week. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised to see that nine out of ten winners were academic or learning based projects. History shows that most innovation comes out of the academic environment and more and more students are coming to expect sustainable design as the norm for their environments. Universities are listening and setting the bar for other public projects.

Here is a quick summary and link of the winners’ projects.

• Aldo Leopold Legacy Center – The Kubula Washatko Architects, Inc., Cedarburg, WI
  The Center was envisioned as a small complex of structures organized around a central courtyard. This design provides flexibility in the managing energy use based on program requirements, creates outdoor spaces for work and gathering, and reduces the scale of the buildings on site. The Aldo Leopold Legacy Center is the first building recognized by LEED as carbon-neutral in operation.
• Cesar Chavez Library – Line and Space, LLC, Tucson, AZ
  In order to protect the outdoor and indoor space from the sun’s radiation, the building uses extensive overhangs to create a ‘hat’ in the desert. The scarcity of water led to roof top rainwater collection for irrigation, while water reducing fixtures are used indoors.
• Discovery Center at South Lake Union – The Miller/Hull Partnership, Seattle, WA
  A primary program element for this particular center, alongside numerous other environmental goals, was to create a building and core that could provide adaptable exhibit space, capable of being reconfigured and reused for the presentation of multiple residential neighborhoods throughout the South Lake Union Region over a lengthy period of time.
  
  Photo credit: Lara Swimmer Photography
• Pocono Environmental Education Center – Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, Wilkes-Barre, PA
  The building is a flexible, multi-purpose gathering space for dining, meetings, lectures and other environmental learning activities. As part of the site design, native grasses were planted to provide a landscape that is low maintenance and integrates the project into its natural surroundings.
  
  Photo credit: Nic Lehoux
• Garthwaite Center for Science and Art, Cambridge School of Weston Architerra, Inc., Boston, MA
  The facility is designed to advance sustainability, creating an exemplar and educational tool through a design process that engaged the entire community. Fifty-five detailed sustainability goals included renewable energy, no water to be discharged to the local sewer, 100% storm water infiltration on-site, artificial lighting designed to less that one watt per square foot and minimal maintenance for 20 years.
• Lavin-Bernick Center for the University Life-VJAA, Minneapolis, MN
  The exisiting building was stripped to the concrete frame, expanded by 33% and redesigned with a variety of environmental systems. Despite its high ambitions, the project had a modest budget and was completed for $189/sf, fourteen months after Hurricane Katrina. Since then, Tulane sees the project as a new model for sustainable design in New Orleans.
• (only project not academic in nature) Macallen Building Condominiums – Office dA Inc. and Burt Hill Inc., Boston, MA
  In looking to the future, the garden has propelled itself into the front ranks of its field as the first botanical garden in the country devoted to sustainable environmental stewardship. A water channel surrounds the building and weaves through the garden, fed by rainwater that cascades off of the sheltering roof canopy.
• The Nueva School, Hillside Learning Complex – Leddy Maytum
  Stacy Architects, San Francisco, CA
  The 33-acre campus, located in the semi-rural coastal hills of the San Francisco Peninsula, features a thriving coast live oak woodland ecosystem, a variety of dispersed structures and dramatic views of San Francisco Bay. The design is grounded in the desire to integrate straightforward, appropriate and cost-effective sustainable design solutions within the broader language of contemporary architectural expression.
• Yale University Sculpture Building and Gallery – KieranTimberlake Associates LLP, Philadelphia, PA
  Situated on the former brownfield site, the new complex is comprised of three new buildings. To provide maximum daylight and exceptional energy efficiency, a wall system was designed that incorporates solar shading, a triple glazed low-e vision panel, 8-foot high operable windows and a translucent double cavity spandrel panel.
  
  Photo credit: © Peter Aaron, Esto

Keep learning!
Stacey Crowley, Director of Master Planning and Environmental Initiatives – scrowley@kileyranch.net

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Spring is in the air (well, mostly) this month so we are focusing on how to prep your garden for the finest organic fruits and veggies. There are tips from many great sources but these are my picks.

Soil Prep: Don’t be so hasty you don’t work the soil until it is dry enough. (Tip from Organic Gardening: grab a handful of soil and clamp down to form a ball. If the soil crumbles when you release, it should be ready to go. If it stays in clumps, it’s too wet.) Work the soil just enough to reinvigorate it. Then, add organic content (such as compost, etc).

Image from: flower-gardening-made-easy.com

When to plant the seed: Next, understand what crops need what kind of soil temperature and when they should be planted. Different vegetable crops require different soil start temperatures for their optimal growth. See the Farmer’s Almanac for seed start dates int eh Reno/Sparks area. Plant peas, radishes, and turnips now, early next month move to beets, potatoes and swiss chard, and so on.

Image from: northcarolinatravels.com

Water management: Maintaining a consistent level of water in the soil around plants will ensure a more successful and healthy crop. Extreme periods of drought or over watering can do damage.

• Water in the mornings so the plants can take advantage of the water throughout the day.
• Water near the base of the plant or stalk or root, if at all possible.
• Cover the soil with bark, straw, grass, or organic matter to help maintain consistent moisture.

Proper tools: I’m a regular at Clean Air Gardening. I purchased their recycled plastic Tumbleweed composter which is terrific. They have a whole list of environmentally friendly or ergonomic gardening tools to help you get started or to supplement what you already have.

Image from: cleanairgardening.com

Gardening can have many benefits including lowering stress, improve physical health, produce healthy and organic food all while creating a cool microclimate for you and your yard’s wildlife.

Have Fun!
Stacey Crowley, Director of Master Planning and Environmental Initiatives

Join us on May 17 at the Kiley Ranch Welcome Center for more great gardening tips! Check back here for more information to come.

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March 2008, Sparks, Nevada – The Kiley Ranch Preservancy Foundation is a non – profit 501(c)(3) corporation founded to acquire and manage the Kiley Ranch Wildlife Wetland Preserve in order to preserve the existing ecological diversity and wildlife habitat. The Foundation may also take on the goal of providing environmental education opportunities so that all residents of this region can make informed decisions leading to respect for, and the enjoyment, preservation, and responsible use of our natural systems.

The vision of the Kiley Ranch Wildlife Wetland Preserve is to develop, manage, maintain, preserve and protect the natural and ecological values of the Wildlife Wetland Preserve for public benefit in perpetuity.

In order to be successful in this mission, the Foundation will apply for the Question I grant offered by the Nevada Division of State Lands office. The fund was created, in part, to assist non-profit conservation organizations for the purpose of protecting, preserving, and obtaining the benefits of the property and natural resources of our state. Voters passed the bill in 2001 authorizing the State of Nevada to issue general obligation bonds “…to preserve water quality; protect open space, lakes, rivers, wetlands, and wildlife habitat; and restore and improve parks, recreational areas and historic and cultural resources.”

This is an exciting opportunity to preserve the approximately 200 acres of wetlands, wildlife habitat and open space in an area that is being developed at a rapid pace. Upon receiving grant funding for the acquisition of the land, the Kiley Ranch Preservancy Foundation will manage the land to conserve the valuable ecological qualities of the property in perpetuity.

If you are interested in learning more about the project, please contact the Director of Master Planning and Environmental Initiatives at Kiley Ranch Communities, scrowley@kileyranch.net.

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Ever give any thought to how decaf coffee beans get “decaffed? Me neither. But recently I discovered that most decaffeinated coffee goes through a chemical process – yuck.

In all processes the beans are either soaked, steamed or boiled in water for 30 minutes to several hours. In conventional methods, the beans are then rinsed repeatedly in chemicals (either methylene chloride or ethyl acetate) for hours. There is now an organic, chemical-free method that is gaining popularity. It is called the Swiss Water Process, developed by the Swiss Water Decaffeinated Coffee Company. After the initial steaming, a carbon filter traps the caffeine molecules, but allows the coffee solids and water to pass through. The process is repeated until 99.9% of the caffeine is removed.

Seattle’s Best Coffee Roasters are among those that offer the Swiss Water Process in our area. See this Swiss Water link for local retailers.

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Photo from www.theplanetearth.com.au

1.  Turn off your power strip every evening

2.  Turn off lights when not in use.  Rearrange your office to optimize natural daylight where feasible.  Use compact flourescents in task lighting.

3.  Recycle all that you can – paper, plastic, aluminum, glass, electronics, cartridges

4.  Bring a reusable water bottle to work and keep filling it up – reduce plastic bottles

5.  Use environmentally friendly office products now readily available at most office supply stores.

6.  Print double sided on recycled paper – or not at all if you can avoid it.

7.  Request that your cleaning company use only environmentally friendly cleaning products and methods.

8.  Encourage alternative transportation (carpooling, bus, walking, biking) Reward those that do!

You do the math!

• 55: percentage of water saved by producing recycled paper as compared to virgin paper.  Recycled paper also takes 60-70% less energy to produce than paper from virgin pulp.
• 120: tons of steel saved if every UK office worker used one less staple a day.   
• 8 billion: gallons of gas saved if every commuter car in the U.S. carried just one more person.

Source: How to Green Your Work, by Team Treehugger, Worldwide on 12.10.06

Links for a greener office

• Smart Strip or Wattstopper power strips
• Recycle your cartridges at freerecycling.com, recycle 4 charity.com or Staples
• Find environmentally friendly office products at Office Depot, BuyOnlineNow.com, Greenline, Seventh Generation, and many more
• Find cool water bottles at Klean Kanteen and SIGG

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A new study from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego calculates a 10 percent chance that Lake Mead will run dry in six years and a 50 percent probability it will be gone by 2021 absent other changes. Wow! That was a shock even for the researchers.

Here’s the article and a few links for more information.

Las Vegas water source could run dry by 2021

Tue Feb 12, 2008 6:26pm EST

By Adam Tanner

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – Chances are about even that Lake Mead, the prime source of water for the desert city of Las Vegas, will run dry in 13 years if usage is not cut back, according to the study released Tuesday.

The finding is the latest warning about water woes threatening the future of the fast-growing U.S. casino capital and comes amid a sustained drought in the American West.

The study by two researchers at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego calcualtes a 10 percent chance that Lake Mead will run dry in six years and a 50 percent probabilty it will be gone by 2021 absent other changes.

“Our reaction was frankly one of being stunned,” study co-author Tim Barnett, a marine research physicist, said in an interview. “We had not expected the problem to be so severe and so up close to us in time.”

Climate change – both man-made and natural variation – strong demand and evaporation are all factors affecting water in the lake. “The biggest change right now is taking more water from the bucket than we are putting into it,” Barnett said.

The uncertainty about when and if the lake will run dry stems from the natural fluctuations of the Colorado River, which feeds the lake, the researcher said. In recent months the flow has been above average, he said, after years below average.

The West has suffered years of drought with the Colorado supplying less water to Lake Mead, which serves Nevada, California, Arizona, and northern Mexico.

The lake created by Hoover Dam provides 90 percent of Las Vegas’ water and is less than half full, giving the edge of the lake a bath tub ring visible even far away by air.

Scott Huntley, a spokesman for the Southern Nevada Water Authority, said his agency overseeing the Las Vegas area’s water was also concerned about reliance on Lake Mead as the major source for Las Vegas and officials were seeking alternate sources.

“While we wholeheartedly support the authors’ call for greater urban water conservation, it is important to also remember that agriculture uses four-fifths of the Colorado River’s flows, so meaningful solutions cnnot be borne solely of urban users,” he said.

(Editing by Cynthia Osterman)

Links

Scripps Institution of Oceanography

Western Environmental Law Center - Las Vegas ground water pumping plan

Southern Nevada Water Authority

Find out how much water you use – Water Calculator

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What is biodiversity?

Biological diversity, or “biodiversity,” refers to the variety of all life on earth, and the complex relationships among living things, and between living things and their environment. Biodiversity includes genetic variety, species diversity, and variability in communities, ecosystems and landscapes.

Earth is home to an estimated 10 to 20 million species, only a fraction of which are known and scientifically classified. The interdependence among organisms and their environments creates and sustains the conditions needed for survival by all living creatures.

Conservative figures forecast a loss of at least one percent of existing species per decade, which means we’re losing at least two species per hour. That means 50 percent of all mammals and birds will be extinct within the next century. Biologists believe the loss of these resources threaten the functioning of natural systems and the overall well – being of human society.

Why is biodiversity important?

Ecological Values: All living creatures are supported by the interactions among organisms and ecosystems. Loss of biodiversity makes ecosystems less stable, more vulnerable to extreme events, and weakens its natural cycles.

Economic Values: A biologically diverse natural environment provides humans with the necessities of life and forms the basis for the economy. Everything we buy and sell originates from the natural world.

Cultural Values: Most people feel connected to nature, often for reasons that can be hard to explain. Some feel a strong spiritual bond that may be rooted in our common biological ancestry. Others are inspired by its beauty. Human cultures around the world profoundly reflect our visceral attachment to the natural world. Thes cultural diversity is inextricably linked to Earth’s biodiversity.

Threats to Biodiversity
Population Growth
Pollution
Over-exploitation
Climate Change
Habitat Loss
Invasive Species

This blog entry was primarily based on information from the David Suzuki Foundation website.

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