Sportsmen Combine to Donate $70,000 to Wildfire Rehabilitation Fund
Source: Nevada Department of Wildlife
Published: Nov. 17, 2006
The state?s wildfire rehabilitation fund received a boost last week as sizeable donations by Nevada Bighorns Unlimited (NBU) and Pershing County Chukars Unlimited pushed the Wildfire Rehabilitation Fund to just over $75,000. ?We donated $50,000 to help get the fund started. Pershing County Chukars Unlimited immediately stepped up to the plate and put their money where their mouth was and contributed $20,000. It is huge to have them commit this kind of money. Hopefully this will start the ball rolling and others will ante up to make this a successful venture,? said Dr. Jim Nelson, NBU vice president. The fund was set up by the Reno Chapter of NBU, in cooperation with The Coalition for Nevada?s Wildlife and the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) to gather funding to support wildland rehabilitation efforts. ?Wildfires have ravaged vital wintering grounds and have had a negative impact on all animals' ability to survive. Following fires, invasive weeds are typically the first plants that establish themselves in the burned areas, out-competing native plants and wiping out the possibility of the area to support wildlife for hundreds of years. NBU recognizes this critical need and when NDOW approached us about the possibility of establishing this fund, we jumped at the possibility,? added Nelson. Summer wildfires in Nevada burned nearly 1.5 million acres in 2006, two thirds of which were in Elko County. The NBU?Nevada Wildfire Disaster Fund has been set up to allow individuals and interested organizations the chance to donate money to help pay for the purchase of seed and its timely dispersal over scorched winter ranges. ?We lost huge amounts of wildlife habitat in these fires. There is a short window of opportunity to begin rehabilitation efforts as soon as possible,? says Dave Pulliam, Habitat Bureau Chief for NDOW. NDOW has already channeled $708,000 of habitat conservation fees from hunting and trapping licenses and Question 1 bond money to rehabilitation efforts. ?Frankly, we need a lot more money to have a chance of being successful,? says Pulliam. ?The $708,000 will only pay for rehabbing about 5 percent of the burned acreage. We need to do more than that.? ?We are reaching out to anyone who loves wildlife,? says Nelson. ?All of the money donated to this fund will go to rehabilitation efforts now and well into the future. Since wildfires are a yearly event in Nevada, we plan on keeping this fund going so we can help NDOW better react to wildland rehabilitation needs.? Donations can be directed to: Account Name: "NBU - Nevada Wildfire Disaster Fund" Acct #: 3030003481 Heritage Bank of Nevada 47 Damonte Ranch Pkwy. Reno, NV 89521 Donations may be made in person at any Heritage Bank of Nevada branch, or checks can be mailed in. The Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) protects, restores and manages fish and wildlife, and promotes fishing, hunting, boating safety and wildlife related activities. NDOW?s wildlife and habitat conservation efforts are primarily funded by sportsmen?s license and conservation fees and a federal tax on hunting and fishing gear. Support wildlife and habitat conservation in Nevada by purchasing a hunting, fishing, or combination license. For more information, visit www.ndow.org. • More Nevada News • More State Wildlife News • Nevada Forum Board
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