Friends is now part of the Hands on the Land Program!
Hands on the Land (HOL) is a national network of field classrooms and agency resources to connect students, teachers, families, and volunteers with public lands and waterways. Hands on the Land bring classroom learning to life in America’s largest classroom!
The Big Picture
In alignment with the National Landscape Strategy for this National Conservation Area (NCA), Friends of Black Rock High Rock has four responsibilities as part of a Cooperative Agreement with the Winnemucca District Office of BLM: Conservation, Education, Events, and Volunteer Outreach. Woven within these four areas are citizen science, stewardship, and youth engagement.
The Friends organization began the Hands on the Land Program in 2013 with the completion of four youth projects. Youth participants experienced (98% for the first time) camping, dark skies, a desert surface, viewing wildlife, and the rewards of stewardship. As part of the Hands on the Land youth projects, students learned first hand about the importance of plants, pollinators, wildlife and their habitat within the NCA. At 1.2 million acres, including 10 Designated Wilderness Areas, this NCA is a primary site for education, youth citizen science, and stewardship.
Program Description
The Friends organization’s goal is to implement educational programs for each grade level that integrate science, technology and mathematics understanding within the framework of the outdoor classroom. 
Friends see the outdoors in the NCA as the ideal laboratory and classroom. In the coming year, Friends will be developing youth based monitoring programs for noxious weed and spring monitoring. These programs will be made available to educators nationwide through the Hands on the Land website.
Educational Partners will include the Nevada Outdoor School, Bureau of Land Management – Winnemucca District, Gerlach School, Envirolution – Three Spheres Leadership Academny and the University of Nevada / Reno.
Visit Friends’ Hands on the Land site profile to learn more about the program and how to get involved!