Volunteer!
As a Friends of Black Rock volunteer you are an integral part of the future health of Black Rock Desert and High Rock Canyon – Emigrant Trails National Conservation Area.
Conservation projects are a great way to explore, connect with new and old friends, and give back in a safe zone with our stewardship team. Volunteering is the perfect excuse to head out into some of Nevada’s most spectacular back-country you might not otherwise see.
Our events in Reno are a great way to meet new people and to get to know Friends better, too.
Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities
FBRHR Field and Site Stewards Volunteers
July – August 2021
When: Saturdays and Sundays from July through August, 9am to 2pm
Where: Meet at FBRHR Visitor Center in Gerlach and then travel to sites within the National Conservation Area.
Join our fabulous Environmental Stewardship Coordinator Damien Cooper for an educational and rewarding day of conservation. Meet at the Gerlach Visitor Center to gear up and learn about the day’s project before heading out to a number of possible sites. This is an excellent opportunity to visit some of the most beautiful sites in the Black Rock in the company of a knowledgeable guide in small groups
Contact us at volunteer@blackrockdesert.
National Public Lands Day-Soldier Meadows Clean Up
September 2021
Soldier Meadows is a spring-fed wetland that has been inhabited for thousands of years by Great Basin Cultures. This ancient caldera with its many seeps and springs is home to the Desert Dace, a hot water-loving minnow and a rare and endangered springtail snail that only exist in this unique habitat.
Because of its unique beauty and the vulnerability of its flora and fauna, Soldier Meadows is considered an ACEC (Area of Critical Concern).
Join us for a much-needed rehabilitation of this important site.
To fill out our Questionnaire, click here, or contact volunteer@blackrockdesert.org
Fly Ranch Volunteers
When: Ongoing
Where: Fly Ranch and FBRHR Visitor Center Store and in the field.
In respect of public health and safety, Fly Ranch is closed to the public and Docent led Nature Walks require purchase of tickets and masks to be worn at all times on the property.
- Help guide people through Fly Ranch by being a Support Docent or a Lead Docent
- Help out and interact with visitors in our Visitor Center Store
- Have opportunities to become Leave No Trace Trainers and Wilderness First Aid Certified! (Classes will be scheduled for 2021 and posted for volunteers)
To fill out our Questionnaire, click here, or contact volunteer@blackrockdesert.org
Field Team Volunteers
When: July – October 2021
Where: Meet at a location nearby, then travel to sites within the National Conservation Area.
National Public Lands Day in the Black Rock Desert Sept. 26th, to see the post for last year: blackrockdesert.org/national-public-lands-day-2020/
- Monitoring – sites are full of campers? relatively little use? types of recreation?
- Outreach – provide feedback to help FBRHR determine most effective messaging for social media and outreach through email and posters.
- Clean up and Restoration – note ‘shovel ready’ projects and work to restore sites – setting a citizen driven tone for responsible use in the Black Rock Desert, outside permitted events.
Perseids Meteor Shower Campout
August 2021
Where: Black Rock Point Campsite. GPS Coordinates TBD.
When: August 2021
Contact us at volunteer@blackrockdesert.
End of Season Trego Hot Spring Clean Up
September 2021
Where: Trego Hot Springs
When: September, 2021
Contact us at volunteer@blackrockdesert.
Wild & Scenic Film Festival
October 2021
Dates TBA
Wild & Scenic Film Festival, Downtown Reno
Citizen Science Projects
When: Ongoing
Where: Various locations throughout the region
- Become a citizen scientist!
- Stop by the office for information on collecting data with EddMaps West (invasive weeds), Stories in the Snow (snow crystal photography), iNaturalist (plant & animal surveys) and other programs you can use during your trip.
- Your data goes to the Nevada Department of Agriculture, DRI, and other local scientists and researchers. Be part of a project!
Note: Group training sessions available at our large group campouts.
For more information, click here, or please contact our Conservation Project and Outreach Coordinator at volunteer@blackrockdesert.org