Page 6 - summer 2018

6 Friends oF red rock canyon

By Kristi Weeks

Photos by John Asselin

he Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Food and water is always provided at volunteer
T hosts three community volunteer events work day events as a way to say “thank you” to
each year. National Public Lands Day and Make the community members who come out to help.
a Difference Day take place in the fall and Red The day began with coffee, juice and donuts gener-
Rock Day is scheduled to coincide with Earth Day. ously provided by Ashley Lee of REI. Friends co-
To make these events successful, BLM partners ordinated the event registration and provided swag
with REI and the nonprofit organizations Southern bags to event participants. The SNC staff assisted
Nevada Conservancy (SNC) and Friends of Red with registration, as well as staffing an Earth Day
Rock Canyon. Red Rock Day was held on April education table for volunteers and hikers.
21 at the First Creek Trail within the Red Rock
Volunteers dedicated to the preservation of Red Rock Canyon
Canyon National Conservation Area. BLM staff,
team leaders
With over two and commu-
million visitors a nity volunteers
year, one of the formed six teams
most disturbing and successfully
trends experienced cleaned approxi-
at Red Rock Canyon mately 25 graffiti
is the increase in sites along the
intentional damage, First Creek Trail.
specifically graffiti An additional
applied to cliff faces team removed Wyatt Mulvey and KC Craven removing
Claire Desmond Ward and volun- and boulders within one mile of old fencing and cable.
teer attack a graffiti panel. Red Rock Canyon. cable and eight
Unfortunately, First fence posts. After the work concluded, Friends
Creek Trail is heavily impacted by graffiti on a provided sandwiches, fruit, chips and cookies for
regular basis. Forty-seven volunteers, as well as the hard-working volunteers and staff. Volunteers
eight staff members from the BLM, participated in donated more than 239 hours, including event
this event to clean graffiti off boulders. preparation, for this successful day.

the Rock - Volume 8 Issue 4