A number of topics caught our attention this meeting of the Joint Interim Standing Committee on Natural Resources.  One of the top subjects presented to the Assembly and Senate committee members covered Wildlife Crossings and Corridors.  Those presenting the topic represented the Pew Charitable Trusts and the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership.  Both organizations have been active if pressing for more funding (especially connected to a dedicated funding source) and more wildlife crossing infrastructure.  Despite the several locations where wildlife crossings are already located, more than 500 wildlife collisions take place in Nevada on an annual basis.  Nevada’s 2025 Wildlife Connectivity Plan can be located on the Nevada Department of Wildlife website.

The Interim Natural Resources Committee also received several presentations from various representatives on wildfire management and activities taking place in Nevada.  The summarized take-home on the state’s “Fire Season Outlook” from the head of the Nevada Division of Forestry:

• Drought conditions worsening statewide, causing above normal fire potential and less water sources for suppression
• Fuel moistures are expected to rapidly drop at all elevations and are approaching critical levels already in some locations, leaving most areas fire prone
• Lack of snowpack exposes upper elevation fuels sooner and allows for fine fuel carryover to remain standing in lower elevations
• Warmer than average temperatures are expected to continue through the fire season, adding to increased critical fire weather occurrences 

The most effective means of fighting fires is keeping them from ever starting.  Improving resilient landscapes has been a priority over the past year.  It was highlighted that more than 360,500 areas were treated in 2025 by the teamwork of agencies involved through shared stewardship activities.  A wide range of management activities were carried out, including hand-thinning, prescribed fire, mastication/mechanical, chipping, targeted and outcome-based grazing…to name a few of the many tools put together.

It was also reported to the committee that the state is now covered by a network of 95 “Early Detection” cameras with another 50 set to be added to the network going forward.

Several program areas from the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) were presented in the Joint Interim Natural Resources Committee meeting.  The habitat restoration that NDOW engages in were covered in the presentation they made, identifying the number of acres treated in 2025 (over 151,000 acres) and the accumulated restoration of accomplish made over the past 10 years.

NDOW’s State Wildlife Action Plan was presented as part of the items to come before the committee.  The current Wildlife Action Plan was released in 2022, and the next version will be out in 2032.  The plan is intended to be a comprehensive, statewide plan for conserving the state’s wildlife and habitat resources and is designed to address the eight required elements to fulfill the State Wildlife Grant legislative requirements.  It is required to be prepared on a 10-year schedule.

Dealing with Human-Bear conflicts was a presentation which also was included in the Interim Committee’s agenda.  NDOW’s bear research has spanned a period of 29 years.  The agency’s research has a sample size of more than 1,400 individual bears and they have marked over 800 bears and collared more than 200 animals.  The main message of this presentation was on the harm cause by garbage cans which aren’t in compliance with county ordinances, such as Washoe County, who require a Wildlife Resistant Bin went there have been two violations in a year or less. 

We need your support in reaching Nevada’s two U.S. Senators to urge their “Yes” vote on H.R. 845… “The Pet & Livestock Protection Act.”  This link will take you to the American Farm Bureau Federation portal which allows you to send an email to the Nevada Senators.  It would be even more effective if you use the top section of the email to insert a more personal message to go along with the rest of the message.

The Pet and Livestock Protection Act would: 

• Delist the gray wolf in the lower 48 states  
• Prevent ongoing litigation from overturning the decision  
• Return management authority to state wildlife agencies  
• Ensure decisions are made closer to impacted communities  

The Nevada Farm Bureau is excited to be part of the Nevada State Fair in Reno, June 11–13! Be sure to stop by our booth for a fun and family-friendly experience celebrating Nevada agriculture.

Visitors can snap a photo at our cute barn-themed photo opportunity and plant a sunflower to take home and grow. It’s a great way for kids and families to connect with agriculture and learn more about where their food comes from. The Nevada Ag Wagon will also be featured at the fair.

We invite everyone to stop by, say hello, and learn more about Nevada agriculture and the programs Nevada Farm Bureau provides across the state.

Purchase your fair tickets here.

We look forward to seeing you at the fair!