Question No. 1 monies creates new wildlife area

By Don Quilici

According to a recent press release by the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW), Nevada will soon have a new wildlife management area thanks to a Nevada Department of Wildlife acquisition of more than 2,200 acres of property near the Jarbidge Wilderness Area about 100 miles northeast of Elko.

The purchase is largely made possible with funds from the Question 1 bond initiative that was approved by Nevada voters in 2002. NDOW received $27.5 million from the $200 million appropriation.

Called Dave's Island, the property will be managed with surrounding U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management lands for the benefit of wildlife. The management approach will provide connectivity and reduce habitat fragmentation, according to NDOW.

Dave's Creek, a tributary of the Jarbidge River, flows for approximately 3.5 miles through the property. It provides an important spawning habitat for Nevada's bull trout, a threatened species, found within the Jarbidge River drainage.

The area also is important for sage grouse, redband trout and is used by other sensitive species of fish and wildlife.

Some of the other wildlife found on the area include mule deer, elk, bobcat, mountain lion, badger, and a number of species of birds, bats, reptiles and amphibians.

Included in its landscape are willow, aspen, chokecherry and cottonwood, sagebrush, juniper, pine, aspen and wheatgrass.

It is also rich in cultural resources as well.