Truckee Meadows Nature Study Area: First Year Operational Phase

Project Description:

Execute a community supported master plan to repurpose the former Rosewood Lakes Golf Course into the Truckee Meadows Nature Study Area. The nature study area will serve as an outdoor learning laboratory and community green space.

The property formerly known as the Rosewood Lakes Golf Course is one of the last vestiges of wetland habitat in the Truckee Meadows. The proposed Truckee Meadows Nature Study Area (TMNSA) has been overtaken by multiple non-native plant species listed on the Nevada Noxious Weed List and the (WSCWMA) high-priority list. Noxious weeds present include, but are not limited to, tall whitetop (Lepidium latifolium), poison hemlock (Conium maculatum), and puncture vine (Tribulus terrestris).

Over the course of this operational year, environmental data will be collected, analyzed and used to evaluate effectiveness of the different restoration practices. Techniques can then be adjusted to ensure best practices are being utilized for weed removal. In the summer of 2020, TMNSA is scheduled to open to the public and host educational programs and stewardship events to engage and educate the community regarding invasive plants and the watersheds they affect. A restored wetland will allow these programs to better show the community what effect noxious weed removal can have on an environment.

TMWA Benefit:

The Truckee Meadows Nature Study Area (TMNSA) project advances priorities VI (Stewardship and Environmental Awareness) and VIII (Leverage Stakeholder Assets and Participation). The TMNSA project advances priority VI in that the Parks Foundation will use TMNSA as an outdoor classroom where community members can participate in volunteer and restoration events and educational programs related to weed awareness, water, water quality, and watershed protection. The TMNSA project will involve multiple stakeholders, including the City of Reno, Nevada Department of Wildlife, Nevada Land Trust (One Truckee River), University of Nevada Reno, The Nature Conservancy, Truckee River Flood Management Authority, Walker Basin Conservancy, and Lahontan Audubon Society to encourage collaborative efforts in all aspects of river water quality, watershed protection, source water protections, species enhancement, and to promote the missions of all involved agencies. The Parks Foundation has leveraged community members from a breadth of disciplines willing to contribute time and expertise for the TMNSA advisory board, therefore advancing priority VIII.