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BATTLE MOUNTAIN, Nev. – On September 29, members of the Battle Mountain community and Tomera Ranches worked with Bureau of Land Management staff from the Mount Lewis Field Office to complete this year’s National Public Lands Day volunteer project. The event took place at Ferris Creek, located on the Argenta grazing allotment just south of Crescent Valley, and focused on the construction of a jack-rail fence around an important riparian area which provides habitat for Greater Sage-Grouse, Mule deer, chukar and a myriad of other wildlife species.

The group of nearly 30 people gathered in the morning and worked to separate the fencing materials, haul the different components to their respective locations along the waterway and link everything together to create a protective fence that will aid the restoration of the area over time.

“Constructing a fence that spans 2,500 feet in one day is no easy task and it was absolutely incredible to see what the group got accomplished working together”, said Adam Cochran, Lead Rangeland Specialist for the MLFO. “Conservation plays a big role in the BLM’s multiple use mission and exclosures like these provide for healthy riparian areas that wildlife in the area depend on.”

While the literal heavy lifting took place, MFLO Wildlife Biologist Dave Davis took the younger participants to some existing fencing nearby to install sage grouse markers. The reflective markers are designed to reduce the number of collisions by sage-grouse as the birds attempt to navigate through the fence lines.

A much needed break came when lunch arrived in the afternoon and the group finished work on the project at about 4 p.m. that afternoon. Overall the Ferris Creek habitat improvement event was a huge success and the MLFO would like to thank all those who participated in this meaningful conservation effort.