Martin Luther King Day of Service Recap

Written By: Jennie Johnson

This last Monday, January 16th, we had our MLK Day of Service and BioBlitz event at Rosewood Nature Study Area. The Martin Luther King, Jr. National Day of Service is an annual federal designation and is a “defining moment each year when Americans across the country step up to make communities more equitable and take action to create the Beloved Community of Dr. King’s dream. While Dr. King believed the Beloved Community was possible, he acknowledged and fought for systemic change. His example is our call to action.”

MLK Day is the only federal holiday designated as a National Day of Service. It’s a day to encourage all Americans to volunteer to improve their communities. During recent years, the MLK Day of Service has grown and its impact increased. Americans have embraced the idea that citizenship involves taking an active role in their communities.

Rosewood Nature Study Area is located in the south-eastern area of Reno. The area has traditionally been home to a variety of waterfowl and other wildlife which makes it a great location for a Day of Service and bioblitz. A bioblitz is an event in which groups work together to find and identify as many species as possible. It’s an important tool to gauge the ecological health of an area. Because the Rosewood area was used as a golf course from 1991 to 2015, it’s important to periodically assess the wildlife and plants in the area as it transitions back to a historic wetland habitat. As the Nature Study Area is restored to a functional wetland system, it will continue to provide educational and recreational opportunities for the community for years to come.

We had a great turnout of volunteers Monday and spent a gorgeous, snowy morning cleaning the wetlands and documenting local wildlife. The snowy weather actually provided the opportunity for many local species to be active. Many of the animals spotted were ones that we commonly see at Rosewood like Mourning Doves and Canadian Geese but our volunteers also spotted some less common and/or migratory species like a Northern Flicker, a shrike and Snow Geese. In addition to the bioblitz, our volunteers also removed tons of trash from the area. Much of the trash collected included many single use plastic items as well as beverage cans and bottles.

Thank you to Waste Management Nevada for donating a dumpster for the event and to Gearhut for participating. Plus, an extra warm thanks to Hub Coffee Roasters and Truckee Bagel Company for providing our volunteers with some cozy treats to enjoy in the Visitor Center before and after the event. Finally, thank you to all of the volunteers who braved the chilly weather to support our park and our community.

For more information about Reno's newest Nature Study Area, please visit our Visitor Center. The parking lot, trailheads and Visitor Center are located at 6800 Pembroke Drive. Rosewood Nature Study Area hours are:

Trails: 8:00am to 4:00pm, Monday through Saturday

Visitor Center: 9:00am to 3:00pm, Tuesday through Saturday

Stay posted for information on upcoming Truckee Meadows Parks Foundation events, including our Spring Plantapalooza, our 10 Year Anniversary Gala and our annual summer fishing event Carpe Diem. Subscribe to our Newsletter for the most current news. Finally, if you or your organization is interested in supporting, sponsoring or hosting an event at Rosewood, please contact us. We are currently looking for sponsors and donors for our 10 Year Anniversary Gala and our Summer Fishing Derby.