Nevada
Students connect to nature in Lake Tahoe through experiential classwork | University of Nevada, Reno
The University of Nevada, Reno at Lake Tahoe’s Wayne L. Prim Campus, nestled in the mountains and surrounded by pines, provides researchers, faculty and students with a vast outdoor laboratory that brings coursework to life. Many classes at the University’s Lake Tahoe campus, like Chris Smith’s Ecology and Population Biology class, allow students to learn from faculty currently researching the area, and to have access to an ecosystem that helps them forge tangible connections to the material from their textbooks.
Smith has taught courses at the University of Nevada, Reno at Lake Tahoe since 2020, primarily focusing on ecology, natural history and statistics. During his time on campus, he has developed a curriculum that elevates his coursework by bringing course material to life through experiential learning in outdoor labs and trips. This semester, Smith’s Ecology and Population Biology class brought students outdoors on various occasions. During the field day trips, students observed the ecology of Taylor Creek in South Lake Tahoe during the annual Kokanee Salmon spawning, for example, and took a deeper look at snowflake structure, snowpack and avalanche science, wildlife adaptations to winter in Tahoe Meadows, and measured old-growth trees and tree rings on stumps in Mount Rose Meadows to understand their history and record climate change impact on stumps.
“I’ve seen the field components really have an enormous impact on students,” said Smith, “We read about these things in textbooks, but we actually experience them and have connections and interactions with them. It makes that material come to life for students – not only do they remember it better, but they take away a personal connection to that experience.”
During a fall field course, he and his students drove up to Mount Rose Meadows to take an in-depth look at the ecology of the region and used information gathered during the lab to study historical impacts on the region and what it means for the future of the forest.
“150 years ago, all of most of the Lake Tahoe Basin was cut over for the mining over in Virginia City,” Smith said, “They left a few stumps, and it’s possible for us to go back and measure the diameter of these stumps to reconstruct the structure of the old forests. We can then compare the current structure of the forest 150 years later in our present day, to see if they have recovered to the point where they were 150 years ago.”
The group also visited a high-elevation meadow under threat from climate change.
“During the lab, we talked about succession and trees starting to invade these open grassy spaces that are often wetter, and with climate change drying things out and changing winter conditions, lodgepole pine trees especially are moving into these areas. It’s easy to drive past the meadow and not pay attention to it at all. But when you stop and look, you can see these trees that are slowly moving into the middle of the meadow, and maybe in 100 years, many of these meadows may not be here. It’s cool to be able to see that and talk about it and open students’ eyes to maybe something they’ve been seeing for years of their lives.”
Smith’s courses provide more than just hands-on class content; getting students out into the field is also paramount in creating a connection between students and the area, promoting environmental stewardship and a love for the region. This connection, Smith states, develops a passion for the land and the area that drives students to care about the environment.
“My hope is that the coursework in my classes gives students a connection to Lake Tahoe that ultimately gives back to the health of the lake,” Smith said, “When students care about a place and form a personal connection with it, they naturally want to take care of it. In all my courses, I hope to create a connection so that students gain a deeper appreciation of what’s around them, and my hope is to show how important the health of Lake Tahoe is.”
Smith’s course, like many courses at the Lake Tahoe campus, offers an unmatched experience for all students, breaking the boundary between disciplines to focus on interdisciplinary collaboration with coursework, projects and research that focus on the lake.
With classes and coursework modeled after the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, students can earn a Sustainability Certificate while honing in on skills in their field with knowledge that aims to protect the environment through practice and thoughtful communication. To fill out an interest form for a semester at Tahoe or to learn more, visit the University of Nevada, Reno at Lake Tahoe website.
About the University of Nevada, Reno at Lake Tahoe
Located less than one mile from the shoreline of Lake Tahoe, the University of Nevada, Reno at Lake Tahoe’s Wayne L. Prim Campus merges experiences across education, research, creative and scholarly work in a stunning mountain environment. Beginning Fall 2024, undergraduate students are invited to earn their Certificate in Sustainability during a single-semester program that will incorporate outdoor and experiential learning into the coursework. Events and activities throughout the semester encourage a deep sense of community while inspiring environmental stewardship of the Lake Tahoe Basin and all our planet’s most precious natural resources.
In addition to its education offerings, the campus offers a robust program of community events and private conferences, welcoming the brightest minds in science, art and sustainability to Lake Tahoe.
The 18-acre setting in Incline Village includes 10 classrooms, several meeting/conference rooms, both large and medium events spaces, a cafeteria and catering service, highly equipped laboratories, 88 dorm rooms and the Lou Sardella Student Commons Lawn. The natural setting provides a living laboratory and serves as creative inspiration for both scientists, artists and students alike.
LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — Authorities have canceled an AMBER Alert after they say a 10-month-old child taken by a non-custodial parent was found safe.
North Las Vegas Police said Thursday that Leilani Williams (aka Leilani Duke) was taken by her father, Roderick Duke.
Duke and Leilani were last seen at an apartment complex in the area of Martin L. King Boulevard and Cheyenne Avenue at 1:40 a.m.
“An AMBER Alert has been activated due to Roderick being in emotional crisis and making threats to harm himself and 10-month-old Leilani,” NLVPD said in a statement.
By 10:05 a.m., NLVPD said that Leilani was located unharmed.
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Officers took Duke into custody without further incident, and the AMBER Alert has been canceled.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom addressed Nevada Democrats who packed a Las Vegas brewery Wednesday evening for a discussion about his upbringing, his political life and efforts his state has taken to combat the Trump administration agenda.
Newsom, who has been floated as a possible White House contender for 2028, sidestepped a quip from former Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak who introduced him as the next U.S. president amid cheers from the crowd.
“I’m very grateful for your friendship, and a friendship that’s only strengthened over the course of the last year or so,” Newsom told Sisolak.
Book tour stop
The event, which served as a book tour stop for the California governor, was organized by the Nevada Democratic Party. It took place at Nevada Brew Works near Summerlin.
Nevada Assemblymember Daniele Monroe-Moreno, the state party chair running for North Las Vegas mayor, moderated the discussion.
It was part of the party’s Local Brews + National Views series that’s been bringing Democrats for similar discussions at intimate venues. Past speakers have included former President Joe Biden, Arizona U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly, and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker.
Criticizing President Donald Trump, Newsom spoke about the immediate aftermath of the 2024 general election.
“We were handwringing, a lot of finger pointing, and a sense of weakness,” Newsom said. “And just incapable of dealing with this moment, this existential moment.”
He said he is taking account for what he described as his own complicity.
“This happened on my watch. This is all happening on our watch,” Newsom said. “And so I realized that I needed to be better.”
That included his advocacy to redraw California’s Congressional map after Trump called for the same in Texas, he said.
“They’re not screwing around, nor are we,” he said about Trump and his administration. “All of us.”
‘You’re giving us a voice’
Newsom spoke out against the surge of federal immigration enforcement operations in California and later Minnesota, calls from the Trump administration to nationalize elections, and cuts to government funding due to the One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act.
He said that pushback against Trump’s policies, including dozens of lawsuits filed by California, were making the president retreat on some of his proposals and policies.
“You’re filling the void, you’re giving us a voice, you’re giving us courage,” he told the crowd. “For things to change, we have to change. And it’s changing.”
The Republican National Committee reacted to Newsom’s Las Vegas visit. Earlier in the day, Newsom attended a private Boulder City event.
“Democrats are selling out to the spoiled, phony rich kid governor from California for years,” RNC spokesperson Nick Poche wrote in a statement. “President Donald Trump and Republicans are delivering major tax cuts and keeping Nevadans safe, unlike Democrats.”
The national Republican Party also criticized California’s policies, and tied them back to Nevada Democrats.
Most of Newsom’s remarks weren’t specific to Nevada. He didn’t take any questions from media.
Polling shows Newsom and Vice President JD Vance leading in hypothetical races for their parties’ nomination. That includes a survey of likely Nevada voters conducted one by Emerson College Polling in November.
Contact Ricardo Torres-Cortez at rtorres@reviewjournal.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. – It’s time to “free your heels” and embrace Tahoe’s winter recreation at the Nevada Nordic Freeheel Festival on March 7. Whether you’re a seasoned pro at cross-country skiing or snowshoeing, or you’re trying to get your feet wet, Saturday’s event is teeming with nature, brews, and camaraderie.
Travel North Tahoe Nevada (TNTNV) is teaming up with Nevada Nordic, Tahoe Multisport, Alibi Ale Works, UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center, Nevada Division of Outdoor Recreation and other local partners in the wondrous Tahoe Meadows, providing attendees a chance to engage with outdoor recreation experts, check out free cross-country and snowshoe rentals, and more.
“We’re excited to see the Nevada Nordic Freeheel Festival enter its second year, building on last year’s strong community response. In collaboration with our local partners, this event is thoughtfully curated with residents in mind – offering free equipment for the day, expert instruction, locally crafted brews, and other experiences in a welcoming setting,” said Andy Chapman, President and CEO of Travel North Tahoe Nevada. “It’s designed to make it easy for residents to get outside, try something new, and bring people together. Events like this reflect the spirit of North Lake Tahoe and what’s possible when our community comes together.”
Along with opportunities to test out free demos and rentals, there will be live music, beer tasting and races.
Tahoe Meadows is known for its gentle trails, and is a popular spot for snowshoeing due to its flat terrain. This event, located near Chickadee Ridge, will offer stunning views of the surrounding mountains.
This family-friendly event is on the second to last day of the 10-day SnowFest winter festival that’s been taking place in the North Lake Tahoe area. It starts bright and early at 9 a.m. and will close out at 2 p.m.
“Nevada Nordic is thrilled to be a part of SnowFest again this year,” said Meghan Pry, Nevada Nordic Board Member. “We love sharing our passion for cross-country skiing and watching our community grow. We are proud to keep winter recreation accessible by offering free access to our 20km trail network. This is the perfect opportunity for our community to gather together and free our heels!”
For more information about the Nevada Nordic Freeheel Festival or to check out the SnowFest schedule, visit tahoesnowfest.org.
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