The McCarran Ranch

I was lucky enough to spend the better part of this gorgeous day up at the McCarran Ranch, which is owned and managed by The Nature Conservancy, a world-wide conservations group dedicated to, in their words, saving the last great places on earth. This is a goal that is also near and dear to my heart. Today the Conservancy hosted an open house at the 305-acre riverside ranch, allowing the general public to view the progress being made there in restoring that section of the Truckee to it's former natural glory. I drove out this morning to help in whatever way I could. Mostly this involved a lot of standing around and occasionally answering a few questions, but I'm happy to help in whatever way I'm needed.

The Conservancy is working to revitalize the stretch of the Truckee River that runs through the century-plus old ranch which lies about 15 miles east of Reno. In 1962 the Army Corps of Engineers, laboring under the notion that they were helping avoid floods and serving the interests of agriculture, straightened and widened the river. The result were devastating to the riparian forest and the animals that lived there, and if 1997 or this past New Year's Eve are any indication, flooding has not been prevented.

Today the damage is slowly but surely being undone, at least on this one tiny portion of the river. Natural wetlands are being restored, trees are being replanted, invasive species (like the despised Tall Whitetop) are being combated, and life as it once existed along the Truckee is returning. Recreated riffles in the river (made from rock removed to construct Reno's train trench) are helping to restore native plants, insects and fish. Specially designed rearing ponds are bringing back Western Pond Turtles and Leopard Frogs, as well as providing habitat for waterfowl, small mammals and at least one large rattlesnake that managed to make life interesting for a me for a few seconds this morning. And a large shade pavilion is under construction, which will one day accommodate large groups of visitors to this restored bit of high desert paradise.

Right now the McCarran Ranch isn't open to the public. Access problems--most notably a rather dicey railroad crossing--and a lack of facilities make the ranch an ecological work in progress, not a park. But soon that will change. In years to come the McCarran Ranch will be a treasured resource to the people of Northern Nevada, and a beautiful reminder of the power and beauty of nature. I'm happy to play whatever small role I can in making it happen.