Document Type

Report

Publication Date

7-10-2011

Publisher

Public Lands Institute

Publisher Location

Las Vegas, NV

First page number:

1

Last page number:

20

Abstract

  • UNLV participated in several meetings with BLM regarding updating the current Task Order, obtaining a two-year no-cost extension for the two Assistance Agreements, and to develop the future WBR operating agreement between BLM and UNLV
  • UNLV met with Sara Moffatt, one of Senator Reid’s staff, to provide an update on project progress. UNLV also requested the Senator’s support in obtaining additional funding for the project for construction, and also for UNLV to bridge the transition from construction through the first two years of operation.
  • UNLV held several internal meetings to advance planning for a July VA meeting with BLM to identify where cuts can be made to the project to bring it in line with the construction and renovation budget.
  • Weather station progress included: 1) building a grid-power independent power system to supply power to the weather station, thus making the weather station power autonomous, 2) acceptance of a technical paper on experimental comparison and economic analysis of various PV technologies (in the desert-type climatic conditions of south-western USA) for publication, 3) submittal of a manuscript containing a technical review on the recent developments in various building envelope components and their effects on the energy sustainability of a building to the journal Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 4) Completion of a preliminary analysis comparing ground-source heat pump technology, air-source heat pump technology and PV technology, and 5) initiation of a comprehensive review of the solar tracking systems.
  • UNLV is funding research to prepare ranch pamphlets describing birds and amphibians native to the area and also describing the local geology.
  • Progress on the Multimedia Field Guides project that will develop and disseminate a modern geological and environmental field guide includes: 1) Production of seven podcast-style modules, highlighting the local geology on the drive from Las Vegas to Walking Box Ranch, 2) Design of a field guide portal for smartphones, 3) Completion of the WBR Regional Geologic Map, and 4) New enhancements for the visualization of GoogleEarth KMZ files in the mobile GoogleMaps format.
  • PLI educators have submitted an application to CCSD for a Professional Development workshop on Environmental Literacy to be held at the ranch in November 2011. The workshop will offer one professional development credit and be directed at middle and high school teachers who teach earth science, life science, and environmental science.
  • UNLV and BLM met to discuss the business plan prepared by Dornbush and Associates. UNLV is making minor modifications requested by BLM.

Controlled Subject

Curriculum planning; Environmental education; Environmental literacy; Historic buildings; Historic sites – Management; Meteorological stations; Museums – Planning; Nevada – Searchlight; Ranches; United States – Mojave Desert

Disciplines

Architecture | Business | Business Administration, Management, and Operations | Desert Ecology | Ecology and Evolutionary Biology | Education | Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research | Environmental Design | Environmental Indicators and Impact Assessment | Environmental Monitoring | Environmental Sciences | Historic Preservation and Conservation | Life Sciences | Physical Sciences and Mathematics | Tourism and Travel

File Format

pdf

File Size

2500 KB

Language

English

Comments

Financial Assistance Agreement #FAA080093

Signatures have been redacted for privacy and security measures.

Rights

IN COPYRIGHT. For more information about this rights statement, please visit http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

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