Reno Earth Day, which happened last Sunday, was a grand success. The annual 3,000 person event takes place in Idlewild Park along the Truckee River. Hundreds of canopies arranged by environmental groups, artists, public agencies, and food vendors line the green space and baseball fields. It is a lively and cooperative community event that I was glad to take part in.

We had been generating outreach material for months leading up to the event, and were able to hand out a wide range of activities, from invasive species word searches to Seymour the Antelope coloring pages. In addition we had informational brochures on local plant diversity, EDDMapS web-based invasive species mapping system, local trail maps, horse and burro management, and more.

However our number one initiative at the event was educating and involving fourth graders in Every Kid in a Park (EKIP): a nationwide program that provides free access to national parks and other public lands to kids ages 9-11! We had a separate table at our Earth Day booth devoted to EKIP, where fourth graders worked through an activity that involved assigning either Hooker’s balsamroot or Lupine to its appropriate family. Although a bit advanced (we have since revised the activity for future events), with provided references on inflorescence, leaf and root structure, as well as our guidance, students were able to complete the activity, after which we were able to give them their park pass! It was delightful to see students, their families and friends excited about the possibilities for outdoor exploration.

Reno Earth Day was a valuable experience to interact with the public, and share information about how they can engage with and promote the health of their public lands.

Margaret Lindman, Carson City BLM