As someone who has grown up in the humid, temperate woodlands of Pennsylvania, the exposure to the western climate has been interesting… Just last week, a fire, dubbed “earthstone”, had started right behind our apartment and still continues to burn through mid-eastern Nevada. (The biggest fire I’ve seen in PA are football bonfires, rallying the fans and the team to defeat our number-one rival.) With barely any trees and never-ending sagebrush expanses, adjusting to this new, extremely open place seemed intimidating. The first few weeks I had to adjust to the unrelenting dry heat and the sudden increase in elevation… let’s just say my exercise regime was “revised”. The nosebleeds almost every other day was super fun too.

Our project working on the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest has us looking for only ONE target species, but we have a list of a total of 80 opportunistic plant species to collect seed from if we come across it. With no historical points to access target species, our job is to scout and mark collectible populations. This large, inclusive project comprises of target species that are essential to pollinators, sage grouse, and range management. Restoration and preservation of diversity are the overarching goals. I am super grateful to be apart of a project that includes so many facets to science and the community.

Image of a sphinx moth obtaining nectar and pollinating nettleleaf giant hyssop (Agastache urticifolia)

Since we’ve been exploring the HT districts, the only thing we’ve been hearing from the locals is that we are lucky to have visited Nevada this year. The large snowfall over the winter has provided the wildflowers more than enough water to thrive and give us such beautiful views!

View from the Santa Rosa district located at the north-central portion of NV near the Oregon border. If you look close enough, you’ll see our #1 enemy: the cow.

As we explore the wilderness of the HT districts, I have become extraordinarily thankful for major (paved) highways. The rocky gravel roads that we use to scout for plant species can be driven at a max of 25 mph. Patience is much needed in these places with no cell service and not a person in sight. Payton (my coworker/roommate from Ohio) and I have much to learn in these lonely places, but at least we have each other to endure the ceaseless driving and triple-digit heat.

Over and out!

Alyssa Hay

USFS Reno/Sparks