Date: 03/10/09
Contact: C. Douglas Nielsen
Phone: (702) 486-5127, ext. 3500

BIRDING & WILDLIFE FESTIVAL SLATED FOR LAUGHLIN

The first-ever Birding and Wildlife-watching festival is coming to Southern Nevada. The Wings and Wildlife Festival will take place Thurs. through Sun., March 12–15, 2009 along the riverfront in Laughlin. The registration fee is only $20, with separate fees for the banquet and field trips. Pre-registration is required and can be accomplished either online or on-site. Check-in starts at 9 a.m. Thursday, March 12, at the Riverside Resort Hotel and Casino, 1650 S. Casino Dr.

The festival is sponsored by the Southern Nevada Birding and Wildlife Trails Partnership, whose mission is to promote ecotourism in the rural areas of Southern Nevada. Event organizers say it will be a celebration of all things wild in the Mojave Desert. The Wings and Wildlife Festival promises days of exploring, fun and learning along the Colorado River. Educational seminar topics will include falconry, burrowing owls, bighorn sheep, attracting hummingbirds, reptile watching, and wildlife uses of
local plants, binocular use, and bat mist-netting.

Transportation will be provided for field trips, which will take bird and wildlife enthusiasts to such sites as Big Bend of the Colorado River State Recreation Area, Colorado River Heritage Greenway Trail, Havasu National Wildlife Refuge, Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve, Hualapai Mountains, Lake Mead National Recreation Area, and Wee Thump Joshua Tree Forest. Kayak trips will allow bird and wildlife viewing along the Black Canyon, Topock Gorge and other areas of the Colorado River.

Festival participants will also have the opportunity to view the work of local artist and photographer Sharon Schafer during a wine and cheese gathering planned for Friday night. The work of other nature artists will also be on display. Several organizations, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Nevada Department of Wildlife, Red Rock Audubon Society and others, will participate in informational exhibits. There will also be an evening banquet with entertainment provided by John Acorn, the Nature Nut.

The festival agenda and fees are available at www.snbwtp.org. Online registration will be available until the start of the festival. Festival-goers who wish to register at the door will pay a late registration fee of $25 and take their chances as to whether there is available room on field trips.

The Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) protects, restores and manages fish and wildlife, promotes fishing, hunting, and boating safety. NDOW’s wildlife and habitat conservation efforts are primarily funded by sportsmen’s license and conservation fees and a Federal surcharge on hunting and fishing gear. Support wildlife and habitat conservation in Nevada by purchasing a hunting, fishing, or combination license. For more information, visit www.ndow.org.