Fernley Swales cleanup scheduled Sept. 23

The 23rd annual Fernley Swales cleanup event has been scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 23 to coincide with National Public Lands Day. The cleanup event is sponsored by the Fernley Rotary Club, Bureau of Land Management, Oregon California Trails Association and the Fernley Chapter of Desert Pigs. The public is invited to help remove trash that has been dumped in and near the Fernley Swales, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The Fernley Swales of the California National Historic Trail are the only example of deep sand swales left by emigrant wagons on the California Trail. The Central Pacific Railroad grade runs parallel to the trail. The Fernley Swales are protected under a conservation easement held by the BLM.

Participants will meet at 9 a.m. at the corner of Mission Way, the road to the Veterans Cemetery, west of Terribles Truck Stop. Organizers suggest that everyone wear a hat and layered clothing and bring snacks and water. Long pants are recommended as the Russian Thistle is dense this year.

BLM will provide trash bags, cleanup tools, extra gloves, cold drinks, a clean Porta Poty and a hand wash station. BLM and Olcese Waste Services will provide large dumpsters for the trash. Volunteers will receive a National Public Lands Day t-shirt and a free entry pass for National Parks and other public land sites.

For more information contact Shannon Goshen, BLM Archaeologist (sgoshen@blm.gov, 775- 885-6152, Jon Nowlin, OCTA (cnvww@gmail.com, 775- 883-5913) or Don Hawkins, Desert Pigs (trailhawk166@yahoo.com, 775-790-1286).