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�鶹ӳ�� our College

A founding college of the University, we have a long tradition of excellence in teaching, research and engagement programs that benefit the health and economic vitality of �鶹ӳ��. We offer programs in:

• agriculture, horticulture, rangeland & veterinary sciences
• biochemistry & molecular biology
• children, youth & families
• community & economic development
• health & nutrition
• natural resources & environmental science

Fund targets restoration of sagebrush habitat

Great Basin Sagebrush Restoration Fund helps improve rangeland rehabilitation

Adella Harding, Mining Quarterly Correspondent

Tamzen Stringham, co-founder of the Great Basin Sagebrush Restoration Fund, is working with researchers to find better ways to grow sagebrush, especially after fires. Photo courtesy of Elko Daily Free Press.

Scientific research fueled by the Great Basin Sagebrush Restoration Fund is showing promise in its efforts to improve rehabilitation of rangeland damaged by wildfires, improve mine reclamation and expand habitat for sage grouse.

The fund was established in 2017 by Lithium �鶹ӳ�� Corp. and the �鶹ӳ��, Foundation. The fund is under the control of co-founder Professor Tamzen Stringham, a rangeland scientist and interim head of the University's Department of Agriculture, Veterinary and Rangeland Sciences.

Another co-founder is Alexi Zawadzki, president of North American operations for Vancouver-based Lithium Americas Corp. and chief executive officer of Lithium �鶹ӳ��, which is planning the Thacker Pass lithium mining and manufacturing project in northern Humboldt County.

“We’re in sagebrush county out there, as is most of �鶹ӳ��,” he said. “It’s very difficult to reclaim sagebrush.”

Healthy holidays | Tips from a nutrition scientist and nutrition graduates

Tips for eating, drinking and being healthy this holiday season

Chenin Treftz Nickel

Chenin's Tips

Stay hydrated

The best drink to quench your thirst is water! Water is necessary for normal body functions, but staying hydrated has many other benefits, including helping to achieve a healthy weight, feeling your best and maintaining good concentration.

Skip the soda, not the bubbles

Mix 1 part cold sparking water to 1 part cold 100% fruit juice to get a sweet, fruity and fizzy sensation. Check the ingredients list to avoid sparking waters with added sugars or sweeteners.

Try a new recipe

Visit 's website for delicious, low-cost, healthy drink recipes. Most can be made with just a few ingredients. Any would be the perfect addition to a holiday party.

�鶹ӳ�� 4-H goes global

4-H International Exchange Programs Coming Back to �鶹ӳ��

Carrie Stark

is providing the chance for families to host Japanese students next summer. From 1976 to 1992, �鶹ӳ�� 4-H participated in the States’ 4-H International Exchange Program, and �鶹ӳ�� is very happy to once again be offering the program to 4-Hers and other sin the state.

The program provides a great opportunity for 4-H youth to participate in global citizenship and cultural immersion programs through hosting visiting youth or potentially traveling overseas themselves. These programs broaden worldviews and create lifelong friendships. The Summer Inbound programs will bring youth to �鶹ӳ�� to stay with a host family for four weeks in the summer. Based on a complete cultural immersion model, youth will be matched with interested �鶹ӳ�� families who want to share their life with an international visitor.

Hosting provides 4-H youth and their families the opportunity to:

• Experience a different culture
• Represent the United States to other countries
• Learn culture and customs from international youth
• Develop intercultural competencies and cross-cultural communication skills
• Give an international youth an unforgettable experience
• Build lifelong international friendships

More information will be available in February about how to become a host. If you are interested in receiving this information, contact the State 4-H Office at 775-784-4779 or nevada4-h@unce.unr.edu.

Northern �鶹ӳ�� Business Weekly

Erica Gallegos, who graduated this year from the University, will manage the GreenBizTracker database and supervise interns who will be hired for the �鶹ӳ�� Green Business Program 

Western �鶹ӳ�� College announced recently the hiring of Erica Gallegos to manage the GreenBizTracker database and to supervise WNC interns who will be hired for the �鶹ӳ�� Green Business Program.

WNC and �鶹ӳ��-based nonprofit  are working to launch a statewide green business program and to create a database for collecting outcomes that measure environmental performance for the state.

Gallegos graduated summa cum laude from the �鶹ӳ�� this year with an Environmental Science degree. She previously  and helped organize the green team for the 2019 �鶹ӳ�� Day.

Hannah Alfaro

Erica Bigio will continue to create engaging and relevant material for her environmental classes.

Since fall 2018, Erica Bigio has been a lecturer and academic advisor for students enrolling in the majors associated with the College's Natural Resources & Environmental Science Department. 

She has been primarily teaching nonmajors environmental science courses, but this fall, she also began teaching courses for natural resources and environmental science majors on topics such as forest measurements. Prior to joining the University, she worked as lecturer and postdoctoral researcher with the at the University of Arizona. Her past teaching experience includes classes on lower-level global change for nonmajors and workshops on dendrochronology.

Bigio’s research expertise lies in dendrochronology, a technique of studying tree rings to examine environmental changes and forest dynamics. Bigio’s teaching draws upon her experience in applying dendrochronology for fire history and paleoclimate, which studies climates of past geological time periods. Recent research focused on streamflow reconstructions for southern California. Her dissertation, completed in 2013 at the University of Arizona, studied fire-climate relationships for   southwestern Colorado. In 2017, she for the International Journal of Wildland Fire.

“My main goal as I continue here at the University is to continue to connect with my students,” Bigio explained. “I am working to improve active learning and student engagement in my courses. My goal is to increase interest in environmental science and natural resources.”

Even though her primary focus at the University is lecturing, Bigio also plans to continue expanding her knowledge of ecology and natural resources as part of the College’s so as to implement a variety of research-based examples into her classes.