Platform at Stillwater Wildlife Refuge dedicated on opening day of Spring Wings festival

The new observation platform at Stillwater Point at the Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge was dedicated on Friday morning with a brief ceremony as part of the opening of this weekend's Spring Wings Birding Festival.

"This is the most important landscape for birds in Nevada," said Don McIvor of the Lahontan Audubon Society. "We are a critical link in the Pacific Flyway."

He urged people to get involved in groups working to conserve the habitat at the Stillwater Refuge.

"Developer money could buy out our natural resources unless we protect them," Churchill County Manager Brad Goetsch said.

He added that the partnerships between the county, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Naval Air Station Fallon, Truckee-Carson Irrigation District and the Bureau of Land Management are beneficial in working together against outside pressures.

Steve Thompson, USFWS regional director for California and Nevada, was once the biologist at the refuge and is originally from Fallon. He said when the refuge was facing water shortages, he approached Ernie Schank, board president of the irrigation district, and discussed water needs for wildlife and farms. The two agencies worked together to secure needed water.

Thompson also stressed the importance of having the refuge in Fallon's backyard.

"People need to have places to go to enjoy nature and kids need to experience nature," he said.

Capt. Scott Ryder, Commanding Officer at NAS Fallon, said "I'm just the next CO in a long chain of COs to continue to pledge support in this effort."

He said when he was asked, he jumped at the chance to allow NAS Fallon's Seabees to construct the platform. He said Builder First Class Edward Lien led a rotating crew in construction, which began last August.

Other organization involved in constructing the 15-foot high platform included the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Bird Life International-Rio Tinto, the Nevada Commission on Tourism, CC Communications, and a newly-named group, Friends of Stillwater Marshes.

"It's been a group effort," said Mike Goddard, refuge manager for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The efforts made by local groups to bring the platform to fruition was applauded by Sen. Harry Reid, Rep. Jim Gibbons, and state Sen. John Ensign, in written statements.

Janet Schmidt, the outdoor recreational planner at the USFWS in Fallon worked on the platform project for three years and has been instrumental in organizing the Spring Wings festival for many years.

The festival continues today and tomorrow and is based at the Fallon Convention Center.

Hands-on activities and displays are free and open to the public today from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• Christy Lattin can be contacted at clattin@lahontanvalleynews.com