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Whitney Mesa Nature Preserve
Russell Road south of Galleria Street
(702) 799-0990
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The entrance to the Nature Preserve is located
on Russell Road, just south of Galleria Street, between U.S. 95
and Mountain Vista Road. This Nature
Preserve is not open to the general public.
Temperatures are similar to those of the Las Vegas
Valley, though the area becomes more shaded and cooler as you walk
farther into the area. The surroundings are particularly rich in
the spring, although any time of the year is suitable for a visit.
Call John Duggan, Whitney Mesa Project Manager,
at 799-0990 to arrange a field trip. You will need to submit an application and pick up a key to
have access through the gate into the area.
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| The Whitney Mesa Nature Preserve
is an example of a riparian environment of the Mojave Desert located
within an urban area. A riparian environment is an area where water
meets land and distinct plant and animal life develops. Whitney Mesa
offers students a wide range of plants and geological formations to
observe.
The stream running through the center of the valley
floor is host to a variety of living things. Look at the plants
for a small, round structure much like a seed pod. This is a gall
caused by a solitary wasp which drills a small hole in the branch
of a shrub. Into this hole, the wasp inserts some DNA and eggs.
The DNA gives the shrub instructions to build a protective chamber
(the gall) for the developing larva(e).
There are also packrat middens, layers of debris
and droppings that are sealed with urine, in the cliff sides. With
binoculars, natural beehives can be seen just under the top of the
mesa on the western and southern sides. Please be aware of the possible
presence of Africanized bees in this area.
Look for evidence of the salt cedar tree (tamarisk)
which is not indigenous to the Mojave Desert. Introduced to the
Southwest in the 1800s from the Middle East, the trees were used
as windbreaks. These plants can survive on saline water and are
found along many major washes, rivers and streams. The leaves of
the plants concentrate salt and when they drop, make the soil unfit
for other plants. These plants have become a pest throughout the
Southwest and now compete with native vegetation for water. They
are purposefully removed from the area to allow the natural vegetation
to return.
Follow the paths and trails to observe geological
formations, plants and evidence of animals. Compare plant life in
or near the water to plant life farther away. Sketch and describe
animal life found in the water. Investigate the soil compaction
and infiltration rate. Use binoculars to observe cliff faces.
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| Science students will be able to: |
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(4) 2.1 Investigate, describe,
compare and contrast identifiable structures and characteristics
of plants and animals [NS 6.4.2]
(4) 2.2 Investigate and describe
the behavior of individual organisms when influenced by internal
cues and by external cues [NS 7.4.1]
(4) 3.1 Investigate, compare, contrast
and describe the properties of rocks and minerals
[NS 10.4.1]
(4) 3.2 Compare and contrast the
location of landforms [NS 10.4.2]
(4) 3.3 Investigate and describe
the composition of different soils [NS 10.4.4]
(4) 3.4 Identify and describe various
meteorological phenomena [NS 13.4.2]
(4) 4.1 Investigate and describe
the variables that affect the survival of organisms within an ecosystem
[NS 15.4.2]
(4) 4.4 Observe, investigate and
describe how some environmental changes occur quickly and some occur
slowly [NS 17.4.2]
(4) 6.1 Observe and interact with
objects, organisms, and phenomena and raise questions that can be
investigated and researched
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| Science students will be able to: |
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(5) 2.2 Investigate, compare, and
contrast the different structure of organisms that serve different
functions for growth, reproduction, and survival [NS 6.5.2]
(5) 2.3 Investigate and describe
how plants and animals have features that help them live in various
environments [NS 6.5.3]
(5) 2.6 Investigate and describe
how some environmental conditions are more favorable than others
to living things [NS 7.5.3]
(5) 2.12 Investigate and describe
how environmental changes allow some plants and animals to survive
and reproduce, but others may die [NS 9.5.2]
(5) 3.2 Investigate and describe
how erosion and deposition rates can be affected by the slope of
the land and by human activities [NS 10.5.2]
(5) 3.8 Explain that the surface
of the Earth changes due to a variety of factors [NS 12.5.1]
(5) 3.12 Investigate and describe
the factors that affect processes such as evaporation and condensation
[NS 13.5.3]
(5) 3.13 Investigate and describe
how changes is an ongoing process that can be seen throughout the
natural world [NS 13.5.5]
(5) 4.10 Investigate and describe
that ecosystems have components that can be observed to change,
while other components appear to stay the same [NS 17.5.2]
(5) 4.11 Explain that changes in
environments can be natural events or influenced by human activities,
including technology [NS 17.5.3]
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| Social Studies students will be
able to: |
(5) 3.15
Identify the criteria used to define different types of regions [NS
2.5.7]
(5) 3.18 Identify the parts of different
ecosystems, including soil, climate, plant life and animal
life [NS 3.5.3]
(5) 3.19 Describe the biodiversity
of different ecosystems on Earth [NS 3.5.4] |
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