Green

Milking the land

PHOTO/SAGE LEEHEY

Amber Sallaberry sorts through apples at the Great Basin Community Food Co-op.

Animalia Kingdom

The Animalia Kingdom is a pet friendly zone, with doggie day care available for you to utilize while you visit the rest of the event! You’ll fi nd pony rides, dogs and cats available for adoption, education booths on area animal organizations and a pet fashion show (sign up by calling 775-771-1828).

Green community felt voiceless in rezoning decision

In the wake of the rezoning of 104 acres of the 1,000-acre Main Station Farm to commercial development, some members of the community feel as by though the Reno City Council and the University of Nevada, Reno Sage Leehey have betrayed them. sagel@ Amber Sallaberry, co-founder and general manager of the Great Basin newsreview.com Community Food Co-op, said that community concerns were not heard. “UNR is a land grant university, and we, as constituents, should have a say in this decision,” Sallaberry said. “UNR is treating it as their private ATM machines, so they can pay off debt.” She expressed that she was frustrated and disheartened by the decision. “Ultimately, as our city leaders, they should make visionary, large picture decisions for our community as a whole,” Sallaberry said. “I’m super disappointed in our leadership right now, and I feel sad saying that.” Marc Johnson, UNR’s president, said that the university took community opinion into account in their decision through “a large public forum and a number of small group meetings.” “In the process, although the position of the opposition to the zoning did not change, we were able to address a lot of these issues,” Johnson said. Sallaberry is worried the community is being stripped of a huge asset with this rezoning. She said the land at Main Station Farm has an incredible amount of biomass activity that is important to sustainable growing systems, particularly in the parcel. Its existence means farmers don’t need to use many chemicals or artificial amendments to the soil. These high levels are because the land is on a flood plain, and Sallaberry said it would take about 50 to 60 years for the kind of biomass activity in that area to be emulated in other areas, and even in other plots on that farm. Sallaberry also voiced concerns for Wolf Pack Meats, the only USDA-certified slaughter and meat-packing facility in the area. She believes having businesses 100 feet away will ultimately cause its closure. Johnson said he didn’t see any future threats to the facility because it has a legal right to be there since it is preexisting, and there have been odor complaints before. During the Council meeting, Johnson pointed to the High Desert Farming Initiative to answer concerns about sustainable growing education being discontinued by this rezoning. It will consist of six hoop houses and a greenhouse. Johnson said it will be used “to demonstrate how you can make a viable business at fairly low cost with these technologies” and to be an example of local food production. This project has taken longer than expected, but Sam Males, the state director for Nevada Small Business Development Center, said ground will be broken on the project in the next couple of weeks, and he hopes construction will be done by the end of June. This project will exist on only one acre of land, but Males expects it “to expand if it grows like [he] thinks it will.” Johnson also said that there are currently no “immediate plans to develop the 104 acres,” and the rest of the Main Station Farm will continue to be used for agricultural research and education. Ω

Sponsored by

Conservation Zone

This area will include local organization booths with fun, interactive and educational activities for kids and adults. There will also be a “Picnic for Earth” area with available picnic blankets so that visitors can relax on this beautiful day.

Sponsored by

Earth Innovations

A large component of Earth Day goals is sustainability: Renewable fuel and energy sources, new technologies for reducing or cleaning up pollution and other human impacts, conservation of natural resources through both technologies and habits, new agricultural technologies. Earth Innovations seeks to explore and engage the ideas of our young minds in these areas, as young minds are key to a sustainable future. This includes a Science Fair with all Washoe County high schools invited to participate. We will showcase 30 of these projects at the fair in the California Building.

Sponsored by

Future of Transportation

The Future of Transportation is bringing together electric cars, alternative fuels, transit, rail, bicycle taxis and more. This area will stir the imagination and show how near this future is, complete with test driving hybrid vehicles!

The Garden

A new section of the event this year, focusing on green growth, plants of all kinds and local farming. The Garden will also host a Farmer’s Market, promoting sustainable agriculture in our community!

The Artists’ Grove

A new installation, showcasing artists, the art industry in our area and art related activities. We welcome both established artists and emerging talent, and anything in-between.

Sponsored by

Reno Earth Day

10am-6pm, Sunday, April 21st Idlewild Park, Reno

For more info: www.RenoEarthDay.com Sponsorships/Donations: 775.762.0651 Vending/Exhibiting/Performing: 775.771.1828