CARSON CITY, Nev. –
The Nevada Army National Guard’s G9 Environmental Team recently worked on a tick abundance survey led by Dr. Jeremiah Reyes, Nevada Army Guard environmental compliance manager, and Molly McVicar, environmental specialist, nearby Swan Lake and the Harry Reid Training Center on Aug. 9.
This collaborative effort joined with the University of Nevada, Reno’s Biochemistry Arthropod Genetics and Genomics Lab, which included Dr. Monika Gulia-Nuss, associate professor, and two of her students to study an often-overlooked part of Northern Nevada's environment: ticks.
This survey took place at Swan Lake, a unique wetland near Nevada Army National Guard facilities in Stead, Nevada.
The area, surrounded by important wildlife habitat, sits along a major migratory flyway used by countless bird species. While Swan Lake offers outstanding opportunities for soldiers to train and for civilians to enjoy birdwatching, parts of the land have become overgrown with invasive white-top weeds and impacted by illegal dumping.
In recent months, the Environmental, Installations, and Maintenance crews have worked hard to clean up the western side of the lake, restoring access and improving habitat quality. With these improvements underway, the G9 Environmental Team and UNR researchers launched a public health survey to identify the types and abundance of ticks present in the training lands, specifically along trails.
"The information gathered will help assess potential health risks, guide management of invasive plants, with an endgame of supporting safe access for soldiers, community members, and students alike," Reyes said. "This project is one more step toward making Swan Lake a healthy, accessible, and educational space where military training, environmental stewardship, and public recreation can thrive together."