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Clark County Wetlands Park
preserves and enhances natural and cultural resources and provides educational, recreational, and research opportunities for the public.
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Thank you for subscribing to Wetlands Park Footprints newsletter. Share with your friends and let us know what you think at wetlands@clarkcountynv.gov.
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 Wetlands Walker strolling through the mitigation area of Wetlands Park. Photo ©Wetlands.
Take a walk at Wetlands Park and earn rewards at various milestones! Wetlands Walkers is a self-guided program for individuals looking to reach personal fitness goals while walking in the beauty and serenity of the great outdoors. Participants track their mileage after walking one of the Park’s numerous trails and earn rewards at milestones. Each year, a new goal is set to match the migration distance of one of the Park’s visiting species.
In 2024, the Walkers recognized the yellow-rumped warbler and had a collective goal of trekking 4,000 miles. As of December 2024, the Walkers collectively walked 6,637 miles, impressively surpassing their goal! Join Wetlands Walkers in 2025 and walk the migration distance of the green darner dragonfly, which annually migrates approximately 5,700 miles over multiple generations.
Ready to take the first step as a Walker? Join us for a Discovery Walk: Wetlands Walkers 2025 Kick-off to learn more about the program and for a chance to meet other Walkers on Saturday, January 4, 2025 from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm. Sign up here. To learn more about the Wetlands Walkers program, the annual species, to sign up, or to log your miles, please visit our website, walkers.ccwetlandspark.com.
Wetlands Park offers monthly guided walks which make it easy and fun to earn miles. Visit programs.ccwetlandspark.com to sign up for an upcoming guided walk.
Upcoming Guided Walks (Walker membership not required but pre-registration is)
Discovery Walk: New Year Eve's Sunset Sendoff Tuesday, December 31, 4 pm to 5:30 pm
Discovery Walk: Wetlands Walkers 2025 Kick-off Saturday, January 4, 1 pm to 3 pm
Java Jaunt Birding Saturday, January 18, 8 am to 10 am
Discovery Walk: Women's Walk in the Wetlands Sunday, January 26, 9 am to 11 am
Java Jaunt Birding Saturday, February 15, 8 am to 10 am
Discovery Walk Sunday, February 23, 9 to 11 am
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Educator, Translator, & Navigator
The Wetlands Park Navigator mobile app is brought to you with support of Wetlands Park Friends. Download the mobile app through Apple App Store and Google Play Store. The Navigator provides content including tours, maps, directions, and other Park information in English, Spanish, and Tagalog.
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 SONGallery visitors admiring the artwork on display in the SONGallery. Photo ©Wetlands.
Nature is all around us. For some, nature inspires artists to tell stories about beauty, conservation, and heritage. Through art, artists can express how they connect to nature.
Now showing in our Spotlight on Nature Gallery (SONG) is a special art show called Discovering Nature. Clark County staff and volunteers were asked to submit art pieces reflecting their personal relationships with nature, with over 25 pieces selected for showing at Wetlands Park. From photography and fabric art to printmaking and sculpture, you can see the creativity of the Clark County crew now through January 30 located in the Exhibit Gallery at the Nature Center.
 Park visitor enjoying the art display in the Nest Gallery. Photo ©Wetlands.
Now showing in the Nest Gallery is Wetlands for the Holidays, an art exhibition brought to you by Clark County Wetlands Park and Wetlands Park Friends, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Curated by internationally renowned artist and Las Vegas gallerist Nancy Good, these pieces are priced specially for holiday gift-giving! The proceeds from sold artwork benefit Wetlands Park Friends and the featured artist. View the collection of Wetlands-inspired contemporary artwork from local Clark County artists now through January 24 located in the Information Kiosk at the Nature Center.
Wetlands Park is searching for its fourth annual Artist in Residence, which will take place March 15 to May 15, 2025. Each year a different local artist will be chosen to immerse themseves in a dynamic wetlands ecosystem and create art inspired by the plants and animals they encounter. Artists will also provide the public with a rare firsthand glimpse of their creative process.
The Artist chosen will be awarded a $3,400 stipend to carry out a proposed creative project, lead a public workshop, and deliver a work of art at the end of the residency. Applications are due February 12, 2025. Visit art.ccwetlandspark.com to apply.
Clark County Wetlands Park invites local artists to submit a proposal for its fourth annual temporary outdoor art installation, to be displayed at the Nature Preserve from March 15 - May 15, 2025. Ten artists will be awarded $1,000 each to design and install art along a designated site on a short loop trail near the Nature Center. Interested artists must attend an online application workshop scheduled for Friday, January 24 from 10 am - 11 am. Applications are due February 1, 2025. Check art.ccwetlandspark.com soon for more information on how to apply.
Interested in staying up to date with art news at Wetlands Park?
Click here to subscribe to our art email list to receive notices of Calls for Art, scheduled Exhibitions, and other art news at Clark County Wetlands Park.
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 Volunteer, Pam Posster, at Wetlands Park. Photo ©Wetlands.
We are grateful to our volunteers and their dedication to making a positive impact. They are the heart and voice of Wetlands Park. Pam Posster is one such volunteer. We were able to catch up with her to find out what it is that keeps her coming back year after year.
Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background. I retired in September of 2022 after spending 34 years in the oil industry filling positions across the US. The last job took me to Baton Rouge, LA. I moved to Henderson in March of 2023 to join my family who have lived in the valley for many years. In addition to being passionate about animals and conservation, I love the performing arts. All my volunteering is centered on these areas.
How long have you been volunteering at Wetlands Park? I have been volunteering at the Wetlands since May of 2023.
How did you come to volunteer at the Wetlands? I found out about the Wetlands from my family. They knew about my love for the Baton Rouge Zoo and all the work I did there in the education department. They encouraged me to explore the volunteer opportunities the Park has to offer.
What kinds of things do you do during a typical volunteer shift at Wetlands Park? I started volunteering in the Exhibit Gallery and was eager to learn more about the Park. I wanted to use my knowledge and start volunteering as an Education Facilitator, which is the role I believe fits me best. During the fall, winter, and spring, I lead school field trips as an Education Facilitator and provide visitor information in the Exhibit Gallery. In the summer when the kids are out of school, I primarily volunteer in the Exhibit Gallery. I try to volunteer for special events too, like Haunt the Wetlands, which is my favorite.
Why do you like volunteering at Wetlands Park? I love volunteering at the Wetlands. As an Education Facilitator, I get the opportunity to witness the excitement of the school kids as they learn about plants, animals, and the different habitats found here at the Park. I hope these experiences encourage the kids to be passionate about nature, the environment, and to pursue a career in this field. While volunteering in the Exhibit Gallery, I’m able to talk to all kinds of people—like those who visit the Park for the first time and learn how water moves through the valley. It’s great to see that after visitors explore the interactive exhibits, they are curious to learn more about the Park!
What advice would you give someone thinking about volunteering at Wetlands Park?
I would tell someone who is thinking about volunteering at the Wetlands that if you are looking for a place to volunteer where you can make a difference and feel truly appreciated, the Wetlands is for you! The people, staff, and other volunteers are great, and they are a welcoming family.
What is your favorite thing about Wetlands Park? I love wandering the paths of the Nature Preserve during each season to see how different the exact same place can look (and feel) and who you might see in the way of animals, residents, and visitors passing through. It is such an amazing place, and the entire Wetlands Park serves such an important need for the entire valley.
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Volunteers Needed! Wetlands Park is seeking volunteers in all areas including environmental education, visitor services, and outdoor stewardship. The upcoming new year brings exciting opportunities for all!
Is volunteering at Wetlands Park right for you? The first step to becoming a volunteer is to attend a Get Involved at Wetlands Park class. You'll learn about Wetlands Park, volunteer opportunities, and the process to become a Clark County Wetlands Park volunteer. Youth age 12 and up may volunteer with a guardian.
Get Involved at Wetlands Park
Sign up at volunteer.ccwetlandspark.com
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 Red-winged Blackbird. Photo by Philip Martini.
Nature Close-up: Red-winged Blackbird
Red-winged Blackbirds are widespread throughout the continent and are habitual visitors of fresh and saltwater marshes and other wetlands. In the southwest, they are permanent residents and do not migrate like the northern populations. They are known for their sleek-black appearance and stunning red and yellow shoulder patches. During their breeding season, males can be spotted on high perches, singing the distinguishable tune of conk-la-ree and warding off competing males from entering their territory. This duty is not taken lightly— a male red-winged blackbird can have as many as fifteen female mates nesting in his domain. Females are streaked with brown and white throughout their stocky bodies and can be mistaken for a large sparrow.
In the winter, red-winged blackbirds will roost with other blackbird and starling species by the millions to feed and can easily congest crop fields and pastures. When insects are less abundant in the winter, red-winged blackbirds will feed on seeds and native sunflowers. Look for this fascinating bird in the Nature Preserve along the reed fields feeding on small insects or visit Wells Trailhead for a magnificent view of the Las Vegas Wash and their preferred wetland habitat.
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 Red Rock Audubon Society's Birding Expert and Java Jaunt participants during a Bird Walk at Wetlands Park. Photo ©Wetlands.
Explore your artistic side with our Studio WP Art Programs. Accompany a Park naturalist and delve into nature together on a Discovery Walk. Join a birding expert and Park naturalist on a Bird Walk in partnership with Red Rock Audubon Society. Bring the family to kids' programs like Nature Tales and Wetlands Explorers. Get involved with our monthly Wetlands: Hands On! (W.H.O) outdoor stewardship events. View our January Program Guide or our calendar. To learn more about our programs and to register, visit programs.ccwetlandspark.com.
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There is still time to enjoy a seasonal story and celebrate the holidays by taking a stroll down Holiday Lane! Our maze of reeds includes a self-guided story walk and decorations for all Park visitors to take delight in. Answer the storybook activity question for a special prize during Nature Center hours, 9 am - 3pm, Tuesday through Sunday. Holiday Lane will be available until Tuesday, January 7.
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 Coyote near mile marker 9 of the Wetlands Loop Trail. Photo submission by Diane Bedell.
Have you taken a photo in Wetlands Park that you would like to share? Want to see your Wetlands Park photo featured in an upcoming newsletter?
Submit your high-resolution photo(s) to: wetlands@clarkcountynv.gov. Include your name, date, and location of the photo.
Post about it on Social media!
#CCWetlandsPark
#CallforWPphotos
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Wetlands Art Day: Saturday, March 22, 2025
We invite you to attend a free, family event full of art, poetry, and music to inspire the artist within you! Art Day will include art workshops and activities.
BioBlast: Saturday, April 26, 2025
With the help of guest scientists and naturalists, kids learn about all the plants and animals of Wetlands Park through science stations and interactive games and activities!
Discovery Day: Saturday, June 28, 2025
Discover exciting activities to beat the summer heat! Partnering organizations offer suggested activities families can do all summer with their kids!
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