Volunteers Needed for Shoshone Habitat Restoration Projects in Shoshone, CA

We will be continuing to restore a spring outflow channel and a three-square bulrush marsh in Shoshone, California. We are improving habitat for the endemic Shoshone pupfish (once believed to be extinct) and the Endangered Amargosa vole.  For everyone who has helped over the last few years, both sites are improving but still need maintenance.

Shoshone is 1/2 hour West of Pahrump and a 2-hour drive from Las Vegas, Nevada.

When:  January 9 (Friday) and 10 (Saturday), 2026.  Each day, we will work from 9 am to 4 pm.

We will be doing the following activities:

• Digging up wetland plants from other locations in Shoshone (wetland plugs), putting the plugs in buckets, and planting the plugs where needed.
• Removing black plastic along the channel that was installed for weed control and is no longer needed.
• Remove invasive cattails from the channel.
• Weed the upper Amargosa vole marsh, removing any phragmites and other weeds that may be growing in the bulrush.
• Dig trenches and create berms to better spread water over the mash.
• Trim willows in the lower Amargosa vole marsh and remove dead woody debris.
• Thin the bulrush litter in places where it has built up and is not decomposing.

What to Bring:  Dress in layers so if you get hot you can remove a layer.  Bring rubber knee high boots or waders if you have them to work in the water otherwise you can work on shore.  Bring work gloves that can get muddy and a water bottle which can be refilled.  Bring your own food.  Free camping is available at Shoshone Campground.

To Register:  Contact Christiana Manville by text, phone or email:  702-271-6137 Christiana_Manville@fws.gov

Please specify which day you want to volunteer for.  Specify if you want to camp at the Shoshone Campground and if so what nights.

Amargosa Vole

Removing Cattails

Weeding

North side of the marsh is looking good, but south side still has weeds – phragmites.

We will remove plastic weed fabric along channel.

Harvesting wetland plugs.

Planting native plants.