Swan Lake Master Plan
Swan Lake Nature Study Area is a playa/wetland system 14 miles northeast of downtown Reno. This historic wetland has provided a nesting and migratory bird stopover since prehistoric times. In the early 1990s, local birders started to notice the potential of Swan Lake as not only a place to sight birds, but its critical importance as part of the inland flyway. This observation led to the creation of a Nature Study Area for the preservation of wildlife, habitat protection, environmental education, and outdoor recreation. The Swan Lake Nature Study Area Advisory Board has been working since that time to protect and manage the roughly 1,200 acre Swan Lake Nature Study Area for wildlife protection and public recreation. The group was guided by a jointly created, multi-jurisdictional Master Plan completed in July 1997 and updated in 2000. The Swan Lake Advisory Board was able to complete a Master Plan in January 2012 thanks to the National Park Service River and Trails Conservation Assistance grant facilitated by Deb Reardon. The 2012 Swan Lake Master Plan includes a purpose statement and goals that incorporate objectives and strategies for achieving those goals. They include: enhancing wildlife, water, and our collaborative partnerships; long-term protection of open space and passive recreation; fostering community support and providing community education.