Started by a passionate group of educators and public lands advocates in 2003, Friends of Sloan Canyon now provides community support and educational resources that enhance the conservation, protection and public enjoyment of Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area.

The Bureau of Land Management is implementing its management plan for Sloan Canyon NCA, and in 2015 we entered into a partnership with them to support stewardship and interpretive activities. We're currently working on the following activities and initiatives:

Staffing the Visitor Contact Station

We organize volunteer members of the community to staff the information desk at Sloan Canyon NCA's Visitor Contact Station, adjoining the Inspirada community in Henderson. Info Desk volunteers provide information to visitors on trail conditions & access points and encourage safe and responsible recreation practices.

Trail Monitoring and Maintenance

With increased use comes increased responsibility in conservation and protection. We're taking efforts to ensure our trails and access points are well maintained, unobstructed and as least-impacted by human presence as possible by coordinating varous trail monitoring and maintenance programs. In coordination with the Bureau of Land Management we organize trail crews to do lite trail maintenance, restore impacted landscapes, and remove trash from the trail and illegal dump sites.

Community Outreach

We take stewardship and recreation information directly to the community throughout Clark County with information stations at various community events. You may see us waving maps and volunteer information sheets at you at farmers markets, local civic centers, and trailheads.

Interpretive & Educational Programs

We promote and present interpretive programs such as topical guided hikes, wildlife and wildflower viewing excursions, backyard astronomy programs, and more. This includes supporting rangers in the classroom, helping gather resources and assistants for K-12 programs such as Every Kid Outdoors. We're also supporting the public lands community by acting as a fiscal sponsor for the new Friends of Walking Box Ranch as they organize to support interpretive programming at Southern Nevada's historic Walking Box Ranch, near Searchlight, Nevada.

Board of Directors

  • Ron Safran

    N. Ron Safran is FSC’s Volunteer Lead. Ron graduated with a B.A. degree in Political Science from UCLA in 1972. Thereafter, he graduated from Southwestern School of Law with a Juris Doctorate in 1976. Then he entered the private practice of law from 1976 until 2014. Mr. Safran moved to Henderson, NV, adjacent to Sloan Canyon NCA, in July, 2017 after his wife of 45 years passed away. At that time his son, Jeffrey Safran, was the principal GIS scientist for the Bureau of Land Management and the co-creator of and instructor in the BLM UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle or drone) program, known as Fly BLM. Jeffrey, knowing about his dad’s love for the outdoors, hiking and desire to contribute his time and efforts on a volunteer basis to conservation, directed him to Sloan Canyon, NCA. Mr. Safran started volunteering at Sloan in October, 2017.

  • Kevin Duscha

    Kevin is a retired submariner and nuclear propulsion engineer, first as an officer of the US Navy then in the private sector. In New York, he served for 6 years on the board of the Empire State Aerosciences Museum, assisting in fundraising and execution of the local annual air show. Upon retirement, he and his wife moved here to Henderson, partly due to the ability to pursue outdoor recreation year-around and numerous local public lands. From speaking to rangers and volunteers sparked an interest in contributing to the efforts to make the Sloan Canyon NCA an enduring part of the Southern Nevada experience. Kevin looks forward to being able to help sustain and improve public lands experiences for all.

  • Loriel Ross

    Loriel is an RN who enjoys hiking. She wants to make every effort to preserve the open space and natural beauty of Sloan Canyon National Conservation area and the Wilderness Area.

  • Cherise Simecek
  • Scott Soloway
  • Ellen Ross
  • Judy Bundorf