Truckee Meadows Community College announced on May 14 that students in Biology 190 and 191 are participating in a new project involving the installation and maintenance of owl nest boxes at the Dandini Campus. The initiative, recently funded to support natural pest control and plant preservation, is designed to promote local biodiversity, provide wildlife habitat, and offer hands-on learning opportunities.
The project addresses challenges faced by native owls such as barn owls and great-horned owls in Nevada’s arid climate. Urban development has reduced the availability of natural tree cavities needed for nesting. To help these birds, TMCC installed artificial owl boxes that provide safe nesting sites protected from weather and predators. These boxes also serve as a natural pest-control system since barn owls consume several rodents each night, reducing the need for chemical rodenticides that can harm both the environment and wildlife.
According to TMCC instructors Megan Lahti, Ph.D., and Dr. Cecilia Vigil, there are currently five owl nests on campus: three hammock-style nests for Great Horned Owls installed in December 2024 by Facilities Ground Keeping Supervisors Ryan Daugherty and David Murray, with two additional boxes for Barn Owls installed in March 2026. The instructors said these efforts help maintain ecological balance by controlling small mammal populations while providing research opportunities for students.
The college highlights its ongoing commitment to sustainability as the first Nevada institution to earn Bee Campus USA designation in 2022—a recognition reflecting its efforts to reduce chemical use, support native pollinators, and enhance habitats. This aligns with broader institutional goals; Truckee Meadows Community College contributes more than $678 million annually to the regional economy while preparing students for local industries—95 percent of graduates remain in Nevada—and serves nearly 20,000 students each year across four educational sites according to the official website.
The owl box initiative is structured as a Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) funded through faculty grants as well as an undergraduate research opportunity supported by an NIH INBRE grant. Students set up camera traps to monitor activity, analyze data collected from nests each semester, gain research skills such as field observation techniques using specialized technology, carpentry involved with box construction, annual maintenance routines between September–November—all while presenting their findings throughout their coursework.
Lahti and Vigil said: “Most students pursue biology because of their passion for hands-on applied learning. At TMCC we strive to provide meaningful experiences that allow students to actively do biology—not just study it—while still undergraduates.”
By combining environmental action with education through biology courses like Organismal Biology Lab or Great Basin Natural History—and integrating facilities staff into conservation—the program aims not only at wildlife protection but also at developing professional skills among participants.
