The LEIS is Out...So, What Now?
Now that the Air Force has released its LEIS (Legislative Environmental Impact Study) for their proposed land withdrawal from the Desert Refuge, there are a lot of unanswered questions. For those among us that had the time to thumb through the over 2,000-page proposal, one thing was made clear: The military is looking to gut the Desert National Wildlife Refuge of an additional 300,000 acres and destroy proposed Wilderness, unique habitat, and wildlife along the way. Why? We will try to explain.
How to Become a Public Land Advocate
December 28, 2017 marks the one-year anniversary for the designation of Gold Butte National Monument. This was a monumental occasion for all of Gold Butte’s supporters who worked tirelessly for 15 years for protections provided by the Antiquities Act. A local in Mesquite by the name of Nancy Hall was the first person who successfully organized an effort to get Gold Butte protected. From humble beginnings in 2003 to celebrating a year of being a National Monument, while also fighting executive proclamation to reduce the size of its borders, Gold Butte’s plight has always rested solely on the shoulders of advocates.
Celebrate the Nevada Wilderness Protection Act of 1989!
When Congress signed the Nevada Wilderness Protection Act of 1989, 13 new Wilderness areas totaling 733,400 acres were added to the National Wilderness Preservation System, including some of the most well-known wild places in the Silver State. Without the Nevada Wilderness Protection Act of 1989, iconic areas managed by the Forest Service like Mt. Rose and Mt. Charleston would be left unprotected from development and commercial resource extraction. Today, we’re highlighting just a few of these special places that are forever protected thanks to the Nevada Wilderness Protection Act of 1989.
Where to #OptOutside in Nevada
This year, instead of taking part in the mass consumer frenzy known as Black Friday, REI and Friends of Nevada Wilderness is urging YOU to #OptOutside on Friday, November 24th. And be sure to tag #OptOutside and #nevadawilderness when sharing pictures from your outdoor adventures!
Remembering Marge Sill
Marge Sill (Dec. 2, 1923 - Oct. 23, 2016) was already a luminary in the conservation world when I met her. At events and meetings, we warmed ourselves in her presence, in her kind and measured words, in the little lessons she taught us each time we saw her.
North Loop Vandalized By Hikers
A few weeks ago, it was brought to our attention that unidentified hikers along the North Loop trail in Mt. Charleston Wilderness had marked dozens of trees with orange paint. The selfish and irresponsible acts shocked and confused many of us in the outdoor community of Southern Nevada. Who would deface so many trees along a popular trail in the Spring Mountains? What was the motive to splash orange paint and arrows on so many trees?
Finding Refuge: Summers on the Sheldon Shape Young Conservationists
For seven years, the Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge has molded a generation of conservationists. Each summer, a hardy crew spends three months living on the refuge and working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, pulling out old fence and range developments, packing the metal out for miles to dirt roads for pickup.
Not only do they leave the refuge a better place - the refuge leaves them better people. In celebration of National Wildlife Refuge Week, we're sharing their story.
Public Lands Day: Celebrate Wilderness By Giving Back
The Wilderness Act, signed on September 3, 1964, allows Congress to designate Wilderness, but it’s up to people like you to care for it. Join Friends of Nevada Wilderness on National Public Lands Day as we celebrate our public lands in America and the volunteers who care for them. Plus, our state gets the bonus of our first Nevada Public Lands Day, too! Senate Bill 413, signed by Governor Brian Sandoval on June 1, 2017, establishes the last Saturday in September of each year as “Public Lands Day” in Nevada. An official Public Lands Day serves as an annual reminder to our elected officials that Nevadans value our public lands and want to keep them public.
Over 85% of Nevada is public land – now it’s your turn to give back! Continue reading to find out how you can celebrate Public Lands Day in the Black Rock National Conservation Area, the city of Reno, or Gold Butte National Monument.
Heading Forward, Looking Back: A Timeline of Wilderness in Nevada
The Wilderness Act, signed into law on September 3, 1964, has created 70 Wilderness areas in Nevada that include ecosystems ranging from lower sagebrush steppes and the Mojave Desert to high alpine areas and Bristlecone-dotted ridgelines. And the very best part of these magnificent Wilderness areas? They belong to you! Designated Wilderness is part of your public lands system, so all Americans have the opportunity to visit these areas and soak in their natural beauty. Let’s take a look back in time to better understand the impact of this bedrock conservation law and appreciate how it has protected the places in Nevada we love, for many generations to come.
After 53 Years, Why The Wilderness Act Is More Valid Today
On September 3, 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Wilderness Act into law. The long-awaited realization of Howard Zahniser of The Wilderness Society, and so many more, finally made a lasting stamp on American ideology as the Wilderness Act permanently redefined the future of American growth and development. This important piece of legislation defined wilderness as "an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain." A concept of environmental awareness and man's responsibility to the land that gives him life, was solidified and became a platform for conservation efforts on behalf of groups like ours all those decades ago. Today, Nevada boasts 70 Wilderness Areas.
The words and sentiments that embody the Wilderness Act, although 53 years old, are just as valid today - perhaps even more so. Here's why.
