September 23, 2025 – With our nation’s public lands under unprecedented threats from top federal officials, Friends of Nevada Wilderness is encouraging Nevadans to observe National Public Lands Day on September 27 in particularly meaningful ways.

First of all, Friends encourages Nevadans across the state to get outdoors and remind themselves why they appreciate our public lands. Whether it’s a city park or a remote wilderness area, the public should never take for granted the opportunity to access these special places for recreation, reflection and revitalization.

“It takes time, energy, money and commitment to create and manage the public outdoor spaces we all get to enjoy, and we appreciate the dedicated public servants on the ground who make it possible,” noted Shaaron Netherton, Executive Director of Friends of Nevada Wilderness. “But that public access is not guaranteed. As we’re seeing now, decision-makers who see our federally-managed public lands as little more than a commodity to exploit are threatening the very things we hold dear – outdoor recreation, wildlife habitat, clean air and water and ancient cultural resources.”

Secondly, Friends hopes Nevadans will reach out to their elected representatives on or near National Public Lands Day to urge them to protect and preserve public lands at all levels.

“The people who represent us must understand how valuable our public lands are to all of us,” Netherton added. “There are threats on multiple fronts, but it’s not necessary to grasp all of the details before speaking up. People who love the outdoors need to simply speak from their hearts and tell our elected officials that we expect them to preserve and protect public lands for us and future generations.”

Read more about National Public Lands Day.

Find contact information for Nevada’s Congressional delegation here.

Background:

The more serious and immediate threats looming now include:

• Rescission of the Biden Administration’s Public Lands Rule that placed conservation on equal footing with other intensive uses when federal agencies weigh land use decisions. The Rule did NOT prioritize conservation as many have claimed. The public comment period on the repeal ends Nov. 10.
• Rescission of the 2001 Roadless Rule that prohibited construction of new roads on certain US Forest Service lands. The current Administration wants to dramatically increase logging on public lands. Though Nevada is not rich with commercially viable forests, new road networks would carve up wildlife habitat, threaten clean rivers and streams and increase wildfire risk throughout the West. That public comment period has closed.
• Use of the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to overturn BLM Resource Management Plans. The US House has voted to use the CRA to overturn land management plans crafted at the state and local levels with community input. While the vote pertains to only three plans, it sets a very dangerous precedent to put Congress in charge of making BLM land management decisions. The Senate has not yet voted on the bill.
• Drastic budget cuts for all federal land management agencies including the Bureau of Land Management, the US Forest Service, the National Park Service and the US Fish & Wildlife Service. These agencies have been underfunded for years and further deep cuts will seriously imperil staff’s ability to maintain these lands for public enjoyment and natural resource values.

If the Roadless Rule is rescinded, special wild places like the Toiyabe Crest could potentially be scarred by new roads