1. Viva Las Wilderness
Viva Las Wilderness
A Newsletter of the Nevada Wilderness Project www.wildnevada.org
Issue Number 2. February 2004.
Our mission is to This issue:
protect Nevada’s
remaining Wilderness Director's Corner
as part of the
National Wilderness
Preservation System, Eastern Nevada Wilderness Update
and to create and
sustain an enduring TAKE ACTION for Lincoln County Wilderness!
grassroots
commitment to
Nevada Wilderness. Contact Info for Nevada's Congressional Delegation
Membership Campaign Success
March 2004 Calendar
Board of Directors:
Stefan Bergill
Kim Jardine
Kristie Connolly
Brett Riddle
Chris Todd
Morlee Griswold
Tori King
Staff: Moapa Peak in southern Lincoln County's Mormon Mountains Proposed Wilderness
Photo by Scott Smith ©
John Wallin
Director
DONATE to the Nevada Wilderness Project TODAY!
Click here
Anna Ball
Development Director
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2. Viva Las Wilderness
Development Director
Erika Pollard
Conservation Director
Kevin Mack
Washington D.C. Rep.
Contact us at:
8550 White Fir Street
Reno, NV 89523
Tel: 775.746.7850
Burrowing owl in the Reed Springs Proposed Wilderness in the Mt. Irish Range of
Web: northern Lincoln County
www.wildnevada.org Photo by Greg Jones
Director's Corner: Nevada is a Greatly Misunderstood State
With an historic economic foundation of extractive industry and vice, it's hard for
outsiders to understand the love we have for our land.
Although Nevada has the most public land of any state outside Alaska , it has less
protected Wilderness than all Western states except Utah and New Mexico . Only
2.06 % of Nevada ’s 48 million acres managed by the BLM is protected as
Wilderness. By comparison, next door in Arizona , over 12% of lands managed by the BLM are
protected Wilderness.
Fueled by growth in Las Vegas , Nevada has been the fastest growing state in the nation for the last
15 years. Our rugged and beautiful basin and range landscape is now under threat from haphazard
development like strip malls and sprawling subdivisions. Dirt bikes and other off-road vehicles are
trashing hunting habitat and destroying fragile desert plants and soils.
A Wilderness future for Nevada means that our wild heritage will be protected, so Nevadans of the
present and future can enjoy the camping, hunting, fishing, backpacking, and wild exploration
opportunities that make our state the wildest in the lower 48.
But what is Wilderness? Legal Wilderness (the National Wilderness Preservation System) is
misunderstood by friend and foe alike. In future issues of Viva Las Wilderness, I’ll be using the
Director’s Corner to break down many of the mythologies and misinformation about Wilderness, and
look at how the Wilderness Act is a great tool for citizen activists to get involved in the democratic
process.
In the meantime, please make sure you write a letter or make a phone call to protect Eastern
Nevada ’s wildlands.
John Wallin, Director
Eastern Nevada Wilderness Campaign Update
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3. Viva Las Wilderness
LINCOLN COUNTY LEGISLATION IS ON THE WAY
Work continues on legislation to address public land issues in Lincoln County . Congress tries to work
deliberately and in the case of legislation for Lincoln County , this certainly holds true.
While the Nevada Wilderness Coalition has seen a set of first draft maps that show areas that would
receive Wilderness designation, much work remains to be done. While some areas would receive
respectable protection, issues like cherrystems into the Wilderness areas and a lack of representative
low-elevation, bajada type ecosystems continue to concern us. In addition, the dearth of citizens’
proposed areas (non-WSA lands) in the legislation at this time, and the complete lack of Wilderness
protection for lands managed by the USFWS and the USFS are troubling.
At this point, the delegation is aware of our concerns and we are hopeful that they will address some
specific action items about the draft of the legislation. Specifically, we have asked for some very
focused improvements in the legislation (see “Take Action”). While addressing these action items will
help the Wilderness community come to a better understanding of this legislation, it does not
guarantee enthusiasm from us or the larger Nevada Wilderness Coalition. The Wilderness component
needs to be made stronger.
We are hopeful however, that with continued grassroots support we will see improvements in the
Wilderness component of this legislation. Time is of the essence, as the delegation is getting closer
to finalizing what they can agree to (likely by mid-March).
The question remains what that will mean to us.
TAKE ACTION: Lincoln County Wilderness Priorities
As Nevada's Congressional delegation continues to craft a Lincoln County public lands bill, we urge
you all to remind them of your support for Wilderness and the need to protect all of the Wilderness
quality lands in Eastern Nevada. In an effort to make sure that some of the most important
Wilderness proposal areas from the Nevada Wilderness Coalition's "Citizens' Wilderness Proposal for
Lincoln and White Pine Counties" are included in Lincoln County legislation, we have identified several
priorities. We need your help voicing these Wilderness priorities to the Congressional
delegation. Please take a few minutes to write a handwritten letter or make a phone call to
Senator Reid, Senator Ensign and Congressman Gibbons asking them to designate the following
priority areas as Wilderness in Lincoln County:
1. The southwestern bajada of the Mormon Mountains Wilderness Study Area
2. The Pahranagat Range portion of the Desert Hills-Pahrangat Proposed Wilderness
Scroll down for more info on each of these areas to include in a letter or phone call. Please let us
know when you do send a letter or make a phone call to the delegation by shooting an email to
erika.pollard@wildnevada.org. Your voices are critical to this process and we appreciate your
efforts to help us make this legislation a positive step forward for Wilderness protection in
Nevada! Thank you, thank you!
Click here to view a map of the Nevada Wilderness Coalition's Lincoln County
Wilderness Proposal Areas
PRIORITY #1: Mormon Mountains Southwestern Bajada
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4. Viva Las Wilderness
The southwestern bajada of the Mormon Mountains Proposed Wilderness requires Wilderness
designation because of the important habitat it provides for the threatened desert tortoise, its
high concentration of cultural resources, its proximity to the quickly growing communities of
Mesquite, NV and St. George, UT, the lack of development and mining conflicts, and the
opportunity to provide a non-motorized recreation experience in a low elevation area
accessible to visitors and local residents. In addition, the proposed Coyote Springs
development will likely lead to dramatically increased ORV pressures/impacts in this area.
Click here for a detailed fact sheet on the Mormon Mountains Southwestern Bajada
PRIORITY #2: Pahranagat Range
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5. Viva Las Wilderness
The BLM portion of the Desert Hills-Pahranagat Proposed Wilderness is a mosaic of canyons,
peaks and ridgelines home to an array of archeological resources and sensitive wildlife
habitats. Road building in the area has lead to increased pressure from ATVs and off road
vehicles that threaten the area’s Wilderness characteristics.
Click here for a detailed fact sheet on the Pahranagat Range
CONTACT INFO FOR NEVADA'S CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION
Senator Harry Reid Representative Jim Gibbons
CLICK HERE FOR EMAIL LINK
CLICK HERE FOR EMAIL LINK
Carson City
Las Vegas
600 East Williams Street, #302
Carson City, NV 89701 600 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Suite 680
Phone: 775-882-7343 Las Vegas, Nevada 89101
Fax: 775-883-1980 Phone: 702-255-1651
Fax: 702-255-1927
Las Vegas
Lloyd D. George Building Reno
333 Las Vegas Boulevard South, # 8016 400 South Virginia Street, # 502
Las Vegas, NV 89101 Reno, Nevada 89501
Phone: 702-388-5020 Phone: 775-686-5760
Fax: 702-388-5030 Fax: 775-686-5711
Reno Elko
400 So. Virginia Street, # 902 491 4th Street
Reno, NV 89501 Elko, Nevada 89801
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6. Viva Las Wilderness
,
Phone: 775-686-5750 Phone: (775) 777-7920
Fax: 775-686-5757 Fax: (775) 777-7922
Rural Nevada Mobile Office Washington D.C.
Phone: 775-772-3905 100 Cannon House Office Building
Fax: 775-201-6010 Washington D.C. 20515
Phone: 202-225-6155
Washington Fax: 202-225-5679
528 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: 202-224-3542 Representative Shelley Berkeley
Fax: 202-224-7327
CLICK HERE FOR EMAIL LINK
Las Vegas
Senator John Ensign 2340 Paseo Del Prado, Suite D-106
Las Vegas, NV 89102
CLICK HERE FOR EMAIL LINK Phone: (702) 220-9823
Fax: (702) 220-9841
Carson City Washington DC
600 East William St., # 304 439 Cannon House Office Building
Carson City, Nevada 89701 Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (775) 885-9111 Phone: (202) 225-5965
Fax: (775) 883-5590 Fax: (202) 225-3119
Las Vegas
333 Las Vegas Blvd. South, # 8203
Las Vegas, Nevada 89101 Representative Jon Porter
Phone: (702) 388-6605
Fax: (702) 388-6501 CLICK HERE FOR EMAIL LINK
Reno Henderson
400 So. Virginia St. #738 2501 N. Green Valley Pkway, #112D
Reno, Nevada 89501 Henderson, NV 89014
Phone: (775) 686-5770 Phone: 702-387-4941
Fax: (775) 686-5729 Fax: 702-434-1378
Washington Washington
364 Russell Senate Building 218 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510 Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 224-6244 Phone: 202-225-3252
Fax: (202) 228-2193 Fax: 202-225-2185
TDD: (202) 224-7638
Membership Campaign Success!
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7. Viva Las Wilderness
Last May, we kicked off our new membership campaign with a goal of finding 250
members by the Project’s 5th birthday in May 2004. Five months prior to the date we
set for ourselves, we entered the New Year meeting and exceeding our 250 member
goal!! We asked and YOU answered! As members, you are critical to our success,
and your generosity is enabling us to continue protecting Nevada’s stunning
Wilderness heritage. You have funded our efforts, participated in the democratic
process of protecting Wilderness, and helped save more than 1.2 million acres as
permanent and legal Wilderness in Nevada. We have many exciting opportunities in
2004 and we look forward to engaging you to continue to participate in protecting our
public lands. We’ll keep you posted on events, house parties and slide shows
coming your way this year, including slide shows on the East and West Coasts, as
-- Anna Ball, well as Colorado. Together, you all stepped up and enabled us to reach our
Development membership goal for the year, five months early! Can we double our goal by the
Director Project’s 5th birthday in May? 500 members by May is possible, but not without
your help. Give a gift membership to your friends and family today. Or send your
loved ones our way and enable them to also be a part of history in the making, as we
continue to protect Wilderness in an otherwise bleak environmental era!
www.wildnevada.org
If you are interested in hosting a fundraising house party for the Nevada Wilderness Project, please let
us know! It's easy, it's fun and it's a great way to raise awareness and funds for Nevada's
Wilderness.
Contact us at info@wildnevada.org or give us a call at 775.746.7850.
TO ORDER A "FABULOUS WILDERNESS" ORGANIC COTTON T-SHIRT
AND DONATE TO THE NEVADA WILDERNESS PROJECT, CLICK HERE!
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8. Viva Las Wilderness
March 2004 Calendar:
March ?
Stay tuned for a potential impromptu gathering at the Record Street Cafe near UNR in Reno to discuss the
upcoming Lincoln County Public Lands Bill introduction. Date and event dependent on the introduction of
the bill to Congress sometime during March. Keep your eyes open for an email invite!
March 30
WILDERNESS VOLUNTEER HAPPY HOUR
Please join the Nevada Wilderness Project and the Nevada Wilderness Coalition
for a happy hour/volunteer night on Tuesday, March 30, 2004 from 5:30 to 8:30p.m. at the Great Basin
Brewery in Sparks. Come hear about the latest happenings with Wilderness in Eastern Nevada, learn about
how you can help and meet new folks interested in protecting our wild places. Tuesday nights are "Tightwad
Tuesdays" at the Great Basin Brewery with $2 pints 'o beer, so come on down and join us!
Not interested in drinking beer? Come anyway for a soft drink and a good wilderness lovin' crowd.
For directions, check out the brewery website at www.greatbasinbrewingco.com .
Help Protect Wilderness while giving and drinking organic coffee!
Grounds for Change will donate 15% of all sales from
orders placed via this link to Nevada Wilderness
Project.
Grounds for Change is a family owned and operated
coffee roasting company offering certified fair trade,
organic and shade grown coffee from communities
throughout Latin America and the Pacific.
They offer great gift packages including coffee,
organic chocolate, handicrafts from around the
world, and more.
Click here or on the Grounds for Change logo to
begin.
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