By Bertha Gutierrez, Las Vegas
One of the ways I found home in Southern Nevada was through connecting with the land, visiting one by one the protected areas surrounding Las Vegas.
From Red Rock Canyon to Mount Charleston to Lake Mead to the Desert National Wildlife Refuge, I found home here. Especially during this past year of quarantine, spending time in nature has been such an important part of my life. The outdoors became the safest physical and mental escape that helped me find solace, and I’m not the only one who feels this way — Nevadans appreciate our public lands.
That’s why I’m encouraging everyone to join me in supporting new legislation from Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto and Rep. Dina Titus: the Southern Nevada Economic Development and Conservation Act. This bill would protect nearly 2 million acres of public lands in our region, making it the largest conservation legislation in Nevada’s history. It also provides much-needed economic diversification, affordable housing solutions, and a new source of funding for sustainability and climate initiatives.
This proposal is a win-win for our state and I applaud Cortez Masto and Titus for their work in helping our region step into the future and protecting the lands we all love and care about.
