Happy Birthday to Red Rock!
On November 16, 1990, The Red Rock National Conservation Area was born. We think back on all our great memories with gratitude to those who had the vision to protect her with this highest of designations in the BLM. Today we can give back with three easy birthday gifts for Red Rock. We can Advocate, Participate, and Donate to show some love to our beautiful National Conservation Area!
red rock B-day Gift #1: Advocate
For most of Red Rock NCA’s 30th year, Save Red Rock has been working with Senator Catherine Cortez Masto’s office to include an important conservation expansion in the SNEDCA Bill. Representative Dina Titus has also introduced this bill to the House. This provision would expand the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area by 50,000 acres for much needed protection. The Southern Nevada Conservation and Economic Development Act [SNEDCA] has been heard in congress and we are waiting to see what they will do with it. You can write your support here to help give Red Rock 50,000 acres of protection!
This letter campaign has ended.
Additional Contact Information:
- Senator Cortez Masto, 702.388.5020
- Senator Rosen, 702.388.0205
- Rep. Titus, 702.220.9823
- Rep. Amodei, 755.686.5760
- Rep. Lee, 702.963.9336
- Rep. Horsford, 702.963.9360
Southern Nevada Economic Development and Conservation Act
Save Red Rock is proud to support The Southern Nevada Economic Development and Conservation Act, championed by Senator Catherine Cortez-Masto and Congresswoman Dina Titus.
The act will protect critical wildlife habitat and cultural sites within the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. The NCA expansion portion of the legislation, which Save Red Rock worked with Senator Cortez-Masto to draft, will increase the RRCNCA by 50,000 acres. This expansion will allow for more sustainable outdoor recreation, including biking, hiking, horseback riding, and climbing, while decreasing pressures on the area by dispersing recreation.
This act also recommends redesignating over 1100 acres of public land on Blue Diamond Hill. The act removes the lands from “disposal properties,” which may be purchased by private parties for development. Instead, the lands will be added to the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, expanding opportunities for recreation and conservation. Save Red Rock has been fighting for this redesignation since 2001 through public rallies and petitions.
Additional Resources:
red rock B-day Gift #2: Participate
LAST CALL TODAY FOR HIKERS, BIKERS, CLIMBERS, RESIDENTS!
The deadline for the Calico Basin RAMP is this Wednesday, December 8! If you love to rock climb, hike, ride horses in Calico Basin or if you love to mountain bike west of Summerlin, you’ll want to send in your comments to the BLM regarding the proposed plan to manage this area, which includes an entrance station in Calico and a biking ban from Calico to Summerlin.
Please send your comments to: [email protected]
letter from save red rock
Dear BLM,
Thank you for the public opportunity to comment on the Calico Basin RAMP Recreation Area Management Plan. We understand and appreciate the work needed to protect this vulnerable area that has been impacted with an unprecedented 340% growth (and that was before the Covid outdoor recreation boom!).
We agree that the most important priority should be the protection of the resource, so that we all have it to enjoy in the future.
We understand that important action needs to be taken and respectfully ask for the consideration of three things moving forward;
1-That the plan scales back the total ban on mountain biking. We would like the plan to consider a more balanced, egalitarian “basin and range” approach that recognizes the different geographical elements and respects the different user groups. The “basin” area (the rocks and residential area of Calico Basin proper) could allow hiking, climbing, equestrian, and road biking. And the “range” area (the open desert between Calico Basin and Summerlin) could allow mountain biking. It would be a travesty to close all the popular trails west of Summerlin, as they provide a necessary and unique trail experience for a necessary and unique type of trail user, the novice rider, such as families, kids, high school NICA teams and beginners, who cannot ride or access the more topographically advanced and further away riding. Furthermore, dispersed recreation in “the range” could provide pressure relief in “the basin”. This user group would greatly appreciate a segmented approach instead of a biking ban.
2-That the plan moving forward incorporates consistent, coordinated communication with a variety of user groups, such as we have done together in the past with the SRR Trails Committee. We appreciate the progress that we were able to start when working together and feel it would be critical to incorporate similar built-in open and consistent communication moving forward. The Trails Committee’s recognized, responsible user group members and partners such as the SNCC rock climbers, the SNMBA mountain bikers, the SNVBC road bikers, and the RRCAC residents can provide broad, organized representation. Since BLM informed the public that decisions in the 2021 RAMP were directly transferred to the 2005 RAMP, we feel that it would be critical to balance that 2005 data with current data from the various user groups’ modern technology and on-the-ground perspectives.
3-That we avoid any dangerous entry station back ups onto the 159 scenic byway and bike lane, while also avoiding any massive, multi-lane pavement impacts that cannot later be restored to nature, when a more global solution becomes necessary like the Lake Mead model or the Zion shuttle model. Perhaps a plan that considers new technology can take into consideration the future while taking care of the present.
Thank you for taking action on this important matter and for incorporating public feedback.
Sincerely,
Save Red Rock
[email protected]
Southern Nevada Climbers Coalition Survey
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SWTWZRH
Mountain Bike Petition
https://www.change.org/p/calico-basin-blm-legitimize-mountain-bike-trails-in-calico-basin
Public Meeting Notice
Please join the Bureau of Land Management on November 18, 2021 from 6:00pm to 8:00pm PST, for a presentation, question and answer session, and public comment session for the Calico Basin Draft Recreation Area Management Plan and Environmental Assessment. The public comment period is open from November 8 to December 8, 2021. For more information please visit the virtual public meeting companion website at https://www.virtualpublicmeeting.com/calicobasinramp-home.
You may also email your comments before December 8 to: [email protected].
red rock b-day Gift #3: Donate
Give the gift that keeps on giving. Your support is much appreciated to help keep Red Rock’s natural and recreational resources healthy, accessible, protected and thriving.
