Natural Resources Plan Vision
     Nevada is a state where individuals and institutions value high standards of environmental quality, are aware of the effects of their actions on natural systems and choose to act in a manner that ensures achievement of sustainable natural resource conservation and development goals.

Introduction

What is the Natural Resources Plan?

     The Natural Resources Plan is a process for gathering the people and information needed to resolve priority natural resources issues and improve public and private stewardship of Nevada’s biological, land, water, air and recreation. The process, led by the Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), consists of three basic steps.

1. Issue Scoping. Public workshops will be held to learn about the important issues citizens and agencies feel should be addressed through the State Natural Resources Plan. Ideas for solutions will also be sought.

2. Resource Planning. Collaborative Working Groups made of citizen and agency stakeholders will help identify priority issues; set goals and objectives for solving priority issues; identify and design alternative solutions; and then evaluate and rank those solutions.

3. Plan Review and Approval. The State Planning Team will prepare draft recommendations, and ask for public comment on the plan. The plan will be revised and final recommendations will become the centerpiece for the action and monitoring plan.

Plan Goals

• Establish inter-division coordination processes for the integration of natural resource planning activities within DCNR.
  
• Establish statewide coordination processes that integrate planning and management activities involving state, federal and local agencies, non-governmental organizations and the public.
  
• Exchange information with stakeholders about the natural resources planning process and conservation issues.
  
• Create an integrated and cooperative process for measuring, characterizing, and tracking changes in the status of natural resources and ecosystems.
  
• Establish a coordinated process to identify, prioritize and address natural resource issues using sound environmental principles.

     The Department recognizes that certain challenges and realities are shaping the future of conservation. Many are related to rapid population growth and development, as well as the state’s greater connection to regional and national economic and environmental issues. Some challenges and realities are:

Challenges

• Nevada’s population has doubled since 1986.
  
• Wildland fires - 1.7 million acres burned in 1999 and 750,000 acres in 1996.
  
• Surface waters and many ground water basins are essentially fully appropriated.
  
  
• Weeds have invaded millions of acres of wildlife habitat and agricultural land.
  
• Numbers of sage grouse, once common to Great Basin shrubland, have dropped significantly.
  
• Some watersheds have not yet recovered from unintended past grazing and logging impacts.
  
  
• There is little information on impacts from encroachment of development on important farmland, open space and watershed resources.
  
• Many abandoned or closed mines and mills pose threats to fresh water supplies and wildlife.

Realities

• Competition for resources is intensifying.
  
• Private rights, societal needs, and public values are often in conflict over natural resources.
  
• Federal, state and local laws and regulations are often difficult to comprehend and to administer.
  
• Public values regarding the use and protection of natural resources continue to change.
  
  
• Citizens are demanding more opportunities to participate meaningfully in resource decisions.
  
• Education, communication and cooperative stewardship are needed to resolve problems.
  
• Private interests, public-private partnerships, and volunteers are needed to enhance ecosystem management and sustainable development.
  
• Limited budgets with many management responsibilities compel us to carefully select priorities for departmental action.

Natural Resources Plan Guiding Principles

     The State Natural Resources Planning Team has prepared draft principles that can guide us through differences, to acceptable solutions, and toward desired outcomes for Nevada’s resources.

• Provide for the sustainable development of natural resources.
  
  
• Employ an ecosystem-based approach to management plans.
  
  
• Practice adaptive management.
  
   WGA/Enlibra
  
• National standards, neighborhood solutions – assign responsibilities at the right level.
  
• Collaboration, not polarization – use collaborative processes to break down barriers.
  
• Reward results, not programs – move to a performance-based system.
  
• Science for facts, process for priorities – separate subjective choices from objective data gathering.
  
• Markets before mandates – pursue economic incentives whenever appropriate.
  
• Change a heart, change a nation – environmental understanding is crucial.
  
• Recognition of benefits and costs – make sure all decisions affecting infrastructure, development and the environment are fully informed.
  
• Solutions transcend political boundaries – use appropriate geographic boundaries for environmental problems.
   WGA/Enlibra
  
  
• Soil, water and flora in Nevada are sensitive to disturbance and slow to recover – emphasize long-term sustainability and minimal disturbance.
  
  
• Nevada’s wealth of natural communities and uncommon endemic species are valuable natural attributes.
  
  
• Place a premium on innovative solutions aimed at water conservation for all beneficial uses.
  
  

Public Workshops to Identify Natural Resource Issues
and Ideas for Solutions

     How can the natural resource agencies and citizens of Nevada improve coordination to effectively address and find solutions to priority conservation issues and related socioeconomic concerns?

     In May, June and July 2000, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources will host public workshops around the state. We will be asking for your views about issues important to you, and for your ideas to solve priority conservation problems. Natural resource issue topics for discussion could include:

How can we:

• prevent and safely control the spread of invasive species?
• advance watershed management planning to enhance water supply, water quality and stream corridors?
• restore and sustain shrubland, grassland and interconnected aquatic ecosystems for multiple uses?
• preserve and enhance forest, woodland and interconnected aquatic ecosystems for multiple uses?
• increase the use of and improve effectiveness of proactive conservation planning efforts to conserve and protect biodiversity?
• meet and anticipate the increasing and diversifying demand for outdoor recreation while managing for multiple uses and protecting natural resources?
• accommodate population growth and associated development while preserving open space, agricultural land and other natural resources?
• improve air quality and protect public health in non-attainment areas and prevent deterioration in attainment areas?
• accommodate mining and related activities while minimizing associated long term, cumulative impacts on environmental quality and natural resources?
• prevent, contain and remediate land and water resources contaminated by hazardous, toxic and radioactive substances;
• enhance coordination with the military to minimize impacts from military activities on natural resources and the quality of life?
• improve information exchange by use of geographic information systems and the Internet so that agencies and citizens have access to information needed for resource use and management decisions?

     Please plan on attending one of the workshops. Tentative dates and locations are listed below. The workshops are opportunities for you to tell us about your concerns about the condition, use, and management of natural resources and related socioeconomic concerns, and your ideas for solutions. Workshops will be scheduled during evening hours.

     More information on the Natural Resources Plan Workshop Schedule will be released about two weeks before public workshop dates. For more information you can call Ed Skudlarek, Natural Resources Planner, at 775/687-3600 ext. 225 or contact us by mail at Nevada Division of Water Planning, 1550 E. College Parkway, Suite 142, Carson City, NV 89706.

The Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

     The Department is the lead state agency for development and implementation of the state Natural Resources Plan. The mission of the DCNR is to conserve, protect, manage and enhance the state’s natural resources in order to provide the highest quality of life for Nevada’s citizens and visitors. The Department is a multi-disciplinary organization with eight divisions and two special programs.

Division of Conservation Districts (NDCD)
Division of Environmental Protection (NDEP)
Division of Forestry (NDF)
Division of State Lands (NDSL)
Division of State Parks (NDSP)
Division of Water Planning (NDWP)
Division of Water Resources (NDWR)
Division of Wildlife (NDOW)
Natural Heritage Program (NNHP)
Commission for the Preservation of Wild Horses (CPWH)

The State Natural Resources Planning Team

     The State Planning Team consists of the Steering Committee and Technical Working Group. Steering Committee members are the DCNR director, assistant director and administrators of the divisions and special programs. Technical Working Group members and their divisions are:

Denise Adkins NDCD
David Cowperthwaite NDEP
Mike Del Grosso NDSL
Doug Driesner NDOM
Mark Farman NDSL
Rich Harvey NDF
Anita Cook NDOW
Jason King NDWR
Don Henderson NDOA Chuck Moses NDOA
Jennifer Newmark NNHP
Verne Rosse NDEP
Ed Skudlarek
John B. Walker NDEP
Steve Weaver NDSP

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