Nevada Natural Resources Status Report

Wilderness

Almost 1.7 million acres of Nevada's most ruggedly scenic areas have been designated wilderness (2.2 percent of the state). Except for the a portion of the Death Valley Wilderness Area, all of the state's wilderness areas are managed by BLM or the USFS.

Designated wilderness areas are listed on Table 4-10, and their distribution is shown in Figure 4-10. Nevada's first wilderness, the Jarbidge Wilderness, was created under the Wilderness Act of 1964.

The Nevada Wilderness Protection Act of 1989 greatly expanded the state's designated wilderness, adding approximately 733,400 acres. Designated wilderness in the state was almost doubled with the passage of the Black Rock Desert - High Rock Canyon Emigrant Trails National Conservation Area (NCA) Act of 2000. The NCA Act designated almost 757,000 acres within ten new wilderness area units. BLM plans to complete a management plan for the NCA and the associated wilderness areas (the Black Rock Desert, High Rock Canyon, East Fork High Rock Canyon, High Rock Lake and Little High Rock Canyon wilderness areas).

Table 4-10
Nevada Designated Wilderness Areas
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A large number of areas are being considered for future wilderness designation. Only Congress can designate the WSA's as wilderness or release them from the special designation. Many are designated as BLM or USFS "Wilderness Study Areas" (WSA's). BLM-managed WSA's total 4.4 million acres. A total of 1,590,000 acres that comprise of pieces or all of 46 WSA's were recommended as "suitable" for wilderness designation by the BLM. The remaining 2.8 million acres were recommended as "not suitable." The USFS manages 6 WSA's totaling 189,372 acres. Federal agencies are required by law to manage WSA's in a manner that protects their wilderness qualities.

The Wilderness Act of 1964 defines wilderness as "an area of undeveloped Federal land retaining its primeval character and influence, without permanent improvements or human habitation." Other characteristics include: 1) natural in character…the imprint of man's work substantially unnoticeable; 2) outstanding opportunities for solitude or primitive and unconfined recreation; 3) at least 5,000 acres or sufficiently large to make preservation practicable; and, 4) contains other values important to society, such as ecological, geological, or other features of scientific, educational, scenic, or historical value.

Figure 4-10
Distribution of the Twenty-five Wilderness Areas in Nevada
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With few exceptions, the lands that meet wilderness criteria in Nevada are predominantly steep, rugged, high altitude, or arid landscapes, and distant from towns and cities. A very limited range of Nevada's distinctive ecosystems and landscapes are encompassed within wilderness areas. Creation of a wilderness area does not eliminate existing uses, vested rights, or valid permits. Long standing grazing, mining, fishing, hunting, certain water supply developments, and recreational uses are generally allowed. However, revised rules or permit conditions may be imposed to make sure uses are conducted in ways that are more compatible with the purposes of the wilderness area specified in the Congressional act.

The Nevada Wilderness Project and affiliated organizations, including Friends of Nevada Wilderness and the Sierra Club, are expected to propose new wilderness areas for the state after they complete their ongoing statewide inventory of potential wilderness areas. Starting in 2003, the USFS will consider these proposals when they conduct a wilderness review as part of the process to update the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest Management Plan. This wilderness review also will consider converting some or all of the state's 3.1 million acres of designated roadless areas to wilderness. National forest wilderness areas in Nevada are popular. In 1996, residents and visitors spent 331,800 visitor days at the 13 wilderness areas managed by the USFS (HTNF, 2000). Eleven of the wilderness areas are located in rural areas. However, data is not available on the economic benefits to rural communities that could be attributed to outdoor recreation tourism.

The process for designating wilderness can be contentious. In 1992, the BLM completed their studies and alternative evaluation process that led to their current recommendations regarding which WSA's are suitable for wilderness status. In 2001, the interest level in resolving the status of the WSA's grew, but a cohesive statewide planning effort remains elusive. Supporters of additional wilderness areas point out that wilderness helps protect watersheds, scenic viewsheds, rare plant and animal habitat, unique recreation experiences, and other natural resources and values. The public demand for wilderness designations and experiences generally correspond with increasing urban populations. Rapid growth in Nevada and neighboring states is a motivating factor to wilderness proponents. Opponents feel that too many limitations on land and resource use come with wilderness designations. Potential restrictions may be placed on the future development of commodity resources (e.g., minerals, energy resources, livestock) and on use of motorized or mechanical equipment.

Some residents view designation of wilderness areas as an economically, socially, and ecologically beneficial. Wilderness areas can provide new opportunities to increase local taxes and income derived from increased tourism trade, more outdoor recreation visitors. Also, future costs associated with environmental impacts of potentially damaging land uses may be avoided. On the other hand, rural economies rely on supplementing the harvest or extraction of commodity resources from private land with resources on public land.

Rural communities can experience negative impacts where wilderness area designations restrict access to economically viable mineral, energy, forage, or other commodity resources. To estimate economic tradeoffs, studies can be done that analyze the future benefits of increased recreation and tourism activity compared to resource development. However, the analysis is often complicated by disparate views in valuing environmental quality and ecological functions. Another complication arises with the quantification of assumptions used to evaluate the future costs and benefits of resource development as compared to those with tourism and recreation. Frequently the economic analysis is viewed as conjectural and controversial by one group or another, and may not contribute to objective decision-making.

Regardless, the delay in resolving the status of BLM WSA's and potential USFS wilderness areas postpones the realization of potential social and economic benefits the come with use of public land. Until Congress determines which WSA's will be designated as wilderness areas, the WSA's by law must be managed as designated wilderness. WSA's lack the broad public appeal and federal and state investment in enhanced local amenities that are given to designated wilderness areas. Perhaps soon, as citizens, government, and industry gains more experience in collaborative planning and achieving consensus on the conservation and management of natural resources, Nevadans will be better prepared to cooperatively resolve wilderness issues.

References

Bradley, P.V., J.A. Williams, J.S. Altenbach, P.E. Brown, K. Dewberry, D.B. Hall, J. Jeffers, B. Lund, J.E. Newmark, M.J. O'Farrell, M. Rahn, and C.R. Tomlinson.

Cronquist, A., A.H. Holmgren, N.H. Holmgren, and J.L. Reveal. 1972.

Gap Analysis Program. Circa 1995.

Griffen, D. 2002.

Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. 2000.

Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. 2001.

http://www.fs.fed.us/htnf/Forest-facts_at_a_glance.htm

Nevada Agricultural Statistics Service. 1999.

Nevada Agricultural Statistics Service. 2000.

http://www.nass.usda.gov/nv/rlsetoc.htm

Nevada Division of Environmental Protection. 1998.

Nevada Division of Environmental Protection. 2002.

Nevada Division of Forestry. 2000.