|
Land Administered by Tribes
Nevada includes 18 federally recognized Indian Tribes located throughout the state (see Table 1-6). Prior to statehood, the Washoe, Paiute and Shoshone peoples occupied Nevada. Today, a relatively small amount of Nevada is reserved for the 18 tribes and their members. The amount of tribal acreage in Nevada is estimated at 1,161,865 acres.
This amount is equivalent to 1.6 percent of the state's land area (Table 1-5) (Nevada Indian Commission, 2001a). The borders of many reservations overlap state or county borders, adding unique complexities to land administration efforts. (Map of Tribal Lands)
Tribal lands are diverse and have been reduced from their original base located throughout Nevada.Tribal lands include: colonies, reservations, allotments, ranches, tribal fee land, federal land, government owned land, and trust lease lands. Tribal sovereignty encompasses lands within the exterior bounds of Tribal land held in trust by the federal government for Tribes and members. Tribal lands, colonies, and reservations are held in trust for the beneficial use of tribal members.
Native American culture, with respect to land use management and protection, often differs from the general populace. Indian people view their relationship to the land as one of stewardship. Their strong sense of protection over the land and its resources is inherent in the people and culture. Each generation is taught that their responsibility as a people is to guard over and protect "Mother Earth". Reservation community life is tied directly to the land tribal members occupy (Nevada Indian Commission, 2001b).
Mainly the tribes with a large land base engage in land use management plan development (i.e., the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, Walker River Paiute Tribe, Duck Valley Shoshone Tribe, and the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California). Many tribal master plans address natural resources and land use planning for residential and economic development on reservations. Historically, tribal and state agencies have had little interaction on resource plans. The primary reason is that tribal governments are sovereign and manage their own affairs. Tribal interactions on land use planning and resource management mostly involve the federal agencies having federal trust responsibilities (i.e., the Bureau of Indian Affairs, BLM, and USFS). In recent years awareness has grown that local, state, and federal land use and resource management decisions can impact tribal communities and tribal decisions can affect nearby communities.
 Additional Resources -- Tribal Governments in Nevada
Land Administered by Local Governments
Local governments play a major role in the conservation and development of natural resources on privately owned land and county and municipal controlled land. About 8.4 million acres of land in the state (12 percent) is owned privately or by local governments (Table 1-3). Local governments have the authority to establish master plans and regulate private land use activities through zoning. Master plans and zoning are land management tools that can be used to plan for the sustainable development of land, water, and other natural resources as communities develop. All of Nevada's 17 counties except Esmeralda, and all 18 incorporated cities, have adopted master plans that provide general guidance to land development and use activities.
Only the counties of Clark and Washoe are required by state law to prepare a master plan element that specifically addresses conservation of natural resources. In addition, Clark and Washoe counties each have created a state-mandated regional planning authority that considers the effects of growth and land development on environmental quality, water and energy use, outdoor recreation, wildlife habitat, and public land access. Other counties have the option of preparing resource conservation elements that establish environmental standards for land development and resource use. Several counties have prepared and adopted conservation plans for water conservation, open space preservation, stream corridor protection, as well as threatened, endangered and sensitive species conservation.
Counties also may directly participate in and influence land and resource planning and development on federal public land. Elko, Eureka, Lander, Lincoln, Lyon, Mineral, and White Pine counties have established Public Land Use Advisory Commissions for the purpose of participating in and influencing land and resource management plans and activities of federal agencies. Some counties have adopted a public land element as part of their master plan. Typically, public land policy plans articulate resource conservation and development policies supported by local citizens and county officials. (See related resources - State of Nevada Public Land Policy Update)
Federal agencies preparing or updating resource management plans are required to be consistent with local government adopted policies. All of Nevada's counties have adopted Public Land Policy Plans or public land elements to the county master plan. Clark, White Pine, Humboldt, Lander, Esmeralda and Lincoln counties have updated their plans within the last five years.
Special districts that are political subdivisions of the State also may have substantial influence over land and resource management at the local level. Special districts include conservation districts, irrigation districts, water conservancy districts, and weed control districts. Special districts managed by elected boards are empowered to levy fees for and implement environmental improvement projects. Districts may also conduct local resource planning and manage all or specified renewable natural resources within district boundaries in concert with private landowners.
Related Resources:
Nevada League of Cities
Nevada Association of Counties
Non-Governmental Organizations
A number of non-governmental organizations in Nevada prepare conservation plans, conduct resource inventories, construct environmental improvements, or acquire interest in conservation easements and environmentally sensitive land. Some of these organizations are The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Nevada Land Conservancy, Nevada Cattlemen's Association, Nevada Mining Association, Sierra Club, Nevada Association of Counties, Nevada League of Cities, Friends of Nevada Wilderness, and League to Save Lake Tahoe, Nevada Wilderness Project, American Land Conservancy, and the Audubon Society.
For example, TNC of Nevada recently completed "conservation blueprints" for the Great Basin and Mojave Desert ecoregions. Encompassing almost 80 percent of the Nevada land base, the resource plans identify 358 and 367 "portfolio sites," respectively. The goal is to enhance resource protection on the portfolio sites for the long-term survival of the diverse species and communities that characterize the ecoregions (The Nature Conservancy, 2000a and 2000b). TNC has also established about 7,700 acres of conservation easements on ranches in the Ruby and Carson valleys. In these cases, the landowners are compensated as an incentive to enhance conservation practices and forego new development while continuing agricultural operations. Some land trust organizations also acquire land and then convey it to another nonprofit organization or a government agency for permanent protection and stewardship.
 Next Page -- Community and Citizen Stewardship
Back to Table of Contents
|
|
