Strategic Conservation: Striking A Balance In Nevada

Nevada is known for its expansive landscapes and breathtaking vistas of the range and Great Basin.

It is also known for its rapid pace of growth and development.

The Conservation Fund was invited by the Nevada Land Conservancy to help think strategically about western Nevada, the Sierra Front range and areas along border states of California and Oregon—a vast expanse covering 30 million acres. The Fund will produce a series of planning tools to help the Nevada Land Conservancy balance its day-to-day efforts to protect land with the long-term landscape scale vision for the region's future.

Our Approach To Conservation In Nevada

Nevada is unique among states because the federal government owns more than 86 percent of land here, the highest percentage of federal ownership in the country. Our approach to conservation takes into account that such a significant amount of federal land makes strategic conservation planning for the remaining land especially important. It is essential that we work with federal partners to consolidate their land holdings in a way that benefits the public and environment. The Fund has an unparalleled track record of successfully partnering with federal, state and other agencies on land-use projects. Opportunities to improve the coordination with federal, state and other national nonprofit organizations are expected throughout the planning process.

The Relationship Between Large Landscape Conservation And Wildlife In Nevada

Western Nevada is home to the sage grouse—for decades a species that conservationists, ranchers, developers and government officials have been discussing classifying as endangered. The Fund’s planning effort will help the Nevada Land Conservancy understand how the sage grouse and other species, such as the mule deer and pronghorn antelope, fit into the mosaic of landscape scale conservation and the checkerboard of federal and private ownership. We'll be producing a resource inventory map series to help decision makers evaluate potential projects and proactively pursue conservation opportunities.

Photos: Nevada Landscape / courtesy Mark Vollmer, Nevada Land Conservacy (top); Pronghorn antelope / Tatiana Gettelman, Flickr (bottom).