National Wilderness Week Puts Spotlight on Gold Butte
Monday, September 27, 2010
LAS VEGAS, Nev. - Nevadans who care about the future of wild places like Gold Butte are in the nation's capital today for workshops and to urge Congress for bipartisan action. Carrie Sansdstadt, Reno, works as a senior associate with the Campaign for America's Wilderness. She is one of the Nevadans in Washington, D.C., for National Wilderness Week, trying to raise awareness about the need to protect wild places.
Sansdstadt says she hopes Congress will look to Gold Butte when they consider which public lands they will protect by designating them as wilderness.
"The time is now for Gold Butte. It has spectacular biological, cultural and historical treasures, but Gold Butte is being loved to death - right now, it's not being managed for the amount of activity that's going on out there."
In declaring September as National Wilderness Month, President Obama has called on all Americans to help ensure that future generations can experience the tranquility and grandeur of America's natural places.
Some off-road-vehicle enthusiasts have expressed concerns that wilderness designation might mean they would lose access to Gold Butte, but Sandstedt says that is not the case.
"Only the wildest areas – those without roads – will be designated, so no roads will be closed. Right now, 500 miles of roads are open out there in Gold Butte. What needs to happen is better management for motorized and non-motorized recreation."
2010 has proven to be a difficult year to get agreement in Congress on many issues, but Sanstedt says there is widespread support for protecting places like Gold Butte.
"Wilderness is an incredibly bipartisan issue; bills have been sponsored from Republicans and Democrats alike. So we're hoping that Congress will work together and protect these areas before they adjourn this year."
More information is available at www.friendsofgoldbutte.org.
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