June 1st, 2017, Governor Brian Sandoval signed Senate Bill 413 and Assembly Bill 449 establishing Nevada’s observance of Public Lands Day and authorizing the Governor to annually issue a proclamation to:

The legislation that created Nevada’s Public Lands Day was a bipartisan effort recognizing the value of public lands, and the volunteer stewardship of those lands, found all across Nevada.

America’s public lands provide many multiple uses and offer many different values to Nevadans. There are numerous economic values, including to the mining and ranching industries, and also to the outdoor recreation economy in our state, which in 2012 generated $14.9 billion in consumer spending, 148,000 direct Nevada jobs, and $1 billion in state and local tax revenue.

Public lands in Nevada include state and local parks and recreation areas, national parks, national monuments, national conservation areas, national forests, national wildlife refuges, wilderness areas and public lands managed by a variety of federal, state and local agencies.

These areas feature a diverse array of landscapes, from sculpted desert sandstone to dramatic limestone cliffs with caves and fossils, from colorful volcanic ranges to the high peaks with ancient bristlecone pine and lush oases that stand in sharp contrast to open sagebrush valleys.

Public lands often protect vital pieces of our region’s past and important cultural heritages, including the remnants of ancient civilizations that once thrived in the region and whose ancestors still protect their legacy, deserted mining settlements where riches were made and lost, all waiting to be discovered by current and future generations of Nevadans.

Many of our most noble democratic ideals are reflected in public lands because they are open and accessible to all persons, regardless of whether those persons are rich or poor.