[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 143 (Friday, September 23, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5936-S5937]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
NATIONAL PUBLIC LANDS DAY
Mr. REID. Mr. President, I rise today in recognition of the 18th
annual National Public Lands Day, which will be celebrated on Saturday,
September 24. I am pleased to acknowledge the efforts of volunteers
across our Nation who will come together to improve and restore one of
America's most valuable treasures, our public lands.
National Public Lands Day started in 1994 with 700 volunteers working
in just a few locations. This year over 180,000 volunteers will come
together to work at more than 2,000 locations across all 50 States.
These people come from all walks of life, holding a shared interest in
protecting our public lands for the enjoyment of future generations.
National Public Lands Day provides an annual opportunity for the
American public to devote a day to conservation and to give back to the
public lands that give so much to us.
Our Nation has a proud tradition of conservation. When Yellowstone
National Park was established in 1872, it was the world's first
national park. The idea of a national park was an American invention of
historic proportions that led the way for global conservation efforts.
President Teddy Roosevelt, one of our earliest and most energetic
conservationists, dedicated 194 million acres of national parks and
national preserves over the course of his Presidency. As we look ahead
to enhance our Nation's conservation agenda, Secretary of the Interior
Ken Salazar has enlisted Congress to identify the ``crown jewels'' of
public lands that will be part of our legacy for future generations.
Public lands make up more than one-third of our country, and are
places of continuous discovery, where we go to find ourselves, to
uncover our history,
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and to explore for resources that help improve our quality of life. Our
public lands provide wide open spaces, deep forests, dramatic vistas,
and opportunities for solitude that not only fulfill us individually,
but form a fundamental part of the American character. Our public lands
are part of who we are and the diversity of their uses, like the
diversity of their landscapes, reflects our identity. In many areas,
they provide timber, ore, and forage that are the economic bedrock of
rural America. In other areas, Congress has designated them as
wilderness, places ``untrammeled by man, where man is a visitor who
does not remain.''
Nevada boasts some of the most rugged and diverse landscapes in the
United States. From the vast Black Rock Desert of northwestern Nevada,
to the alpine peaks of Mount Rose overlooking the shores of Lake Tahoe,
to the imposing buttes and sagebrush plains of the Sheldon National
Wildlife Refuge, and the Mojave Desert floor covered in Joshua trees
and yucca plants. Over the past quarter century, home grown
conservation advocates have worked to protect and preserve 68
wilderness areas consisting of 3.4 million acres, an area approximately
the size of Connecticut. These advocates continue to work towards
protection of the most special places in the Silver State. Currently,
there are strong grassroots efforts underway to protect the high alpine
lakes and thick aspen groves of the Pine Forest Range in Humboldt
County as well as the rich archeological resources and spectacular red
rock formations in the Gold Butte area just a short drive from Las
Vegas.
Our public lands also provide a consistently reliable source of
natural resources that fuel our national economy. In northern Nevada,
mining is a way of life. Although Nevada was well known for silver
during the 19th century, miners working in the Silver State now produce
almost 80 percent of the gold in the United States, much of which comes
from public lands. Nevada also has a rich history of ranching for both
sheep and cattle and grazing on federal lands helps feed this family
tradition. Throughout the state the burgeoning renewable energy
industry on public lands has provided a variety of new job-creating
economic opportunities. Harnessing the solar, wind, and geothermal
resources in Nevada and throughout the country will bolster our
country's economic and energy security for decades and centuries to
come.
I recognize and thank the thousands of Federal employees who manage
these lands year-round. The Bureau of Land Management, Forest Service,
Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, and other federal
land management agencies ensure that public lands in Nevada and across
the Nation meet the changing needs of our communities. They provide a
vital, though rarely reported, service to our Nation.
I would also like to acknowledge and thank the many Nevadans that
will spend September 24 improving our public lands undertaking 19
projects across the State from the Big Rocks Wilderness Area in
Caliente to Daggett Summit Trail in Stateline. In northern Nevada,
volunteers will be working to improve our public lands at the Mill
Creek Campground. These people will spend their day installing new fire
rings, barbeques and lantern hooks as well as cleaning the debris from
the stream and placing rocks in parking and camping areas.
The focus of National Public Lands Day this year is highlighting the
opportunities public lands offer young people through the Youth in the
Great Outdoors Initiative, launched by the U.S. Department of the
Interior. This initiative will engage youth from all backgrounds in
exploring, connecting with and preserving America's natural and
cultural heritage. National Public Lands Day is also relaying the
health benefits of outdoor recreation by encouraging families to
develop more active lifestyles on our public lands.
The preservation of our public lands is a priority for me. Our public
lands are part of what makes the United States a great Nation. I voice
my gratitude to all who will participate in National Public Lands Day
this year.
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