[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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