Nevada receives $375 million for conservation, park improvements

Nevada is set to receive a major investment in public lands. The Department of Interior recently announced $375 million in funding for projects ranging from wildfire prevention to new recreational facilities. This investment will support a total of 36 different projects across Nevada and stretching as far as the California side of the Lake Tahoe Basin.

The funding comes through the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act (SNPLMA), which generates revenue through public land sales in the Las Vegas Valley. Since its creation in 1998, the program has generated over $4.5 billion for public lands enhancement projects.

At a time when climate change and urban development are putting increasing pressure on public lands, this investment represents a significant boost for conservation efforts in the American West. The funding will support critical infrastructure improvements while also advancing a White House initiative that looks to conserve nearly a third of U.S. land by the end of the decade.

“This program supports jobs and local economies, improves recreation in rural and underserved areas, and aligns with our commitment to conserve at least 30% of U.S. lands and waters by 2030,” said Laura Daniel-Davis, acting deputy secretary of the Interior Department, in a press release.

The largest share of funding will go toward parks, trails and natural areas, with 14 projects receiving $235.2 million. Capital improvements account for another $32.3 million across five projects, while six wildfire prevention and hazardous fuels reduction projects will receive $25.7 million.

For parks projects, Clark County was awarded $43,618,352 for enhancements within Mountain’s Edge Regional Park. The project will develop about 55 acres of the park, adding a soccer complex, pickleball complex and community botanical garden, as well as realignment of the existing walking loop trail to enhance connectivity to these new amenities.

Clark County was also awarded $19,311,943 for a project to enhance Wetlands Park. The proposed project will improve roughly 8.5 acres within the 2,900-acre park and will consist of the Dragonfly Wetlands Interpretive Area, Duck Creek Event Area, Nature Art Garden and a pathway connecting the Wetlands Nature Center to the proposed interpretive area.

Additionally, the proposed project includes pedestrian bridges, a designated area for bird and pond viewing, interpretive and wayfinding signs, as well as parking facilities equipped with automatic gates and enhanced security features.

Conservation initiatives will receive $23 million, supporting five different projects. The package also includes $4.8 million for landscape restoration in eastern Nevada and $4.1 million for multi-species habitat conservation plans. A single environmentally sensitive land acquisition project will receive $335,045.

The funding will benefit a broad coalition of federal, local and educational entities. Recipients include federal agencies like the Bureau of Reclamation, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Forest Service. Local beneficiaries include Churchill, Clark and Lincoln counties, along with the cities of Henderson, Las Vegas, and North Las Vegas. The Southern Nevada Water Authority and University of Nevada, Reno will also receive funding.

Beyond the direct project funding of $325.6 million, the package also includes a $50 million reserve account for future use. The program continues its support of Nevada education, with 5% of SNPLMA revenue going to the state’s General Education Fund. Another 10% is earmarked for the Southern Nevada Water Authority.

The SNPLMA program, managed by the Bureau of Land Management, has been particularly impactful in the Lake Tahoe Basin, Spring Mountains and Carson Range, where it has supported development of parks, trails, and conservation areas while funding efforts to reduce wildfire risk through hazardous fuels reduction.

Photo courtesy keith schurr from Las Vegas, Nv.