Friends of Nevada Wilderness Celebrates 40 Years of "Protecting the Lands You Love"
While national conservation groups began working on wilderness preservation with the passage of the Wilderness Act in 1964, it was 20 years later in 1984 that a group of wilderness-loving Nevadans officially formed Friends of Nevada Wilderness to forge focused efforts in our great state. The group’s founders were determined to ensure Nevadans had a strong voice in how their wild public lands would be protected and managed for generations to come.
“As we celebrate an amazing 40 years, we're renewing our commitment to spending the next 40 preserving wild lands and starry skies for future generations,” said Shaaron Netherton, Executive Director for Friends of Nevada Wilderness. “It’s a community effort, and everyone's invited.”
Some of those early founding members, including wilderness heroes like Marge Sill, Roger Scholl, Karen Boeger, John and Hermi Hiatt, and Larry Dwyer, would go on to steer the organization for decades, recalls Jim Stanger, Community & Development Manager for Friends of Nevada Wilderness. “They created a movement that eventually led to the organization as it is today.”
This year, Friends of Nevada Wilderness commemorates 40 years of serving its mission: to protect all present and potential wilderness from ongoing threats, educate the public about the values of and need for wilderness, and improve the management and restoration of wild lands.
Throughout their 40 years, they have protected over 3.6 million acres of public lands, including popular icons like Mount Rose, Mount Charleston, and Ruby Mountain Wilderness Areas. Securing their designation as wilderness areas forever protects lands from any use other than the peaceful solitude of dispersed recreation and the conservation of critical water resources, wildlife habitat, and uniquely dark skies.
In 2007, Friends of Nevada Wilderness established a fund at the Community Foundation of Northern Nevada to ensure there would be a permanent charitable resource available to serve the programs and advocacy that had been fostered since its founding. The Friends of Nevada Wilderness Endowment is a charitable resource dedicated to realizing the vision set forth 40 years ago.
Notable Friends of Nevada Wilderness activities and historical achievements include:
- Working with a spectrum of stakeholders including local tribes, the business community, hunters, ranchers, and Nevada’s Congressional delegation, Friends of Nevada Wilderness has been the vanguard of the designation of 73 Wilderness Areas
- Stewardship programs have engaged thousands of volunteers of all ages who trek into some of the most remote and scenic wild areas of the state to complete a variety of projects to restore and protect Nevada wildlands, including trail repair, restoring habitats, and removing weeds and graffiti
- Annual Alternative Spring and Summer Breaks give college-aged participants opportunities to get away from crowded campuses to learn about Nevada’s landscapes and contribute to local restoration projects
- Much-loved events include Black Rock Rendezvous over Memorial Day Weekend and the Dark Sky Festival in August held near the Massacre Rim Dark Sky Sanctuary
Perhaps the most valuable thing Friends of Nevada Wilderness does is simply encourage people to get out and explore "Wild Nevada." Whether climbing up a peak or down a desert canyon, they hope that people will see for themselves why the wild places of Nevada deserve to be protected.
Join Friends of Nevada Wilderness in celebrating their 40th year anniversary and help keep Nevada wild and beautiful forever by making a gift to the Friends of Nevada Wilderness Endowment Fund.