Public awareness campaign wants to preserve 350,000 acres of public land for fourth Nevada national monument

As published in 8NewsNow.com on July 7, 2020

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Honor Avi Kwa Ame is a public awareness campaign recently launched supporting an effort to have 350,000 acres of public land in Southern Nevada designated a national monument.

The proposed Avi Kwa Ame National Monument would be Nevada’s fourth national monument.

“A national monument designation means protecting this area from new mining claims, energy
development, utility lines, and road construction while preserving it for future generations to enjoy,”
said Alan O’Neill, an advisor to the National Parks Conservation Association and former superintendent of the Lake Mead National Recreation Area.

After repeated threats of development to the area, a coalition of Native American tribes, conservation organizations, and recreation interests started working to gain protection for the land.

The area is rich in culture, serves as a habitat for wildlife, and is a mecca for outdoor recreation.

The proposed Avi Kwa Ame National Monument in Southern Nevada contains some of the most visually stunning, biologically diverse, and culturally significant lands in the entire Mojave Desert.

Avi Kwa Ame, the Mojave name for Spirit Mountain, a 5,600 ft. peak near Laughlin and the
the surrounding area is part of the proposed monument.

The mountain is located on the eastern boundary of the Monument. It is designated a Traditional Cultural Property on the National Register of Historic Places in recognition of its religious and cultural importance.

Energy developers attempted to build a large, 30,000-acre wind farm in the center of this landscape and new proposals are expected.

The mountain, located on the eastern boundary of the proposed monument, and the surrounding landscape are sacred to eleven Native American tribes.

“This area is rich in both history and beauty. A national monument designation would be a big win for Nevada,” added O’Neill.

In January, Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto referenced Avi Kwa Ame National Monument in her draft Clark County lands bill, a 64-page bill that would alter development and conservation boundaries in Southern Nevada.

For more information, visit the Avi Kwa Ame website at www.honorspiritmountain.org.