Editorial: Tortoise rescue plan earns praise

Wednesday, Aug. 4, 1999 | 9:34 a.m.

It was 10 years ago today that Southern Nevada's desert tortoise gained emergency status on the endangered species list. Despite the community polarization initially caused by the tortoises' predicament, public officials, scientists, developers and environmentalists pulled together to formulate a workable Desert Tortoise Plan to save the reptiles.

Everyone today can be proud of that plan, which has been hailed as one of the nation's most successful conservation efforts. It shows more than anything else that individuals who represent diverse special interests can work together to solve community problems. We suggest that Southern Nevada not only look at the tortoise plan as a model for future conservation efforts but also as a lesson to help tackle other local problems.

Sun reporter Adrienne Packer reminded readers that the plan created the nation's largest tortoise preserve, a 30-square-mile chunk of desert near Jean. The money for the preserve and corresponding scientific research comes from developers who pay Clark County's building division $550 an acre for each project. Though some developers rescue tortoises, they may kill the reptiles during construction in exchange for the fee.

We are certain that many developers would rather not pay the fee if given the choice. We are also certain that many environmentalists are not happy that developers can legally kill tortoises during construction. But the plan forged a workable compromise that allowed for growth while sparing tortoises from extinction.

From a political standpoint developers clearly have the upper hand in the Las Vegas Valley. Environmentalists do not have as much clout in Southern Nevada and are not as well organized. That is why it was important for friends of the environment, such as Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., to lend support to the plan.

The best compromises are those that balance competing interests, especially in this case, where one side wielded more power than the other. We applaud the developers, led by the likes of the Southern Nevada Homebuilders Association, for making concessions. We also thank the environmentalists for keeping the tortoise at the forefront of efforts to preserve the fragile desert ecosystem.

We look forward to writing a favorable editorial 10 years from now praising the county's ongoing efforts under the Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan to preserve 240 other species of plants and animals.