Letter: Gold Butte needs more protection

Wednesday, May 11, 2005 | 9:05 a.m.

I am writing in response to Kenny Freeman's letter of April 24 regarding the Gold Butte area. As a frequent visitor to the Gold Butte region near Mesquite, I have personally seen a great deal of damage being done to the Native American sites, the spread of noxious weeds, trash and new roads created illegally by off-road vehicles.

Archaeology site stewards I know who monitor the area are appalled at the amount of vandalism from bullets, paint, defacement and fire smoke to these precious sites. While both the Bureau of Land Management and the National Park Service manage sections of the Gold Butte area, they lack appropriate funding and staffing to adequately protect the area from vandals.

Unfortunately, these lawbreakers don't respect the wilderness boundaries of the Lime Canyon and Jumbo Spring Wilderness areas either. Irresponsible off-roaders violate the law and drive into these protected areas, even though there are still hundreds of miles of vehicle routes nearby. Wilderness protection is still pending in the Million Hills and Virgin Mountain wilderness study areas. I hope they receive protection soon or nothing will be left.

Gold Butte is a beautiful area and most of the people who visit are responsible and treat it with care and respect. Unfortunately, it only takes a few irresponsible people to ruin it for all. I hope our congressional leaders realize that they need to increase funding and expand protective designations to this area before it is too late.

SUSAN POTTS

Editor's note: The writer is the Southern Nevada Conservation Director of the nonprofit group Friends of Nevada Wilderness.