Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 16–Senators Rhoads, Amodei, Care, Carlton, Cegavske, Coffin, Hardy, Mathews, McGinness, Neal, Nolan, O’Connell, Raggio, Rawson, Schneider, Shaffer, Tiffany, Titus, Townsend, Washington and Wiener

 

March 11, 2003

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Joint Sponsors: Assemblymen Sherer, Anderson, Andonov, Angle, Arberry, Atkinson, Beers, Brown, Buckley, Carpenter, Chowning, Christensen, Claborn, Collins, Conklin, Geddes, Gibbons, Giunchigliani, Goicoechea, Goldwater, Grady, Griffin, Gustavson, Hardy, Hettrick, Horne, Knecht, Koivisto, Leslie, Mabey, Manendo, Marvel, McClain, McCleary, Mortenson, Oceguera, Ohrenschall, Parks, Perkins, Pierce, Weber and Williams

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Read and Adopted

 

SUMMARY—Commends Eastern Nevada Landscape Coalition for its endeavors toward restoration of ecosystems of Great Basin. (BDR R‑937)

 

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EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.

 

Senate Concurrent RESOLUTION—Commending the Eastern Nevada Landscape Coalition for its endeavors toward the restoration of the ecosystems of the Great Basin.

 

1-1  Whereas, Within the space of about 1 week in August 1999,

1-2  lightning storms ignited hundreds of fires that devastated almost 1.7

1-3  million acres of rangeland and forest in the Great Basin; and

1-4  Whereas, Even before the fires were controlled, a team of

1-5  specialists met to discuss the consequences of the fires on the Great

1-6  Basin, and the conclusion was reached that the native plant

1-7  communities must be restored in order to prevent an invasion of

1-8  nonnative plants that are extremely flammable and would thus

1-9  ensure a repetition of the destruction from fire; and

2-1  Whereas, The meeting of these specialists launched the Great

2-2  Basin Restoration Initiative and the Eastern Nevada Landscape

2-3  Restoration Project, which encompasses approximately 10 million

2-4  acres and incorporates the following objectives:

2-5  1.  To maintain functioning native plant communities;

2-6  2.  To improve and restore degraded plant communities;

2-7  3.  To maintain or improve soil productivity;

2-8  4.  To maintain and restore water quality and plant communities

2-9  in riparian areas; and

2-10      5.  To protect and improve sensitive wildlife habitats; and

2-11      Whereas, In March 2001, approximately 100 persons,

2-12  representing universities, state and federal agencies, and a broad

2-13  cross section of other organizations, assembled in Reno, Nevada,

2-14  and out of that meeting, the idea of the Eastern Nevada Landscape

2-15  Coalition was born; and

2-16      Whereas, The Eastern Nevada Landscape Coalition is a

2-17  private, nonprofit organization that consists of private organizations,

2-18  governmental entities and community groups all working toward the

2-19  common goal of implementing the Eastern Nevada Landscape

2-20  Restoration Project; and

2-21      Whereas, The overall mission of the Eastern Nevada

2-22  Landscape Coalition is to restore the dynamic and diverse

2-23  landscapes of the Great Basin for present and future generations

2-24  through such collaborative efforts; and

2-25      Whereas, The accomplishments of the Eastern Nevada

2-26  Landscape Coalition benefit wildlife, various species of native

2-27  plants and watersheds; now, therefore, be it

2-28      Resolved by the Senate of the State of Nevada, the

2-29  Assembly Concurring, That the members of the 72nd Session of

2-30  the Nevada Legislature endorse the mission and activities of the

2-31  Eastern Nevada Landscape Coalition in its endeavors to restore the

2-32  health and productivity of the land in Eastern Nevada; and be it

2-33  further

2-34      Resolved, That the Legislature commends the efforts of the

2-35  Eastern Nevada Landscape Coalition to increase knowledge and to

2-36  foster cooperation and educational efforts directed at the goal of the

2-37  restoration of the unique ecosystems of the Great Basin; and be it

2-38  further

2-39      Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate prepare and

2-40  transmit a copy of this resolution to Ms. Betsy Macfarlan, Executive

2-41  Director of the Eastern Nevada Landscape Coalition, and to Mr.

2-42  Gary Medlyn of the Ely Field Office of the Bureau of Land

2-43  Management.

 

2-44  H