The Spring Mountains ECHO

The Sky Island

Spring Mountains National Recreation Area Staff

The Spring Mountains rise to almost 12,000 feet elevation from the desert floor of southern Nevada. This Sky Island ecosystem is surrounded by the Mojave Desert, but is strongly influenced by the Great Basin and the Grand Canyon regions. The mountain range has been isolated from similar mountain ranges for the last 10,000 years. All these elements have helped create a refuge within the Spring Mountains for 58 sensitive species, including 24 endemic species (14 plants, 7 butterflies, 1 mammal, and 2 spring snails).

The Spring Mountains National Recreation Area is a 45 minute drive from downtown Las Vegas, the nation's fastest growing metropolitan area. This area provides an escape from the valley temperatures of over 100 degrees, with high elevation campgrounds and trails, and major recreation opportunities. Kyle and Lee Canyons receive an estimated 2.5 million visitors per year.

Clokeys eggvetch (Astragalus oophorus var clokevanus), one of the endemic plant species, is only known from 5 locations in the Spring Mountains, with a total population estimate of 3,000 individuals. The largest population occurs in Lee Canyon, adjacent to the only ski area within 200 miles. The highly popular Bristlecone Trail bisects this population. Trail counts during the summer estimate that approximately 1,000 visitors use this trail per week.

Because of the extremely small population and the high amount of visitation that occurs within the population, The Nature Conservancy was extremely concerned about the continued existence of this species and in 1993, recommended the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service list it as endangered.

Shortly after their recommendation, the Las Vegas Ranger District of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest was designated as the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area (SMNRA) by the U.S. Congress. The creation of the SMNRA was a grass roots effort by many long-term southern Nevada residents. The language of the legislation, developed by the local community, encouraged the Forest Service to protect the rare and unique environments within the Spring Mountains, including the endemic species. It also directed the Forest Service to produce a new management plan for the Spring Mountains by October, 1996.

Given the legislation, and the concern about many of our rare species, we began the planning process by talking with our partners. The Forest Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and The Nature Conservancy combined efforts and funding to gather additional information on the Spring Mountains ecosystem, rare species, and human uses. Other partners included the Nevada Division of Wildlife, Stanford University, and University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Location and population information on eight rare plant species, eight butterflies, eight bat species, two spring snails, and one mammal was gathered over the next three years. During the planning process, The Nature Conservancy produced a map and a model to predict the occurrence of the vegetative communities. This model will be expanded to attempt to predict rare species occurrence and heritage resource occurrence. The Nature Conservancy also developed monitoring protocols for the two rare plant species of highest concern, Clokeys eggvetch and rough angelica. Both species occur in the areas with the highest recreation impact. The Nature Conservancy and the Smithsonian combined efforts to examine the health of the riparian systems within the Spring Mountains.

The planning process for the new Spring Mountains management plan was completed and a new plan adopted on October 1, 1996. This plan incorporated all the rare species information gathered. It also incorporates many of the public desires, including maintenance of existing uses and creation of new uses.

This new management plan also lays the foundation for a Conservation Agreement between the Forest Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to protect the 24 endemic species plus an additional 35 sensitive species that occur within the Spring Mountains. Clokeys eggvetch will remain a candidate species, and not be considered for listing as threatened or endangered at this time. This Conservation Agreement will be signed this spring.

The partnerships are also continuing. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is contributing funds towards the restoration of ecologically sensitive areas, including those unhealthy riparian systems identified by The Nature Conservancy and the Smithsonian. The Nature Conservancy and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are also funding the development of eight interpretive signs that describe the uniqueness and sensitivity of the Spring Mountains. And other partners are being sought!