I read with interest two articles in Wednesday's issue of the Las Vegas Sun. One was about the Gold Butte wilderness bill that Congresswoman Shelley Berkley introduced and the other was about the illegal grazing of cattle on BLM land in the Gold Butte area.
Because of my concern for the environment, I joined the Nevada Wilderness Project. I've hiked in the Gold Butte area myself as well.
I have seen great beauty at Gold Butte - rock formations, plants and petroglyphs.
In addition to "vandals carrying out artifacts and leaving behind graffiti," I've also seen tracks from where off-road vehicles made new illegal roads. I've seen where people have torn down "protected" yucca plants and burned them for recreational fires. I've seen the hoof prints of the illegal cattle.
The Gold Butte area needs to be protected. Making it a combination of conservation area and wilderness area would provide the ability to balance the recreation needs, including the development of facilities, with the needed conservation measures.
Cathy Wilson
Las Vegas
