About The National Conservation Lands
The San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area is just one of our very precious, iconic National Conservation Lands. America’s newest collection of protected public lands and waterways stands alongside our national parks and wildlife refuges as guardians of America’s heritage and drivers of the nation’s $646 billion outdoor recreation economy. Established in 2000, the National Conservation Lands protect 31 million acres of the most ecologically rich and culturally significant lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). They are found throughout the West, Alaska and even extend to the East Coast.
Freedom, Discovery & Beauty
The National Conservation Lands include National Monuments and National Conservation Areas, Wilderness and Wilderness Study Areas, Wild and Scenic Rivers, National Scenic and Historic Trails. These nationally significant lands embody freedom, discovery and unique outdoor experiences.
From riding on rutted dirt roads or scrambling up a rocky canyon in the Kingston Range Wilderness to lounging in the shade of a willow along the Amargosa Wild and Scenic River; and from trout fishing and whitewater rafting in Colorado’s Browns Canyon National Monument to world-class rock climbing in Nevada’s Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area (NCA), the recreational opportunities afforded by the National Conservation Lands are unsurpassed—and they support the tourism and recreation economies of many rural Western communities.
This collection of protected public lands also protects and preserves America’s sacred sites and cultural history. From ancient Clovis cultures over 11,000 years ago to Spanish, Mexican, Native American and American settler histories from recent centuries, the National Conservation Lands represent a complete tour of the history of the American West. The Murray Springs Clovis Site National Historic Landmark, the Spanish Presidio Santa Cruz de Terrenate, and the Fairbank Historic Townsite are all located in the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area.
ABOUT THE FRIENDS GRASSROOTS NETWORK
Conservation starts with community, and history has shown that places are best protected when there is a group of local citizen advocates to lead the effort. As members of the Friends Grassroots Network, we do critical, on-the-ground work to steward and protect the National Conservation Lands. We also use our collective voice as a national network to advance strong conservation management policies and practices. In 2014 the Friends Grassroots Network collectively raised over $2 million to support this work.