Air Force Moves to Take Over Nevada’s Desert National Wildlife Refuge

CONTACT: Rebecca Bullis, rbullis@defenders.org; (202) 772-0295

WASHINGTON (December 8, 2017) ­– The U.S. Air Force has issued a draft proposal that would expand military use and control over more than two-thirds of Desert National Wildlife Refuge in Nevada. The military’s preferred management scenario – to the detriment of wildlife, habitat and public use of this unique and vital landscape – would dispense with the current co-management agreement with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and give the Air Force primary jurisdiction over refuge lands.

Public comments on the proposal will be accepted until March 8, 2018.

Defenders of Wildlife Vice President for Landscape Conservation Mark Salvo issued the following statement:

“Desert National Wildlife Refuge is for wildlife, not warplanes. The two can exist together, but we must balance our national security with our natural security. At a time when habitat destruction threatens an increasing number of species with extinction, defending the wildlife and wild places that are essential to our natural heritage is also integral to defending our country.

“We hope the Air Force will back away from its heavy-handed attempt to seize control of the Desert Refuge and pursue a more collaborative approach that fairly balances wildlife conservation, cultural resource protection and military use of this vital refuge.”