By Alan Snel
Nevada’s inaugural Public Lands Day at beautiful Spring Mountain Ranch State Park drew only one candidate for Nevada governor Saturday evening.
And he was Jared Fisher, seeking the Republican bid for the office in Carson City.
Fisher arrived at the state park in Red Rock Canyon with his young daughter, as both rode their bicycles to the day to pay tribute to Nevada’s stunning inventory of state lands. Saturday was set aside for Nevadans to visit their state parks for free and Spring Mountain Ranch hosted a celebration.
Fisher cares deeply about Nevada’s public lands. The state’s scenic public landscapes are an economic generator, as eco-tourists pump millions of dollars into the state economy every year. Fisher knows all about this because his touring business relies on state and federal public lands and he’s very aware of the state and federal agencies that manage these public properties.
On Saturday night, Fisher strolled into the public lands celebration and said, “Let’s go to the booths.”
He enjoys talking with other environmentalists and this is why Fisher is a unique Republican — there’s no other candidate who understands the value of Nevada’s outdoor resources like Fisher does.
So Saturday, he chatted with representatives of the Friends of Gold Butte, and looked at maps with them to see the site’s highlights.
He learned that the Friends of Gold Butte had painted kiosks so that visitors can better get to the attractions at the national monument outside Mesquite.
That’s Fisher’s style. He’s been at that site, but Fisher was inquisitive to find out the women’s experiences at Gold Butte.
Meanwhile, native Americans were doing a dance on the Spring Mountain Ranch stage moments after Nevada Assemblyman Steve Yeager addressed the 200 celebrants who munched on tacos and refreshing shaved ice.
Fisher then moved on to the Friends of Nevada Wilderness table, where the couple of Jose and Heather explained they spent the first-ever state public lands day working on trails, habitat maintenance and trash pickup.
While Fisher chatted with the couple, his wife, Heather Fisher, took the stage to offer an update on the Save Red Rock efforts to protect the precious canyon from over-development and a quick status report on a proposed bicycle path she hopes can be built that would run through Red Rock Canyon outside Las Vegas.
The Fishers are a team when it comes to celebrating Nevada’s rich natural resources.
When Jared Fisher finished chatting with the Friends of Nevada Wilderness, he turned and glanced at the sweeping landscape as darkness cloaked the scene after the event began in daylight at 6 p.m. “I love Spring Mountain Ranch,” he said.
Fisher’s daughter had her face painted at the event and even enjoyed sweet-flavored shaved ice, so it was time for the Fishers to pedal back to their nearby Blue Diamond home.
But not before thanking Vinny Spotleson, executive director of the Nevada Conservation League, for helping put on the first-ever public lands event in Nevada.
That’s how the Fishers roll. They are thankful for the state’s lands and grateful for the people who want to protect them so that we may all enjoy this precious natural resource.
