To mark National Public Lands Day, Go Mt. Charleston hosts its second annual Green the Mountain event, Saturday, Sept. 28. Festivities start at 9 a.m. and run to 3 p.m. The event’s base camp is the Spring Mountain Visitors Gateway located at 2525 Kyle Canyon Rd. More than 700 volunteers have already registered and will take part in litter cleanups at key trailheads, a Joshua tree seedling planting in the 2013 Carpenter 1 fire Harris Spring burn area, and they will install 16 new pet waste stations at trailheads. These will be placed alongside trash and recycling bins added in 2018 through Go Mt. Charleston’s community partnerships.
After the cleanup projects, the public is invited to attend a free, all-ages Green the Mountain concert with music by The Russian Dragon featuring prominent guitarist Ben Cary, from noon to 3 p.m. All beverage purchases at the concert benefit Go Mt. Charleston’s year-round litter program.
In the last 12 years, Southern Nevada Conservancy’s Go Mt. Charleston has collected more than 50 tons of litter left behind by the more than 1 million annual visitors to the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area. Green the Mountain schedule is:
9 – 11 a.m. Site-based litter cleanups and seedling planting
11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Volunteer lunch and live music
Noon – 3 p.m. Free concert
“Most visitors to the Spring Mountains want to do the right thing and make sure their trash is disposed of properly, but they may not understand that pet waste is also harmful to the forest ecosystem,” says Leonie Mowat, operations and communications director for Southern Nevada Conservancy. “We have seen a measurable reduction in litter found in the year since installing the trash and recycling receptacles, and we hope the addition of pet waste stations will further curb the litter issue in the Spring Mountains.”
Supporters include Heineken, Smith’s, PT’s Taverns, Green Valley Grocery, Lee Canyon, iHeart Radio, NV Energy, and Republic Services, who have helped us to raise over $20,000. This support helps make it possible for the Go Mt Charleston team to provide trash and recycling services to the forest.
“The ongoing enthusiasm of our partners for helping us clean up the Spring Mountains sets a wonderful example for their own customers and for the visitors to the Mt Charleston area,” Leonie adds. “As the Las Vegas community grows, it is important to remind residents – new and old – to help protect this small alpine oasis for generations to come.”
Go Mt. Charleston is no longer accepting volunteers for this event, though volunteers are encouraged to help year-round by visiting www.gomtcharleston.com.
About Southern Nevada Conservancy
Based in Las Vegas, Nevada, Southern Nevada Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization working to connect people with their public lands. Founded as Red Rock Canyon Interpretive Association in 1988, Southern Nevada Conservancy now works extensively at Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area and Spring Mountains National Recreation Area (Mt Charleston). Work in the Spring Mountains includes Go Mt Charleston education and volunteer programs, retail operations, social media outreach, and www.gomtcharleston.com. As a non-profit partner to various agencies that manage public lands, Southern Nevada Conservancy is able to provide enhanced educational and recreational opportunities as well as improved visitor services at these and other beautiful destinations, including the Desert National Wildlife Refuge Complex and California Trail Interpretive Center. Southern Nevada Conservancy hopes that through their services, visitors and residents have the opportunity to experience, enjoy, and appreciate these special places for generations to come.
