WASHINGTON, D.C. – Designating Avi Kwa Ame as a national monument will help protect and honor Indigenous sites, safeguard wildlife, and expand opportunities for rural economies in southern Nevada. The National Wildlife Federation commended the Biden Administration for listening to Tribal Nations and local community leaders, recreationists, hunters, and other conservationists who have long advocated to permanently protect these lands in southern Nevada.

“National monument status for Avi Kwa Ame will benefit wildlife and people alike as the lands they depend on will be conserved and restored for future generations. In addition, sites of significance for a dozen Tribes in the region will be permanently protected and opportunities for outdoor recreation will be expanded,” said Collin O’Mara, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation. “We urge the Biden Administration to continue to work collaboratively with Indigenous communities to determine how best to manage the new national monument so that it will benefit everyone.” 

"We are pleased that President Biden and the Administration have listened to the request for the urgent protection of Avi Kwa Ame, supported by the Fort Mojave Tribe, local lawmakers, sportsmen and women, and the Hispanic community, among many others," said Camilla Simon, executive director of HECHO. "This area is sacred to Indigenous Peoples and is vulnerable to energy development proposals. Protecting Avi Kwa Ame means honoring that sacred connection, and choosing a future that values the protection of land, water, wildlife, history, and culture."

“Nevada’s famed bighorn sheep and other wildlife depend on migration corridors that pass through the Avi Kwa Ame region. Permanent protections for this area will ensure that species can migrate, survive, and thrive in the midst of a changing climate,” said Russell Kuhlman, executive director of the Nevada Wildlife Federation. “The Nevada Wildlife Federation looks forward to working with the Biden Administration and other local partners to ensure that the stewardship of the new monument respects and protects wildlife, sacred Indigenous sites, sporting traditions, and responsible outdoor recreation.”