By Catherine Cortez Masto

Nevadans have good reason to be fiercely proud, and protective, of our public lands. From the crystal clear waters of Lake Tahoe in the north to the red sandstone canyons in the south, Nevada’s natural beauty is unparalleled. The opportunity to explore our state parks, monuments, and refuges is one of the many joys of living here.

I first encountered the wonder of Nevada’s public lands at a very young age. When my sister and I were kids, my dad took us all over the state, hiking, camping, rock-climbing, and fishing. He loved the outdoors and wanted us to discover its magic. Every Nevadan deserves to have that same experience. Public lands are strongholds of vital fish and wildlife species. They provide opportunity for hunting and fishing and are necessary sources of clean water for millions of people. They also hold immense cultural and historic value.

Outdoor recreation supports 148,000 jobs and contributes almost $15 billion to our state’s economy every year, but our public lands are not just a boon to our economy—they are a powerful tool for educating our children and improving their health. Nevada’s canyons, deserts, mountains, and lakes are the foundation of our Western identity and an indispensable part of our collective heritage.

Unfortunately, the threat of losing our monuments looms large due to the Trump Administration’s efforts to undo the preservation of these lands for future generations. Community members, business groups, local elected officials, sportsmen, outdoor recreationists, and Native American tribes are fighting throughout Nevada to protect Basin and Range and Gold Butte national monuments. Collectively, these monuments are home to prehistoric and pioneer artifacts, dozens of threatened and sensitive wildlife species, including plants found nowhere outside of Nevada.

Basin and Range protects cultural and historical sites important to the Southern Paiute and Western Shonone, including artifacts over 13,000 years old. Ancient bristlecone pines more than 2,000 years old still grow in the Worthington Mountains. While political opponents seek to diminish or completely rescind these protected lands, there is strong public support from Nevadans to keep protections in place.

In Southern Nevada, Gold Butte is a treasure trove of cultural, historic, and natural wonders such as dramatic sculpted red sandstone and fossilized tracks dating back 170 million years. We should be protecting these great historical and cultural sites especially considering the benefit they provide to our economy. An economic study last year showed that if just 10% of new visitors to Gold Butte spent an extra night in Mesquite, the total economic impact for the community would be $2.7 million each year.

As Secretary Zinke prepares to visit Nevada, I want to remind him that Nevadans do not want their national monuments rescinded. They want to continue hiking, camping, backpacking, fishing and hunting in the places they love. Above all, they want to preserve our state’s natural beauty so that future generations can experience it too. Nevadans want their voices and concerns heard, and believe the economic benefits from a thriving outdoor economy speak for themselves.

Protecting our public lands should not be a partisan issue. Washington, under pressure from private interests, is actively threatening the long-term preservation of our lands at great cost to hardworking Nevadans. We must continue to fight for the protection of public lands because we run the risk of losing these revered places forever.

Catherine Cortez Masto is a Democratic United States senator from Nevada.