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The Las Vegas buckwheat is a bona fide Nevada native confined to gypsum-rich soils in central and eastern Clark County and southern Lincoln County, Nevada. Unfortunately, its habitat is shared by one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the United States — Las Vegas. This plant is no match for the housing and commercial sprawl or unmanaged off-road vehicle use associated with the explosive growth. To date, federal and state authorities charged with protecting species have been willing to gamble away the chance of this plant surviving.
ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT PROFILE
PROTECTION STATUS: Not listed
PETITIONED: 2008
RANGE: Clark and Lincoln counties, Nevada
THREATS: Habitat destruction from urban development and sprawl, unmanaged off-road vehicle recreation, mining, energy corridors, and altered wildfire patterns, a result of climate change
POPULATION TREND: This plant is severely declining. More than 95 percent of its historic range has been destroyed, and only 859 acres of habitat remain that are not yet slated for development. Of these, only 50 acres are securely protected from destruction. A mere nine populations of plants are known, occupying 15 distinct sites.
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SAVING THE LAS VEGAS BUCKWHEAT
Unfortunately, in a rapidly growing and transient city like Las Vegas, few members of the general public even know the Las Vegas buckwheat exists. The Center’s petition for listing the plant under the Endangered Species Act has helped call the public’s eye to the plant’s plight and profile. In fact, the Las Vegas Sun carried a feature article on its front page on Earth Day 2008 describing the buckwheat’s threats and issues.
The only hope for the survival of the Las Vegas buckwheat is for its precious few remaining acres of habitat to be set aside and preserved for the stewardship of the plant and its ecosystem.
A major portion of the species’ remaining habitat is in the upper Las Vegas Wash, an area managed by the Bureau of Land Management and currently being studied for possible sale to private developers. Other key remaining habitat is being threatened by flood-control and housing projects on Nellis Air Force Base, as well as a proposed Clark County neighborhood park.
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Contact: Rob Mrowka
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