Sometimes I am in awe at how lucky I am to work with nonprofit organizations. I was recently invited to attend a board meeting for Friends of Gold Butte. It was not a typical board meeting, as you can tell by my pictures. I met the group at the beginning of Gold Butte Road and hopped into a high clearance vehicle for a beautiful ride out to their outdoor boardroom. I was privileged to have 3 board members in the vehicle to point out the various spectacular features along the way.
In this inspirational environment, we were led in a discussion about fundraising by Mackenzie Banta from the Conservation Lands Foundation. From their own website, conservationlands.org: The mission of the Conservation Lands Foundation is to protect, restore and expand the National Conservation Lands through education, advocacy and partnerships. The National Conservation Lands are our nation’s newest collection of protected lands and waterways—standing proudly alongside our National Parks, National Forests and National Wildlife Refuges as treasured places belonging to every American.
After conducting the board meeting, we took a short hike and saw beautiful vistas, pristine sand dunes and ancient petroglyphs. Considering that Gold Butte encompasses 360,000 acres, I only saw the tiniest piece of an area full of amazing sights, but it was enough to make me yearn to go back. I have met many people who are enchanted by this landscape after their first visit and now I understand why.
If you are not familiar with Gold Butte, Gold Butte is located between the Grand Canyon Parashant National Monument, Arizona, and Lake Mead National Recreation Area, just south of the City of Mesquite. The Friends of Gold Butte lead frequent hikes that they call “Meetups” during which they are very generous with their vast knowledge of the area. Check out their website at www.friendsofgoldbutte.org to find out more and sign up for a meetup outing. You might see me there! Please also consider supporting their effort to permanently protect Gold Butte so that future generations will also be able to enjoy this landscape.
Thank you to Friends of Gold Butte for giving me an unforgettable experience!