Renewable energy corporations have launched an eleventh-hour campaign to derail a petition seeking endangered species protection for Joshua trees, saying it could hinder development of the solar and wind power projects California needs to wean itself off fossil fuels.

Retreating to the outdoors has been a solace for many throughout the coronavirus pandemic, and studies have shown that nature can have powerful, positive effects on human health, both physical and mental.

But a recent report from the Center for American Progress and the Hispanic Access Foundation shows what some have known for a long time: people of color in the U.S. have less immediate access to nature than white people.

“It affects physical and mental health, if affects your chance to have severe symptoms from COVID-19, it has all sorts of effects that communities of color are lacking,” said Shanna Edberg one of the study’s authors and director of Conservation Programs at the Hispanic Access Foundation.

The study found that systemic racism has created a “nature gap” where people of color are three times more likely to live in an area that is nature deprived and lacks easy access to clean air, clean water and wildlife.

“This comes from a long history of economic segregation of communities of color from things like redlining, from the inability of minority communities to move into majority white communities, choosing to place landfills, toxic waste sites, ports and energy plants near communities of color,” Edberg explained.

68% of Black people, 67% of Latinx and Asian people and 48% of Indigenous people live in nature deprived areas, compared to 23% of white people.

The disparity cuts across class lines as well. 70% of low income communities live in areas without green space, although that figure goes up for low income people of color.

Edberg says this is an area of racial and economic disparity that often gets overlooked.

“We are really all about getting these communities to pick a space, enjoy the outdoors, raise their voices to show that these are not just white spaces.”

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Low-income families of color in California, especially those with children, are twice as likely as their white counterparts to live in areas without easy access to parks and other natural areas, according to a new report.

COVID-19 pandemic has forced many of us to cancel cherished summer vacations and group activities we relish during every normal year. For months on end, we’ve stayed home, cooped up indoors more than we ever imagined or wanted. Each July, Latino Conservation Week should be a reminder to everyone in New Mexico to get outdoors and experience the stunning scenery, nature and unique heritage of cultures that is our Land of Enchantment. For the sake of our mental, physical, emotional and spiritual health, the outdoors are more important now than ever.

As a nation, and as a state, we’ve arrived at a fork in the road. The path we follow will decide what we leave behind for our children and grandchildren.

We could double down on our past decisions to continue drilling, mining and developing every possible stretch of our lands and waters in search of ever-diminishing returns.

Or we could go a different way. We know our natural areas and outdoor spaces bring countless benefits for Nevada’s people and economy, and our future is in jeopardy if we don’t protect and restore our lands and waters.

Instead of a 19th century mindset, we should embrace a 21st century approach that accelerates the pace of conservation, safeguards our public lands and expands access to these places for every resident in this state.

Those are goals I’ve worked toward in the Nevada Legislature, and that’s why I’m supporting a national effort to conserve and restore at least 30% of America’s lands and waters by 2030. Recently, I had the opportunity to join a leader of this effort, Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., at a virtual event alongside fellow Nevadans who are working to carry out this 30x30 vision.

Udall, the author and lead sponsor of the Thirty by Thirty Resolution to Save Nature, describes it like this: “We must set a national goal of protecting and restoring 30% of our lands and ocean by 2030 to stem the collapse of our natural world. This is the mass mobilization we need — the collective action that will save the planet.”

Nevada’s abundance of public lands gives us the opportunity to lead the 30x30 effort. From Red Rock Canyon to Lake Tahoe — and all the majestic landscape in between — our outdoor spaces are the envy of the world. In addition to bringing us health and happiness, Nevada’s protected places support a booming outdoor recreation economy that generates $12.6 billion annually and supports 87,000 direct jobs.

A new report from the Hispanic Access Foundation and Center for American Progress found that communities of color are three times more likely than white communities to live in nature-deprived places. These disparities are partly the result of discrimination, economic segregation and dispossession of lands, and are particularly alarming as we face the coronavirus pandemic. Clean air and water, and safe outdoor spaces to enjoy nature, are more important than ever. We must ensure that every community can access parks and natural areas.

The work to conserve and restore Nevada’s lands is far from over, and federal and state governments must do so alongside local communities and tribal nations who know better than any politician these places, including the cultural sites, the hunting areas, the hiking spots, and the watersheds, where we should be focusing our efforts to protect.

I hope all Nevadans will join me in this effort to accelerate conservation. Together, we can preserve our biodiversity, expand access to recreation and health benefits it brings, grow Nevada’s economy, and leave a lasting legacy for future generations.

By Howard Watts III for Las Vegas Sun 

He was elected to the Nevada Assembly in 2018. He serves the 15th District.