Day 10: 9th May 2011
Time: 7.30am
Location: Hurricane, Utah to Springs Preserve, Nevada.
A map of Interstate 15 showing the route we travelled from Hurricane to Las Vegas
Another early start to the day meant leaving Hurricane, Utah at 7.30am to reach Springs Preserve, just outside Las Vegas at 9.30am. During our transition from Hurricane to Springs Preserve, we went back an hour due to the time differences of the two states. This meant that we were now eight hours behind the UK opposed to seven in Utah. The total distance of the journey was 145 miles, with a good 90 miles of desert before reaching Las Vegas.
Nearer Zion the vegetation was very green, with lots of sheer rock faces and different geographical layers unfolding throughout the transition. The weather was not as we had anticipated due to torrential rain and strong winds which made driving between the two states challenging at times. However; as Las Vegas was closely approaching, the weather got brighter and the vegetation became scarcer, which lifted the mood of each bus. At the end of Interstate 15, the industrialisation and congested roads became a very big shock to the system in comparison to the other locations we had previously visited.
Springs Preserve is the original water resource for Las Vegas, before the building of the Hoover dam; until it dried up in the mid 1900s. Springs preserve is built around the Las Vegas Spring and was named by explorers after the grassy meadows of the mist of the desert. The reservation is approximately 180 acres in size and is mainly designed to: commemorate the history of unity and provide a vision for Las Vegas’ sustainable future. All of the buildings in the reserve are made from wood that has been reclaimed by timber so new trees do not need to be cut down from a 12 mile long bridge that used to go over a river. Approximately 12% of water consumed by inhabitants of Las Vegas is ground water with an underground supply that also feeds desert springs. A main objective is to conserve this and make Las Vegas sustainable for the future. With regard to physical geography, Springs Preserve began to be created approximately 1.5 billion years ago with the whole surrounding area being under the ocean. The sea retreated and the underlying tectonic plates began to move forcing rock upwards allowing canyons and rock layers to be formed. Roughly 20,000 years ago after the last ice-age Las Vegas was a marsh land which allowed wildlife to thrive and prosper in later years. Over the next 10,000 years temperatures rose drastically. This meant that rivers and springs vanished resulting in life no longer being able to be sustained. The fauna of the preserve was very impressive with native plant species adapting different techniques for finding and storing water. Some of the plants store moisture in their thick leaves to adapt to the surrounding areas of the desert; scientifically known as Xerophytes. Mojave Yucci is an example of a plant that does this as the shallow roots spread out to soak up as much water in fresh tissue. Resource management and sustainability is a key theme throughout the centre and investment.
This shows the flash floods exhibition at Springs Preserve which educates people about the possible effects flooding could have in the region and how it is caused.
Wind power is evident due to wind turbines that are installed on top of a tall building which consequently collects kinetic energy from the wind making it economically and environmentally sound. A further example of renewable energy is the use of solar panels layering the visitor’s car park. This is an effective method as Nevada is one of the sunniest spots in the US and can therefore capture the energy of the sun and transfer it into heat or power. This is also financially viable and beneficial as excess power can be sound on to external power authorities all over the country. Leaflets provided from tourists were printed on 100% recycled paper emphasising the conservation and preservation of the local environment. The toilet facilities were very modern which were specifically produced to be sustainable to follow the ongoing trend of the conserve. The lighting was very dull with energy saving bulbs and the water had a triggered sensor reducing the risk of waste.
Throughout the persevere; tourists were focussed as the main pioneers due to the free entry and both educating and demonstrating the easy ways to recycle both at home and helping the local environment. The preserve caters for all age ranges which we found very impressive. This was due to the positive and effective segregation of the educational services and areas provided. The visual aids such as the animals, the flash flood demonstration, movie and replica of a house equipped with sustainable measures, located in the desert resource education centre all make the experience enjoyable and pleasant for tourists. Benches located around the conserve under shaded canapés also accommodate for the older generation. Finally, children would appreciate the preserve due to ‘hands on’ experiences both visually and physically.
This is a photograph of Springs Reserve which shows the rich vegetation at the centre, the buildings are vey unintrusive and fit with the desert setting.
This trip to Springs Preserve was very educational and eye opening due to the interesting and remarkable themes available. The preserve covered all key themes such as: physical geography, resource management and tourism. It was a vital middle ground between the tranquillity of the National Parks and the congestion and brash Las Vegas strip.
After leaving the reservation at 11.30am we did not realise that a near fatal collision, was on the cards when driving from the preserve to the main strip in Las Vegas. This therefore, welcomed us into LAS VEGAS!
We had a group photo under the legendary Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign, signifying that we had arrived in Vegas
Source: Greg Spellman
We drove the Las Vegas trip to a soundtrack of Viva Las Vega by Elvis Presley which sent a buzz of excitement through the bus as we could see the legendary hotels approaching. The Las Vegas strip was very exciting and overwhelming due to the vast amount of people, wealth and infrastructure which we had been withdrawn from our systems in previous days. A quick stop off point for a group photo in front of the fabulous Las Vegas sign certified our extravagant location. We were kindly allowed to explore the premium brand outlets located just outside Las Vegas. This location was very popular to tourists due to the shopping facilities available, free parking outside and discounted items that are not available on the main strip. One thing that was prominent when travelling to our hotel (Flamingo) was that the new hotels had restrictions with regard to the infrastructure and vegetation. This is so therefore, so that the continuing theme of sustainability and resource management is addressed and followed. A key example of a hotel that has done this is the Encore Hotel which is located on the main strip of the Las Vegas Boulevard.
As we drove down the strip we could see all the iconic hotel which we had learnt about in class like New York New York (below)
Source: Laura Jones
“Confronted by the desert, the first thing Americans want to do is change it. People say they love the desert, but few of them love it enough to live there”. (Mark Reisner).
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