As Henderson continues to grow and annexes land into its jurisdiction, protecting open space and sustainable use of remaining undeveloped land continues to be a priority.

With this priority in mind and the recent annexation of approximately 8,000 acres of land, the City of Henderson has developed the East Henderson Desert Edge Study. This is a conservation planning initiative focused on protecting natural areas and resources for the enjoyment of current and future generations.

The East Henderson Desert Edge Study (EHDES) will expand upon previous planning efforts such as:

• The 2006 West Henderson Desert Edge (WHDE) identifies sensitive desert areas in West Henderson. The Plan focused on four Bureau of Land Management (BLM) sites on the southwest edge of Henderson nominated for disposal in the Fall of 2006.

• The 2005 Open Space and Trails Plan (OSTP), a citywide plan that envisioned creating an interconnected system of protected desert areas throughout the built environment. The Plan recommended to take a proactive approach to sensitive lands identification prior to BLM land disposal auctions, utilizing the Sensitive lands Overlay Zoning District, and creating guidelines for development at the Desert Edge.

• The 2024 Open Space and Trails Plan (OSTP) aims to build and maintain an interconnected system of protected desert environments throughout the built environment with parks, off-street trails, and open spaces. It also aims to enhance our community’s unique image and sense of place with outdoor recreation and education opportunities for residents and visitors of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds.

The purpose of the EHDES is to:

1. Establish criteria for desert edge designations.
2. Identify potential desert edges.
3. Propose conservation and environmentally sensitive protection strategies. 

The study area encompasses approximately 16,000 acres of undeveloped land. The study area consists of the Eldorado Valley Annexation Edge (approximately 8,000 acres), the Railroad Pass Connection Edge (approximately 2,354 acres), the River Mountains Edge (approximately 3,322 acres) and the Old Landfill & Three Kids Mine Edge (approximately 2,240 acres).

The EHDES was developed with a technical assistance grant from the National Park Service - Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program. The draft document is now available for public review.

Preface Chapter 1 | Introduction: Welcome to the Desert Chapter 2 | Site Analysis: Insights to East Henderson Chapter 3 | Key Species: Meet the Locals Chapter 4 | Opportunities & Challenges: Thorns and Nectar Chapter 5 | Recommendations: Finding the Oasis Chapter 6 | References Appendix

For questions or concerns, please contact:

Alejandra Fazekas | alejandra.fazekas@cityofhenderson.com

Calvin Ha | calvin.ha-abdul@cityofhenderson.com