Nevada County Environment
The natural history of Nevada County blends with the human history to describe our unique environmental resources and challenges.
Start with our Geography. Because we have elevations ranging from near sea level in the west, and mountains reaching into the Sierra Nevada sky at over 10,000 feet to the east, Nevada County contains a range of climates. Tucked into the canyons and perched on mountaintops, in the bottom of trickling streams and notched into rocky redoubts are microclimates supporting species of plant and animal from large to microscopic.
Add the human layer: A history of gold mining which has left scars and poisons in the ground, the wagon trails that have become highways, the single-track trails that once supported only foot traffic, now supporting mountain bikes and motorcycles, and the burgeoning population within our county, and all around it. The negatives: air pollution, mining pits, mercury and arsenic infested superfund sites. The positives include easy access to beautiful (if diminishing) scenery, a fascinating history, lovely victorian architecture, abundant recreation, and readily viewable wildlife, and possibly your own home on acreage or nestled in small yet cosmopolitan communities.
