The Spring Mountains are a sky island ecosystem. With an area of about 860 square miles (2,200 km2), and a vertical range of nearly 2 miles (3.2 km), the mountains encompass a wide variety of habitats, and the biological diversity is probably greater than anywhere else in Nevada. 37 species of trees are known (more than any other Nevadan range), and 600 species of vascular plants have been reported from the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area alone.

In 1988, Summa Corporation exchanged more than 5,000 acres (2,000 ha) of land adjoining Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area for 3,000 acres (1,200 ha) of land located south of Summerlin. This landmark land exchange was facilitated by The Nature Conservancy and critically acclaimed by the environmental community.[citation needed] It created a buffer zone to protect Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area from future development.[5]