A publication of Bureau of Land Management in California
Issue 611-02/13/14- Visit us on Facebook -- Follow us on Twitter -- Share us with friends and colleagues!
THIS WEEK IN NEWS.BYTES:
- OHV Recreation
- Headlines and Highlights
- Valentine Themed Social Media
- Renewable Energy
-
Wildlife Trivia Question of the Week
- Upcoming Events
- National and Department of Interior Items
If this message does not show up properly in your email, you can see it online at:
www.blm.gov/ca/news/newsbytes/2014/611.html
BLM Releases Record of Decision for Clear Creek Management Area
(BLM News Release)
The BLM Hollister Field Office has released the Record of Decision for the Clear Creek Management Area (CCMA) Resource Management Plan. This marks the beginning of a 30-day appeal period for the public to challenge implementation decisions in the document.
http://ow.ly/tz0jy
RELATED: Clear Creek Management Area Record of Decision & Approved Resource Management Plan
(BLM Website)
We are pleased to announce after several years of collaborative effort, the Record of Decision (ROD) and Approved Resource Management Plan (RMP) for Clear Creek Management Area are complete.
http://ow.ly/tz1gI
RELATED: Clear Creek Management Area
(BLM Website) http://ow.ly/tz0Rn
BLM Reopens Clear Creek Management Area
(The Ultimate Motorcycling, 2/13/14)
Reports that the BLM has "announced the reopening of the 31,000-acre Serpentine Area of Critical Environmental Concern in California's San Benito and Fresno counties to limited street-licensed vehicle use."
http://ow.ly/tB2LD
 The Southside Trail: Hike,
Bike, Learn
(News.Bytes Extra)
The new Southside Trail near Susanville has been receiving rave reviews from mountain bikers for its twists, turns, climbs and breathtaking scenery. Now, new raves are coming in about its contribution to youth and learning.
http://ow.ly/tyNoQ
 King of the Hammers Photo Album
(The Press-Enterprise, 01/2014)
Photos and stories from the King of the Hammers Off-Highway Vehicle Event in early February.
http://ow.ly/tz2Df
 King of the Hammers Photo Album
(California State Parks Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division Facebook)
A set of photos taken by staff supporting the King of the Hammers OHV event. http://ow.ly/tz4al
RELATED: Johnson Valley Off-Highway Vehicle Area
(BLM Website)
Johnson Valley is a varied landscape for the off-highway vehicle driver. It is punctuated by steep red rocky mountains, rolling hills, open valleys, dry lake beds and sandy washes. Elevations range from 4,600 feet at Hartwell Hills to 2,300 feet at Melville Dry Lake. Vegetation consists
of creosote scrub, annual grasses, wild flowers and Joshua Trees.
http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/barstow/johnson.html
 Feb. 3: Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office Announces Public Comment Period for OHV Grant Proposals
(BLM News Release)
An open house was scheduled on Feb. 13 and others may make comments by appointment up until April 7th.
http://ow.ly/twHPy
Feb. 10: BLM's Eagle Lake Field Office Announces Public Comment Period for OHV Grant Requests
(BLM News Release)
Public open house to discuss grants will be held Feb. 20.
http://ow.ly/twH1U
Feb. 10: BLM's Ukiah Field Office Announces Public Comment Period for OHV Grant Applications
(BLM News Release)
Public comments due by April 7. Public Workshop on Feb 26.
http://ow.ly/twFHp.
Mar 4- Apr 7: Public Invited to Provide Input for OHV Grant Proposals
(BLM Website)
The BLM's Barstow Field Office, along with the Friends of Juniper Flats, have scheduled an open house meeting on Wednesday, February 19 at 6:30 p.m. to allow the public an opportunity to provide input in the development of several off-highway vehicle grant and Juniper Flats restoration grant
proposals.
http://ow.ly/tz6zD
|
 BLM Wild Horse and Wilderness Programs Meet the
Public in Ferndale
(News.Bytes Extra)
An annual pack clinic hosted by the Back Country Horsemen of California provided a great venue for the BLM to present information on two programs that often share an audience -- wilderness and wild horses.
http://ow.ly/twRC4
 Ferndale Adoption Story
(BLM Facebook)
Demonstrating trust and calmness in the face of new obstacles, this yearling filly found a new North Coast home during a wild horse and burro adoption event in Ferndale last weekend. Leading her is Thad Waltman, a BLM wild horse wrangler, who trained her to halter especially for the
Ferndale adoption.
http://ow.ly/twMgl
The Redwood Quest- A Youth Scavenger Hunt
(BLM Facebook)
Students from Willow Creek's Creekside Arts and Education Learning Center joined the "Quest". The setting was Six Rivers National Forest and the guides were BLM Park Ranger, Julie Clark, and California State Parks Interpreter, Anicia Williams. Their smiles and cheers say it all. The youth
scavenger hunt was an adventure.
http://ow.ly/twOKe
 Fisher Surveys in BLM's Headwaters Forest Reserve
(BLM Facebook)
This past summer, BLM Headwaters Wildlife Biologist, David Anthon, setup bait stations and motion sensor cameras to inventory the Pacific fisher population in Headwaters Forest Reserve, with assistance from undergraduate wildlife biology students from Humboldt State University.
http://ow.ly/twMtj
 Ticks and Endangered Voles Linked by Migrating Birds
(LA Times, 01/30/14)
A disease-carrying tick only found in the southeastern United States has colonized a federally endangered rodent population in an extremely isolated patch of Mojave Desert wetlands.
http://ow.ly/twgel
RELATED: Amargosa River Area of Critical Environmental Concern
(BLM Website) http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/barstow/amargosa_acec_.html
RELATED: Renewable Energy in the California Desert
(University of Michigan Website)
Wild and Scenic Rivers (WSR) are whole rivers or segments of rivers that 'possess outstanding remarkable scenic, recreational, geologic, fish and wildlife, historic, cultural or other similar values" and are designated to be "preserved in free-flowing condition" and "protected for the
benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations."
http://webservices.itcs.umich.edu/drupal/recd/?q=node/31
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VALENTINE THEMED Social Media |
Interior Releases First National Interactive Map of Onshore Wind Turbines
(DOI News Release)
As part of the President's Climate Action Plan to move the economy toward clean energy sources, reduce carbon pollution and create jobs, Assistant Secretary for Water and Science Anne Castle today joined the U.S. Geological Survey to release the first publicly available interactive map and
geo-dataset showing more than 47,000 onshore wind turbine locations and related information across the entire United States.
http://ow.ly/twi1s
RELATED: BLM California Wind Energy
(BLM Website) http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/prog/energy/wind.html
 Public Comments Due for the Proposed
Soda Mountain Solar Project
(BLM Facebook)
This is part of the 90-day public comment period for the project. The BLM is seeking comments on planning issues, concerns, potential impacts, alternatives, and mitigation measures that should be considered in the analysis of the proposed action. Send comments to: Soda Mountain Solar
Project Manager, 22835 Calle San Juan De Los Lagos, Moreno Valley, CA 92553 or to the e-mail address sodamtnsolar@xxxxxxx. Comments due March 3.
http://ow.ly/twA05
RELATED: Soda Mountain Solar
(BLM Website)
http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/barstow/renewableenergy/soda_mountain.html
Public Comments Due for Draft Environmental Review of Blythe Solar Power Project
(BLM News Release)
The publication by the Environmental Protection Agency Federal Register initiates a 45-day public review and comment period. The BLM will soon publish a more detailed Federal Register Notice for the Draft EIS. Comments are due March 9, 2014.
http://ow.ly/twDeE
RELATED: BLM Blythe Solar Power Project
(BLM Webpage) http://ow.ly/twD5H
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WILDLIFE TRIVIA QUESTION of the WEEK |
|
What does the Western snowy plover eat?
(a) small crustaceans
(b) mollusks
(c) marine worms
(d)
insects
(e) All of the above
See answer - and more information near the end of this News.bytes.
|
Feb. 10: BLM Announces Nomination Period for Resource Advisory Councils, Including Central California
(BLM News Releas)
The BLM announced that it is seeking public nominations for open positions on its 29 Resource Advisory Councils, which advise the BLM on public land issues, including the Central California RAC. As published in a notice in the Federal Register, the BLM will consider nominations for next 45
days.
http://ow.ly/twF3x
Feb. 10: BLM Announces Nomination Period for Members of Northern California District Resource Advisory Council
(BLM News Release)
Deadline for nominations is March 27.
http://ow.ly/twGql
 Feb. 15: Piedras Blancas Birthday Celebration Living
History Tour
(BLM Website)
The Piedras Blancas Light Station was first illuminated on February 14, 1875. In celebration of the 139th birthday of the lighthouse there will be a living history tour on Saturday, February 15, 2014. Guides and assistants will be dressed in period attire. Enactors will bring light
station history to life.
https://www.facebook.com/events/418629948268376/
 Feb. 15: Indian Pass
Arches-Dog Hike
(BLM Facebook)
Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Wilderness Act by taking a hike over President's Day Weekend! Join a BLM park ranger for a moderate hike in mostly sandy/cobble wash, with slight elevation gain/loss, approx. 3.5 miles roundtrip. Granitic boulders and volcanic spires dominate the
scenery, and everywhere geology speaks.
https://www.facebook.com/events/471291019644058/
Feb. 15: Striking It Rich- Fan Hill Hike
(BLM CA Facebook)
The Fan Hill hike is
near Sky Valley and the Joshua Tree National Park Wilderness. This is the first of seve hikes that are planned for 2014 in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Wilderness Act.
https://www.facebook.com/events/1453743764848712/
Feb. 25 and 27: Public Meetings to Solicit Comments on Route 66 Management Plan
(BLM News Release)
The BLM, in coordination with the California Historic Route 66 Association, will prepare a corridor management plan for the segment of the historic Route 66 within the BLM California Desert District that extends from the western city limits of Barstow, California to the Colorado River.
http://www.ca.blm.gov/lqld
Feb. 26: BLM Public Workshop for the Keyesville Area Recreation
(BLM News Relase)
The Bakersfield Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management will host a public workshop Wednesday, Feb. 26, in Lake Isabella to solicit community input on management of public lands in the Keyesville area.
http://ow.ly/twDOu
 Mar. 15- May 24 (Saturdays): Soda Lake and Painted Rock Guided Tours at Carrizo Plain National Monument
(BLM Facebook)
Come join us for our Soda Lake/Painted Rock Guided Tour. Reservations are required and can be made at http://www.recreation.gov/
http://ow.ly/twOiX
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NATIONAL, OTHER STATE AND DEPARTMENT of the INTERIOR ITEMS |
 DOI Weekly Video: Feb 7, 2014
(DOI YouTube)
This week: climate change in an icy national park, wind power in the west, and the little fish that could.
http://youtu.be/0nGGZkBu2L0
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WILDLIFE TRIVIA ANSWER and related information |
What does the Western snowy plover
eat?
(e) Snowy Plovers typically forage by pausing, running, and pecking at the ground. Their diet consists of small crustaceans, mollusks, marine worms, and insects.
Source:
SOURCE: Western Snowy Plover (BLM Website)
http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/arcata/western_snowy_plover.html
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News.bytes published by
Bureau of Land Management
California State Office
2800 Cottage Way, Suite W-1834
Sacramento, Ca 95825
(916) 978-4600
http://www.blm.gov/ca/
We appreciate feedback. Send comments to the News.bytes team at:
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We're Celebrating "Love in Nature"
#LoveInNature With Sandhill Cranes at the Cosumnes River Preserve
Students
Show Their Love for Fort Ord 
In
the Spirit of Valentine's Day 