A publication of Bureau of Land Management in California Issue 674-5/15/2015- Visit us on Facebook -- Follow us on Twitter -- Share us with friends and colleagues! THIS WEEK IN NEWS.BYTES: - BLM Awards - Discover the Desert - Headlines and Highlights - BLM and DOI Highlights - Wildlife Question of the Week - Upcoming Events If this message does not show up properly in your email, you can see it online at: http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,28lb8,3xn3,6lif,g7l8,1bct,ijo3 BLM AWARDS BLM-California State Director Receives Meritorious Service Award from Interior Department (Newsbytes Extra) Jim Kenna, BLM-California State Director, was recently presented the Department of the Interior's Meritorious Service Award during a recent all employee meeting in Palm Springs, California. http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,28lb8,3xn3,e2e,fswl,1bct,ijo3 BLM California State Director Presents Awards for Exceptional Public Service (Newsbytes Extra) Last week, BLM-CA State Director Jim Kenna honored exceptional employees and field offices across the state as part of the State Director Strategic Framework Awards program. The awards are given out on annual basis to commend BLM employees for service "above and beyond" the call of duty. The awards were presented during the biannual face-to-face meeting of the State Leadership Team in Sacramento.http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,28lb8,3xn3,jihj,l94d,1bct,ijo3 DISCOVER THE DESERT Amargosa Wild and Scenice River (BLM Instagram) Ending the day with a starry sky over the Amargosa Wild and Scenic River, located at the south end of California's Tecopa Valley. The area has a harsh climate and unobstructed views of desert mountains. http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,28lb8,3xn3,tqr,6v26,1bct,ijo3 Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area (BLM Facebook) We are flying toward the weekend! Remember to ride safe and always use a spotter.http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,28lb8,3xn3,fqsu,m65s,1bct,ijo3 CALIFORNIA HEADLINES AND HIGHLIGHTS Students Catch "gold fever" at BLM's Fresno River Site Near Oakhurst, CA (Newsbytes Extra) On May 7, 90 students from Sierra Unified's Foothill Elementary School braved stormy weather and visited BLM Bakersfield's Fresno River site to experience life in the historic 1880s Grub Gulch Mining District.http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,28lb8,3xn3,226e,c5ia,1bct,ijo3 The California Desert Loses a True Friend (Newsbytes Extra) The Bureau of Land Management lost a very close friend and former BLM National Volunteer of the Year Award winner with the passing of Betty Zeller in April of this year. Betty and her husband, Dee, have lived onsite as camp hosts for the Big Morongo Preserve in Morongo Valley for over 15 years.http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,28lb8,3xn3,lsar,bab6,1bct,ijo3 Beautiful Views of the Cosumnes River Preserve for International Migratory Bird Day! (BLM Tumblr) The Cosumnes River Preserve is home to California's largest remaining valley oak riparian forest, and is one of the few protected wetland habitat areas in the state. http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,28lb8,3xn3,3g3r,1dh1,1bct,ijo3 BLM Trinity River Campgrounds Open May 20 (BLM News Release) With summer camping season just around the corner, the Bureau of Land Management has announced that Trinity River campgrounds will open Wednesday, May 20.The Douglas City Campground, west of Douglas City, offers 20 tent and trailer campsites and a riverbank beach. The Junction City Campground, west of Junction City, offers 22 tent and trailer sites. http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,28lb8,3xn3,ehe0,gkjr,1bct,ijo3 Fire Restrictions Now in Effect for Bakersfield Field Office (BLM News Release) In response to the increasing high fire danger, the Sequoia National Forest, Tule River Reservation and Bureau of Land Management Bakersfield Field Office have announced fire restrictions for federal and state-protected lands within several Central California counties effective May 6. http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,28lb8,3xn3,5o5k,85st,1bct,ijo3 Valley Agencies Ready Fire Season Declaration (The Fresno Bee, 5/14/2015) The Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, Cal Fire and the Kern County Fire Department will declare the start of the 2015 fire season Friday at the Kern County Fire Department Headquarters in Bakersfield. http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,28lb8,3xn3,e1vy,9aye,1bct,ijo3 Healthier Forests through Partnerships, Forest Service Says (Calaveras Enterprise, 5/12/2015) The U.S. Forest Service is heralding its partnerships with individuals and communities to promote healthier forests. It announced in April that 1.45 million acres of America's forests and watersheds, an area larger than Delaware, are healthier as a result of partnerships formed to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires. http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,28lb8,3xn3,lfww,g8v2,1bct,ijo3 BLM Wild Horse & Burro Program (BLM Facebook) Coming up May 15-16: a wild horse and burro adoption opportunity in Norco, California! http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,28lb8,3xn3,bjnc,51b4,1bct,ijo3 Thompson to Try Again to Change Federal Oversight of Lake Berryessa (Napa Valley Register, 5/10/2015) Rep. Mike Thompson will try again to switch federal agencies in charge of managing Lake Berryessa, and again he will have the support of Napa County. http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,28lb8,3xn3,ag0x,gai4,1bct,ijo3 BLM AND DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR HIGHTLIGHTS This Week at Interior (Video): May 15, 2015 (DOI Youtube) we remember the fallen, law enforcement officers who gave their lives in the call of duty; Secretary Jewell joins a panel at the White House Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Summit; our US Geological Survey monitors aftershocks in earthquake-ravaged Nepal -- plus, Every Kid in a Park gets a new ally and a new kid-designed website (soon).http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,28lb8,3xn3,inz0,2fkp,1bct,ijo3 The Original Rangers (DOI Website) One of the many things the passage of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 did to change the BLM into the agency we know today was to give the secretary of the Interior the authority to establish criminal regulations - and to hire law enforcement officers to enforce those laws. In short, it was the beginning of the BLM ranger program we have today. http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,28lb8,3xn3,xcm,8u8m,1bct,ijo3 California Drought Continues Unbathed (NBC Nightly News, 5/14/2015) reported that as California enters the "hottest months of the year," the drought is "only intensifying." http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,28lb8,3xn3,5fp1,jdzh,1bct,ijo3 WILDLIFE QUESTION OF THE WEEK What animals can be seen in the winter at the BLM Cache Creek Natural Area, steal the prey of osprey and aquatic mammals, and sometimes hunt and play together as a team? (a) brown bears (b) river otters (c) great blue herons (d) bald eagles (e) garter snakes ------> See answer near the end of this issue of News.bytes. UPCOMING EVENTS May 16: Native Plant Workshop set for Shelter Cove (BLM News Release) A workshop focusing on the importance of native plants and good selections for local gardens is planned for Saturday, May 16, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Resort Improvement District, 9126 Shelter Cove Rd., Shelter Cove.The free event includes talks, information displays, a plant identification walk, a Pampas grass pulling outing, activities for children and native plant sales. http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,28lb8,3xn3,6fxe,23jc,1bct,ijo3 May 28: Public Meeting Scheduled for Old Spanish National Historic Trail Recreation and Development Strategy (BLM News Release) The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Barstow Field Office, announces a public open house to assist in the preparation of the Old Spanish Trail Recreation and Development Strategy project. The open house will provide the public an opportunity to share any concerns and to provide comments. http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,28lb8,3xn3,mc52,i86t,1bct,ijo3 June 15-19: Volunteers Welcome for Archaeology Week Projects (BLM News Release) Opportunities to learn about archaeology and to try out archaeological field work are available June 15 through 19, when the Bureau of Land Management holds its second annual Archaeology Volunteer Week near Susanville. http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,28lb8,3xn3,6m5e,43c1,1bct,ijo3 WILDLIFE TRIVIA ANSWER What animals can be seen in the winter at the BLM Cache Creek Natural Area, steal the prey of osprey and aquatic mammals, and sometimes hunt and play together as a team? Answer:(d) bald eagles ! SOURCE: BLM California Wildlife Database (BLM Website) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,28lb8,3xn3,5olc,b41u,1bct,ijo3 RELATED: The Cornell Lab of Ornithology (Cornell Website): http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,28lb8,3xn3,707y,ehms,1bct,ijo3 RELATED: BLM Cache Creek Natural Area (BLM Website) This secluded, hilly expanse of oak woodlands, grasslands, and ... http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,28lb8,3xn3,ite5,6ley,1bct,ijo3
