BLM California News.bytes Issue 707

Title: Untitled Document

Eagle Lake Area of Critical Environmental Concern
ISSUE 707 - JANUARY 14, 2015
- BLM California Welcomes New State Director  - Explore America's Great Outdoors - Forestry and Wildfire - Headlines and Highlights - BLM and DOI Highlights - Wildlife Question of the Week - Upcoming Events
BLM CALIFORNIA WELCOMES NEW STATE DIRECTOR
	BLM California Welcomes Jerry Perez New State Director Jerry Perez is now on board for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in California. Perez started in his new position on Jan. 11, succeeding California State Director Jim Kenna who recently retired in October 2015.  (BLM News.bytes)
EXPLORE AMERICA'S GREAT OUTDOORS
Trail Mix for Jan. 14: Celebrate MLK Day at a National Park Fresno Bee, Jan. 13, 2016 The Central California Off-Road Cyclists will have their annual “I Have a Dream” Ride at 9:30 a.m. Monday. Riders will meet at San Joaquin River Gorge, taking the Pa’san Ridge and Wu-ki’o Trails for an out-and-back ride of about 15 miles. It is an intermediate to advanced ride and self-supported. The daily parking fee will be waived at San Joaquin River Gorge and all Bureau of Land Management public lands in honor of MLK Day.  (Read full story)
	Ten Great Places To Go Birding in The California Desert BLM-managed public lands at Afton Canyon and Big Morongo Canyon are included in this list. (BLM Facebook)
	Featured Ride: Paradise Royale Loop Leslie Kehmeier, MTB Project Mapping Manager, calls this ride a “Superb MTB optimized backcountry experience on the Lost Coast…with a descent that seems to go on for eternity”. (BLM Facebook) RELATED:  Paradise Royale Trail (BLM Website)
	Imperial Sand Dunes: Fee-free MLK weekend and clean-up Martin Luther King Jr. weekend is a fee free weekend at the Imperial Sand Dunes, and while your there, join the 19th Annual Dunes Cleanup day on Saturday. (BLM Facebook) RELATED:  Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area (BLM Website)
	Eagle Lake Area of Critical Environmental Concern  Having no natural surface outlet, Eagle Lake is a closed basin lake with its water levels fluctuating with variations of inflow. As temperatures drop below freezing, fascinating ice formations are created on the surface. (DOI Facebook) RELATED:  Eagle Lake (BLM Website)
FORESTRY AND WILDFIRE
	Calaveras Hillsides damaged in Butte Fire holding firm against wet weather ABC10 News, Sacramento, Jan. 6, 2016 It’s still very early in the rainy season, but so far hillsides in the Butte fire zone are holding firm. That fire burned about 70,000 acres in both Amador and Calaveras counties in September. There was great concern that mudslides would happen once heavy rains moved through. After several storms, there was very little damage.  (Read full story)
	U.S. Wildfires just set an amazing and troubling new record Washington Post, Jan. 6, 2016 Last year’s wildfire season set a record with more than 10 million acres burned. That’s more land than Maryland, the District and Delaware combined. More than half the total was the result of mega-fires in Alaska, where dryness due to historically low mountain snowpack and a freak lightning storm created perfect conditions for a huge blaze. The nation’s overall toll was about 4 million acres more than the yearly average, scorching a record set in 2006. (Read full story)
	Scientists say Sierra forests need thinning Calaveras Enterprise, Jan. 11, 2016 Scientists say that 10 years of study completed in December convinced them that the U.S. Forest Service should proceed with aggressive forest -thinning projects in the Sierra Nevada. But other major obstacles remain to managing fire risk in the Sierra Nevada, one of which is that the Forest Services doesn’t own all the land. In places like Calaveras County...private forests are interspersed with those managed by the U.S. Forest Service, state agencies and the federal Bureau of Land Management… (Read full story)
HEADLINES AND HIGHLIGHTS
	Offer Extended – 2016 Calendar! We have extended our Free offer for a 2016 Calendar.  Hurry while supplies last! (BLM Website)
	300 Riders Participate in Chappie-Shasta OHV Event Nearly 300 riders rang in the new year by riding the trails in the Chappie-Shasta Off Highway Vehicle Area in an annual poker run sponsored by the Redding Dirt Riders. (News.bytes Extra) RELATED:  Chappie-Shasta Off-Highway Vehicle Area (BLM YouTube)
	Partners Helping to Restore Grasslands at Prosper Ridge A team of hard working partners  recently planted thousands of grass plants on a coastal prairie overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Northern California,  contributing to an ongoing effort to restore 850 acres of grassland that has been impacted by encroaching shrubs and Douglas-fir trees. (News.bytes Extra)
A new monument at the Pacific Crest Trail southern terminus In a long-planned and well-choreographed action, PCTA volunteers erected the [Pacific Crest] trail’s new southern terminus monument. The old one had been showing its age.  (PCTA.org)
BLM AND DOI HIGHLIGHTS
This Week at Interior, January 15, 2016 This week: a final State of the Union address from President Obama; Interior launches a comprehensive review of the federal coal program; Secretary Jewell travels to Indian Country, highlighting the Administration's goal to better serve Native youth, restore tribal homelands and support economic opportunities; Monday's Martin Luther King Jr. holiday marks the year's first fee free day, and a day of service; Secretary Jewell travels to Africa next week, continuing the American effort to fight wildlife trafficking; and it's the annual White House "Big Block of Cheese" Day. (DOI YouTube)
#FindYourPark: Secretary Jewell shares her story Secretary Jewell found her park as a tot. Over the years, she's built a life-long connection to Mount Rainier National Park in Washington. The National Park Service has been around for 100 years, protecting America's special places.  (DOI YouTube)
Oregon standoff: Militants say they'll reveal exit plan Friday The Oregonian, Jan. 12, 2016 The armed militants occupying the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge announced Tuesday morning that they will drive into Burns at the end of the week to hold a community meeting and inform residents when they will leave.  (Read full story)
Secretary Jewell Launches Comprehensive Review of Federal Coal Program The Obama administration, in the first major review of the country's coal program in three decades, on Friday ordered a pause on issuing coal-mining leases on federal land as part of new executive actions to fight climate change. (DOI Press Release)
U.S. halts new coal leases on federal land, first review in decades Reuters, Jan. 15, 2016 The Obama administration, in the first major review of the country's coal program in three decades, on Friday ordered a pause on issuing coal-mining leases on federal land as part of new executive actions to fight climate change. (Read full story)
Obama announces moratorium on new federal coal leases The Washington Post, Jan. 125 2016 Interior Secretary Sally Jewell announced the temporary halt, saying it was time for a re-examination of the decades-old coal-leasing program, from health and environmental impacts to whether U.S. citizens are getting a fair return for the hundreds of millions of tons of government-owned coal that are mined and sold each year.  (Read full story)
WILDLIFE QUESTION OF THE WEEK
	What am I? What is a Vermilion Flycatcher? a) a brightly-colored frog with a quick tongue b) a brightly-colored lizard that can snatch insects out of the air c) a small bird that often wags its tail d) a semitropical plant with a pouch that catches bugs e) a pest control device sold at hardware stores Keep reading for answer below
UPCOMING EVENTS
	January 16: Bald Eagle Hike  Reserve your place on a BLM bald eagle hike. Hikes are Saturdays beginning January 16 in Cache Creek Natural Area.  (BLM Website)
	January 16: Alabama Hills Trail & Vegetation Restoration Volunteer Project  Volunteer for a trail project and vegetation restoration this Saturday at the Shark Fin in California's amazing Alabama Hills. (BLM News Release)
January 16: Imperial Sand Dunes Cleanup  Join us at the 19th Annual Dunes Cleanup on Saturday, January 16, 2016. (BLM ISDRA Facebook)
January 15-18: Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area goes "Fee Free" for Holiday Weekend The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area in Imperial County will be fee free from Fri., Jan. 15 through Mon., Jan. 18, 2016, in observance of the Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) holiday weekend. Permits will not be required to enjoy the sand dunes recreation area. (BLM News Release)
January 23: "Visit the Planet of Tatooine" Star Wars – Discover the Desert Day  Join us at the Buttercup Ranger Station in the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area for a screening of Star Wars, tours to the film site, an art show and family friendly activities from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. (BLM News Release and BLM ISDRA Facebook)
February 5-7: Wild Horse &Burro Adoption in Pomona Six to ten gentled horses and six gentled burros will be available for adoption by oral bid auction. (BLM News Release)
WILDLIFE QUESTION OF THE WEEK ANSWER
What am I? What is a Vermilion Flycatcher? ANSWER: c) a small bird that often wags its tail SOURCE:  Vermilion flycatcher Pyrocephalus rubinus (U.S. Geological Survey website) Includes several photos of both males and females, identification tips, maps of their range and more.