News.Bytes, Bureau of Land Management California ISSUE 746 - OCTOBER 13, 2016 - Celebrating Your Public Lands - Headlines and Highlights - BLM and DOI Highlights - Wildlife Question of the Week - Upcoming Events CELEBRATING YOUR PUBLIC LANDS Big Thanks to a Hardworking Student Conservation Association Team On June 30, 2016, the BLM, Bishop Field Office secured a Financial Assistance Agreement with the Student Conservation Association, Inc. (SCA) for a maximum of five years. Part of the agreement was to help complete projects associated with a California Department of Parks and Recreation Ground Operations Off-High Vehicle (OHV) Grant. From September 11 through October 1, 2016, the SCA team, which consisted of four members, worked with the BLM Bishop Field Office. They were a fully self-contained crew and camped at the BLM Crowley Lake and Tuttle Creek Campgrounds. (News.Bytes story) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2ni1l,3xn3,gwib,7a9c,1bct,ijo3 Old Spanish Trail Day Celebration The 4th annual Old Spanish Trail Day Celebration kicked off Saturday, October 1 at the BLM’s Desert Discovery Center (DDC) with an action-packed day of presentations, live music, dancing, and hands-on history activities that engaged the entire community. Co-sponsored by the City of Barstow, National Park Service, Rose Foundation, Friends of Desert Discovery Center, Old Spanish Trail Association (OSTA), Bradco Companies, and the Barstow Community Hospital, the event drew more than 500 people. (News.Bytes story) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2ni1l,3xn3,g8q,fxsq,1bct,ijo3 Army Cadets Invade Owl Canyon for National Public Lands Day The drive to Owl Canyon Campground will take most people by surprise. After crossing the wide open expanse of the Mojave Desert near Barstow, one would not expect a canyon full of odd geologic formations and wild colors. Owl Canyon Campground is located inside what is known as the Rainbow Basin Natural Area. This “Natural Area” is managed by the BLM office in Barstow and is named for its array of colorful geological layers that are warped into what geologists call anticlines and synclines. (News.Bytes story) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2ni1l,3xn3,hqia,mfys,1bct,ijo3 National Public Lands Day Centennial Celebration at Afton Canyon On National Public Lands Day this year, a group of 22 Latinos from El Nuevo Comienzo took their first trip to Afton Canyon in the new Mojave Trails National Monument. (Hispanic Access Foundation blog) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2ni1l,3xn3,kj1n,83av,1bct,ijo3 Passion for Trails and Public Service Highlight Sierra Interagency OHV Workshop Cooler weather and spectacular scenery welcomed about 35 attendees to the 2016 Ranger Ride and OHV Workshop held on October 4-6, 2016 at the Hull Creek Campground. This annual interagency trail management event was coordinated by Don Amador of Quiet Warrior Racing (QWR) and the BlueRibbon Coalition/Sharetrails.org (BRC). The event was hosted by the Mi-Wok Ranger District on the Stanislaus National Forest. The group included OHV managers, trail specialists, line-officers, instructors, recreation staff, law enforcement officers, public affairs, field crew members, and private sector partners from the Eldorado National Forest, Sequoia National Forest, Stanislaus National Forest, Tahoe National Forest, BLM Eagle Lake Field Office, BLM Redding Field Office, BLM Ukiah Field Office, BLM CA State Office, CA State Parks OHMVR Division (OHMVRD), BlueRibbon Coalition/Sharetrails.org, Quiet Warrior Racing, Stewards of the Stanislaus National Forest, and Trails Unlimited LLC. (Quiet Warrior Racing blog) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2ni1l,3xn3,7iwu,9xc5,1bct,ijo3 HEADLINES AND HIGHLIGHTS Video: Internship Program Connects with the Future The Bureau of Land Management continues our commitment to diversifying the face of our agency via the Direct Hire Authority for Resource Assistant Internship Program. Meet Laura Brodhead, former intern and now Forest Ecologist for our Redding Field Office. Learn about an impressive partnership Laura has fostered with Humboldt State University, Bureau of Land Management - Oregon and the U.S. Forest Service. (BLM California Facebook) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2ni1l,3xn3,8oun,9gu4,1bct,ijo3 California State Director Swears In Desert District Manager Congratulations to Beth Ransel! Today, BLM California State Director Jerry Perez conducted the swearing in ceremony making Beth officially the new California Desert District (CDD) Manager. “I look forward to working with the public and our partners on the important natural resource challenges facing the California Desert District,” Ransel said. “I am committed to ensuring opportunities for robust public engagement and taking a collaborative management approach to caring for our public lands.” (BLM California Facebook) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2ni1l,3xn3,88pa,lhpf,1bct,ijo3 Related: California Desert District Welcomes New Managers (BLM News Release) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2ni1l,3xn3,dzjd,56pv,1bct,ijo3 Ancient Desert Rings | Commentary by Linda Castro SCV News, October 13, 2016 If you take a trip to or through the desert, you will likely see this plant as you drive down the road. Most people can identify it – the creosote bush (Larrea tridentata), otherwise known as greasewood… Creosote bush rings are considered rare and “sensitive” by federal and state agencies and scientific communities, but they have not been given the protection of the state or federal endangered species acts. The Bureau of Land Management has chosen to protect a fairly large concentration of these rings in an area called the Soggy Dry Lake Creosote Rings Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC). This area is located east of Lucerne Valley and north of Highway 247 and abuts the Johnson Valley Off Highway Vehicle Area. Read full story http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2ni1l,3xn3,1ysx,h12,1bct,ijo3 Thousands of Native American artifacts off-limits at San Bernardino County Museum The Press Enterprise, October 7, 2016 More that 3,500 Native American artifacts taken from an ancient, lakeside village site on public land in eastern Riverside County remain boxed up and off-limits to the public inside a public museum. For more than a year, the public and the news media have not been allowed to see them, and it is not clear when the artifacts will be accessible to the public… The federal Bureau of Land Management has denied repeated requests for a reporter and a photographer to view and take pictures of the artifacts. The agency instead provided government photographs showing what a spokesman for the agency described as “the types of artifacts collected at the Genesis project site.”… Read full story http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2ni1l,3xn3,ejgp,ehi1,1bct,ijo3 BLM AND DOI HIGHLIGHTS Matthew Allen Named BLM Communications Director The Bureau of Land Management today announced it has selected Matthew Allen as the Assistant Director for Communications, a key leadership position based in its Washington, D.C., headquarters. Allen is currently a spokesman for the Office of the Secretary of Defense and will join the BLM on Monday, October 17. He brings a broad public affairs background, including experience within natural resource issues, to his new position. (BLM News Release) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2ni1l,3xn3,913e,e8et,1bct,ijo3 >From the Front Line to the Fire Line: Veterans Train to become Wildland Firefighters For the past two years, the Bureau of Land Management, in partnership with the Department of Interior and Team Rubicon, has been conducting a wildland firefighter training sessions throughout the country for military veterans. The training sessions educate Team Rubicon members in wildland fire suppression tactics, including communication techniques, fireline construction, equipment operation, and other critical wildland firefighting skills. Other sessions have been held in Colorado, California, Texas, Georgia, Washington and Maryland. (My Public Lands Tumblr) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2ni1l,3xn3,79fm,kcz7,1bct,ijo3 Related: Another Great Year for the Folsom Lake Veterans’ Fire Crew (My Public Lands Tumblr) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2ni1l,3xn3,1k3y,bok1,1bct,ijo3 Elko County Ranchers Receive 2 of 4 National Rangeland Stewardship Awards The Moris and the Shoesole Resource Management Group have been grazing permittees on public land for 20 plus years. All involved were recently recognized with 2016 Rangeland Stewardship awards given by the Bureau of Land Management. These awards recognize the dedication to the health and productivity of public rangelands that the BLM manages. The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land. Every year, four awards are given and this year two of the four awards were given to Elko County ranchers. (My Public Lands Tumblr) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2ni1l,3xn3,1pq6,kk84,1bct,ijo3 Interior and USDA Officials Announce New Partnerships to Support Water Management and Conservation in the Yakima River Basin Deputy Secretary of the Interior Michael L. Connor and Deputy Under Secretary for U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources and Environment Ann Mills today concluded a two-day visit to the Yakima River Basin where they met with local stakeholders, including the Yakama Nation, to assess progress on several projects associated with the Yakima River Basin Integrated Water Resource Management Plan. (Department of Interior News Release) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2ni1l,3xn3,5xd7,55tl,1bct,ijo3 Obama Administration Exceeds Ambitious Goal to Restore 500,000 Acres of Tribal Homelands U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs Lawrence S. “Larry” Roberts announced that the Obama Administration has exceeded its goal of placing half a million acres of tribal homelands into trust for federally recognized tribes. (Department of Interior News Release) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2ni1l,3xn3,f9r4,jie5,1bct,ijo3 Flight of Fancy: 12 Amazing Birds Birds are all around, connecting people with nature and adding beauty, sound and color to our world. While this allows us to have a wildlife experience every day (no matter where we are), public lands like National Wildlife Refuges are often set aside specifically to protect birds and other wildlife. Many refuges and parks also offer guided bird walks with experts who can offer tips for bird watching and identification to make the experience even more enjoyable. Throughout 2016, we’re celebrating the centennial of the Migratory Bird Treaty and 100 years of bird conservation. The treaty was the first international effort to protect birds, wherever they fly. (Department of Interior blog) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2ni1l,3xn3,bmzw,2uhg,1bct,ijo3 Secretary Jewell Joins National Park Service and Gill Foundation to Announce Release of First National Study on LGBTQ History U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell joined National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis and Tim Gill, philanthropist and founder of the Gill Foundation to announce the release of a new National Park Service theme study identifying places and events associated with the history of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer-identified Americans. The release of the theme study coincides with National Coming Out Day, a commemoration first celebrated in 1988 on the anniversary of the 1987 March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights. (Department of Interior News Release) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2ni1l,3xn3,4lz0,ebc5,1bct,ijo3 WILDLIFE QUESTION OF THE WEEK What is the California State Fish? a) Delta smelt b) Golden trout c) Chinook salmon d) Kelp Bass e) Surfperch Keep reading for answer below. UPCOMING EVENTS October 14-15: BLM Hosts Anniversary Celebration of Founding Legislation The public is invited to attend a celebration hosted by the Bureau of Management, California Desert District, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) on Friday, October 14. This year the agency celebrates two significant milestones: the 70th anniversary of the BLM's creation and the 40th anniversary of FLPMA, a federal law that provided direction for the BLM to sustain the health, diversity and productivity of America's public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. FLPMA holds special significance for areas in the California desert because the law directly established the California Desert Conservation Area (CDCA), more than 10 million acres of public land in the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts. (BLM News Release) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2ni1l,3xn3,ggnj,6lpa,1bct,ijo3 Related: BLM Desert Advisory Council Schedules October Public Meeting (BLM News Release) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2ni1l,3xn3,dl3h,98g0,1bct,ijo3 October 14-15: BLM Desert Advisory Council Schedules October Public Meeting The next field trip and meeting of the Bureau of Land Management's California Desert Advisory Council (DAC) will be held October 14-15, 2016. The council will participate in a Federal Lands Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) 40th Anniversary celebration in lieu of a field tour of BLM-managed public lands on Friday, October 14, 2016. On Saturday, October 15, 2016 the DAC will meet in formal session from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the University of California, Riverside Extension Center, Conference Rooms D-E, located at 1200 University Avenue, Riverside, CA. Members of the public are welcome. (BLM News Release) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2ni1l,3xn3,mxc,flij,1bct,ijo3 October 15: Keysville Gala Planned The Bureau of Land Management and Keepers of the Kern will sponsor a historical gala October 15 in honor of the 160th anniversary of Keysville. The program, a celebration of National Public Lands Day and California Archaeology Month, will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Keysville Special Recreation Management Area North Entrance near the town of Lake Isabella. (BLM News Release) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2ni1l,3xn3,kr01,bmbt,1bct,ijo3 October 17-30: Construction Work Planned at Rice Canyon OHV Area Construction using heavy equipment is scheduled to run Oct. 17-30 at the Rice Canyon Off-Highway Vehicle Area near Susanville. Additional work such as facility placement and trail maintenance will take place throughout November. Visitors are asked to use caution when riding or otherwise using the area. (BLM News Release) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2ni1l,3xn3,2x50,1zjn,1bct,ijo3 October 20-21: BLM Central California Advisory Council Plans Meeting in El Dorado Hills A proposed campground fee increase for the Bishop Field Office will be considered when the Bureau of Land Management's Central California Resource Advisory Council meets October 20-21 in El Dorado Hills. A tour of tree mortality areas in the Mother Lode Field Office will be held from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. onThursday, October 20, followed by a business meeting from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Mother Lode Field Office, 5152 Hillsdale Circle, El Dorado Hills. Time for public comment is reserved from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. The RAC will reconvene beginning at 8 a.m. on Friday, October 21, until business is concluded, no later than noon. (BLM News Release) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2ni1l,3xn3,i3t4,kwe,1bct,ijo3 October 21: BLM Hosts Open House at New Redding Office The Bureau of Land Management will host an open house October 21 from 10 a.m. to noon at its new Redding Office, 6640 Lockheed Drive. The open house program will include a ribbon cutting, refreshments and speakers celebrating the Federal Land Policy and Management Act 40th Anniversary. (BLM News Release) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2ni1l,3xn3,4hcz,jctq,1bct,ijo3 October 22: Honor Our Fallen 5K and 10K Race/Walk as a “competitor” or “volunteer” Join community supporters and participate in the Honor Our Fallen 5K and 10K Race/Walk as a “competitor” or “volunteer”. Event helps support programs for Gold Star Family members and is hosted by the U.S. Army’s Morale, Welfare and Recreation program. Please register in advance as a “volunteer” or “participant” at www.active.com. (Honor Our Fallen- A Run to Remember 10K Facebook event) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2ni1l,3xn3,bzj,562r,1bct,ijo3 October 23: Monterey Off Road Cycling Association Monthly Trail Work Join volunteers at Fort Ord National Monument and lend a hand in collecting native plant seed working in a beautiful setting. Volunteers will enjoy free lunch and entertainment at the intersection of Jack’s Road and Skyline Road (Lightfighter LZ) following the project. (Monterey Off Road Cycling Association website) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2ni1l,3xn3,gv19,fau6,1bct,ijo3 Related: National Make a Difference Day and National Public Lands Day at Fort Ord (BLM California Facebook event) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2ni1l,3xn3,jdti,5r8m,1bct,ijo3 WILDLIFE QUESTION OF THE WEEK ANSWER What is the California State Fish? b) Golden trout The California golden trout (Salmo agua-bonita) was designated the official state fish of California in 1947. The golden trout is native to California, originally found only in a few icy streams of the headwaters of the Kern River. Hatchery-raised fish have now extended the range of the golden trout to many waters at high elevation in the Sierra Nevadas and also other states. (State Symbols USA) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2ni1l,3xn3,l08b,lip6,1bct,ijo3 Related: Golden trout rescued from high Sierra creek (KCRA 3) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2ni1l,3xn3,1vsq,kwkh,1bct,ijo3 News.Bytes is a publication of the Bureau of Land Management California. Bureau of Land Management California State Office 2800 Cottage Way, Suite W1623 Sacramento, Ca 95825 (916) 978-4600 www.blm.gov/ca/
