ISSUE 754 - FEBRUARY 2, 2017 - Your Public Lands - Headlines and Highlights - BLM and DOI Highlights - Wildlife Question of the Week - Upcoming Events YOUR PUBLIC LANDS Where To Watch Elephant Seals Doing Their Annual Mating And Birthing Thing Along The NorCal And Central Coast SFist, January 26, 2017 It's that time of year again when colonies of elephant seals flock to one of several beaches along the California coast to mate, give birth, and cause a general ruckus. Sometimes called one of the ugliest animals on the planet because of adult males' floppy, trunk-like snouts, baby elephant seals are actually quite adorable, and this is prime time to catch them at their cutest, before they even learn how to swim. Read full story http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2qi88,3xn3,2uub,1ndm,1bct,ijo3 Related: Elephant seals from the California Coastal National Monument at Piedras Blancas (My Public Lands Tumblr) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2qi88,3xn3,h8xd,m2h2,1bct,ijo3 Celebrating World Wetlands Day! 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. (BLM California Facebook) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2qi88,3xn3,l1w9,gbk8,1bct,ijo3 Related: #WorldWetlandsDay on Facebook http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2qi88,3xn3,66ph,59ik,1bct,ijo3 Looking to go cross-country skiing? The Bizz Johnson National Recreation Trail is a great spot. Visitors shared their journey to the west tunnel from the Devil's Corral traihead and back this past week. This is a nice 3.5 mile down and back ski. If you want to ski through the entire lower Susan River Canyon, plan for 6 miles between Devil's Corral traihead and the Milller Road trailhead on the west edge of Susanville, California. (BLM California Facebook) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2qi88,3xn3,5p72,k5xt,1bct,ijo3 Related: Groomed nordic tracks on the Bizz Johnson Trail (BLM California Facebook) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2qi88,3xn3,kqqu,eo5k,1bct,ijo3 Video: Visit El Mirage Off-Highway Vehicle Area Check out this NEW video produced in partnership with the Friends of El Mirage. Big thanks to our partners from California State Parks, Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division, San Bernardino and Los Angeles Counties. (BLM California Facebook) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2qi88,3xn3,3f5x,65pl,1bct,ijo3 HEADLINES AND HIGHLIGHTS Big thanks to our volunteers for your assistance with trail maintenance and vegetation restoration in the Alabama Hills 25 volunteers from as far away as southern California attended, plus locals including 10 Lone Pine High School students. The project involved improvements to a segment of an 11 mile trail that features some of the finest scenery the area has to offer. After just a couple hours of work, the site underwent an amazing transformation. A special thank you to our partners from the Alabama Hills Stewardship Group. (BLM California Facebook) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2qi88,3xn3,c2vg,gc1f,1bct,ijo3 >From the Field: Fire Crews Conduct Prescribed Burn Crews from the California Desert Interagency Fire Program completed a prescribed burn in the Dos Palmas Preserve. The crews successfully ignited approximately 170 piles of invasive Tamarisk trees which had been cut and piled. (BLM California Facebook) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2qi88,3xn3,4mxm,j95p,1bct,ijo3 Desert Studies Award Given to Local Student Vincent Parsy is the recipient of the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument annual Desert Studies Award. Vincent, a fifth grade student at Ronald Reagan elementary school in Palm Desert, investigated the movement of natural soil by wind. His project was selected at the district science fair. (BLM California Facebook) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2qi88,3xn3,idfq,icvx,1bct,ijo3 BLM AND DOI HIGHLIGHTS Black History Month: Exploring African American Heritage at National Parks As America’s storyteller, the National Park Service preserves and interprets important places that teach us about our nation’s history and culture, so that future generations can learn from the past. The many African American heritage sites protected and maintained by the National Park Service honor the contributions African Americans made to the nation. (Department of Interior photo gallery) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2qi88,3xn3,6ax3,fooz,1bct,ijo3 It’s time to fall in love all over again! The Department of Interior needs your help with our annual Valentine’s Day video. Send your videos and photos of your weddings, proposals and romantic moments in national parks, wildlife refuges and other public lands to newmedia@xxxxxxxxxxx. Please identify the location, remove any watermarks and submit videos and photos no later than Monday, February 6, for a chance to be in our special Valentine’s Day video. (DOI Facebook) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2qi88,3xn3,9o8p,f2i9,1bct,ijo3 Related: If you have a love story involving BLM California-managed public lands, please share with us via Facebook messenger including location details and you may see your story shared. WILDLIFE QUESTION OF THE WEEK It's Groundhog Day! More weeks fo winter means time to burrow. True for false? Groundhogs use their burrows year-round for safety, resting and raising young. Keep reading for answer below. UPCOMING EVENTS Now - February 18: BLM Offering Guided Bald Eagle Hikes in National Monument The Bureau of Land Management will host free guided hikes to look for wintering bald eagles in the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument in Lake County on Saturdays, beginning January 21 and continuing through February 18. Those interested in participating should reserve space for a specific date by calling the BLM Ukiah Field Office, (707) 468-4000. Early reservations are requested for the popular hikes, which are limited to 25 participants each and fill quickly. (BLM News Release) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2qi88,3xn3,gfd6,j2lj,1bct,ijo3 February 3-11: BLM Issues Temporary Restricted Access for 2017 King of the Hammers Race Temporary restricted access to select public lands within the Johnson Valley Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area in San Bernardino County will be in place from February 3 to February 11 to accommodate the 2017 King of the Hammers desert racing event. Over 46,000 acres within the Johnson Valley OHV Recreation Area not utilized by the racing event will remain available to the public throughout the restriction period. The 2017 King of the Hammers event is expected to draw over 45,000 spectators. (BLM News Release) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2qi88,3xn3,3wsc,d6ln,1bct,ijo3 February 4: Star Wars Day Discover the Desert-Star Wars Day is back by popular demand. The Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area will be holding the event again on Saturday, February 4. Fees will be waived for those attending the event in Buttercup. (Imperial Sand Dunes Facebook) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2qi88,3xn3,lpxu,hsrf,1bct,ijo3 February 5, March 5 and April 9: Young Explorers program launched at Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument Two programs are combined to make this new Young Explorer program. Story hour and a map and compass class. RSVPs are required as space is limited to 14 in each class, please call (760) 862-9984. Participants must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. (BLM California Facebook) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2qi88,3xn3,fp2a,ccp6,1bct,ijo3 February 9 and 29: Public Invited to Provide Input for OHV Grant Proposals The Bureau of Land Management has announced the dates, times and locations of public meetings to provide input in the development of off-highway vehicle grant proposals for submission to the California State Parks, Off Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division. Proposed grant applications are currently being prepared by BLM staff for the 2016/2017 grant cycle. (BLM News Release) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2qi88,3xn3,6i0n,ir8l,1bct,ijo3 WILDLIFE QUESTION OF THE WEEK ANSWER True! Groundhogs live near rocky outcrops from valley bottoms to alpine tundra; they avoid dense forest. They are active mostly at dawn and dusk. The groundhog has claws which make it an exceptional digger. The Groundhog lives in an intricate system of underground burrows, which even includes a separate “bathroom” chamber! Their burrow systems can have between two and ten entrances, but the average is around five. They use their burrows all year round for resting, safety and raising young. (USFWS Fun Facts About Groundhogs) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2qi88,3xn3,loa6,hjhb,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/ Send Comments to the News.Bytes Team | Subscribe to News.Bytes | View our Privacy Policy To unsubscribe, send an email to: unsubscribe-183567@xxxxxxxxxxx
