News.Bytes, Bureau of Land Management California ISSUE 758 - MARCH 9, 2017 - Track the Bloom - Women's History Month - Headlines and Highlights - BLM and DOI Highlights - Wildlife Question of the Week - Upcoming Events TRACK THE BLOOM Track the Bloom Campaign Kicks Off TODAY Hey, public lands visitors! The Bureau of Land Management in California, Nevada and Arizona want to share YOUR #superbloom photos from this epic year of precip. Help us #TracktheBloom by submitting your wildflower photos from BLM-managed public lands on our social media platforms below. We will be featuring photo contributions on our channels as the flowers bloom. Happy photographing. (details on My Public Lands Tumblr) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2rn54,3xn3,ep8a,75t3,1bct,ijo3 Related: This desert in the Southwest is experiencing a wildflower ‘superbloom’ (The Washington Post) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2rn54,3xn3,dtil,6zvt,1bct,ijo3 Related: California Today: Awaiting a Wildflower Explosion (The New York Times) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2rn54,3xn3,dz79,7myv,1bct,ijo3 Related: In Pictures: Death Valley’s Wildflower ‘Super Bloom’ (Travel + Leisure) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2rn54,3xn3,d3li,7pq7,1bct,ijo3 #MeetUsonRoute66 for an InstaMeet at Mojave Trails National Monument We are hosting our first InstaMeet on the @mypubliclands Instagram – Partners and our social media followers are invited to Amboy Crater on Saturday, March 18 at 4:30 pm Pacific to capture what is promising to be a great bloom in the desert. BLM staff will be on hand to talk about the history of Amboy Crater, the Mojave Trails National Monument, Route 66 and the importance of community in supporting public lands management. You won't want to miss this opportunity to photograph the dynamic contrast of wildflowers and black lava at the iconic landscape featured along Route 66. (BLM California Facebook) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2rn54,3xn3,1qvm,ffpo,1bct,ijo3 Great day for the Coachella Valley Wildflower Festival at Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument! Coordinated by Friends of the Desert Mountains, the National Monument's friends group, this Festival celebrated the arrival of wildflower season in the California desert. Activities included a kids zone, food and art vendors, educational booths, climbing wall, 5k fun run, guided interpretive hikes, Smokey Bear and much more. (BLM California Facebook) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2rn54,3xn3,8tbb,kcm,1bct,ijo3 WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH 2017 Women's Climbing Festival What a great way to celebrate Women's History Month, ladies enjoying BLM-managed public lands for the 2017 Women's Climbing Festival! If you like to climb, boulder, camp or just explore you'll love the Volcanic Tablelands and Pleasant Valley Pit campground near Bishop, California. (BLM California Facebook) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2rn54,3xn3,80du,e6ez,1bct,ijo3 Happy Women's History Month This March, the Bureau of Land Management is sharing stories from Women Who Hike, a community of women who love to hike and explore public lands! Head on over to @mypubliclands on Instagram to see the latest #WomenWednesday post! (My Public Lands Instagram) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2rn54,3xn3,gx8d,eesj,1bct,ijo3 International Women’s Day Say hello to Kathleen Clarke, the Bureau of Land Management’s first female director from 2001 to 2006! Clarke came to the BLM from her home state of Utah, where she was Utah’s Department of Natural Resources Executive Director and Deputy Director. The Bureau of Land Management administers 245 million surface acres for multiple-use across the United States, and BLM Utah manages 23 million surface acres. (My Public Lands Tumblr) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2rn54,3xn3,ehfw,8dso,1bct,ijo3 Women’s History Month: Breaking the Glass Ceiling at Interior March is Women’s History Month, and we’re honoring just a few of the notable women who broke the glass ceiling at Interior. Some of their accomplishments have been chronicled previously and others are not well known. Learn what first inspired them to go where other women had not dared -- or had not been allowed -- to venture. (Department of Interior blog) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2rn54,3xn3,hacp,hlgs,1bct,ijo3 Related: Trailblazing Women: National Historical Sites Honoring Women (Department of Interior blog) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2rn54,3xn3,8psf,14rw,1bct,ijo3 HEADLINES AND HIGHLIGHTS Forestry Students Head West to the Mountains and the Trees This winter the Yale-BLM Western Forest Crew completed its inaugural season with the Mother Lode Field Office in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Comprised of four graduate students from the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, the crew spent their entire winter break working with BLM Forestry on issues related to the current bark beetle epidemic centered in the Mother Lode region of California. (My Public Lands Tumblr) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2rn54,3xn3,g0i7,8zz2,1bct,ijo3 4th Annual San Joaquin River Trail Half Marathon and 10K San Joaquin Running held their 4th Annual San Joaquin River Trail Half Marathon and 10K on Saturday. All runners finished successfully! The marathon features an approximate 2,500' of elevation gain, with over 90% single track trail taking you through the spectacular San Joaquin River Gorge Special Recreation Management Area. The 10K Fun Run crosses the San Joaquin River suspension bridge. Information on this race and the scheduled San Joaquin River Trail 50K & 100K Run (scheduled Nov. 18, 2017) can be found at: sanjoaquinrunning.com/sjrthalf (BLM California Facebook) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2rn54,3xn3,71vd,89ec,1bct,ijo3 The Outdoor Project featured Trona Pinnacles! A visit to the Trona Pinnacles will be a journey into one of the most unusual geologic wonders in the California desert. This unique landscape consists of more than 500 tufa (calcium carbonate) pinnacles rising from the bed of the Searles Dry Lake basin. These tufa spires, some as high as 140 feet, were formed underwater 10,000 to 100,000 years ago when Searles Lake formed a link in an interconnected chain of Pleistocene lakes stretching from Mono Lake to Death Valley. (Outdoor Project) Travel Update: Road closure on National Trails Highway The County of San Bernardino Department of Public Works will be constructing two new bridges and road improvements on National Trails Highway (Route 66) at Dola Ditch (2.08 miles east of Kelbaker Road) and Lanzit Ditch (2.77 miles east of Kelbaker Road), east of the community of Amboy. The construction will include removing the existing timber bridges and constructing new timber bridges. (BLM California Facebook) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2rn54,3xn3,d1k0,akn0,1bct,ijo3 BLM AND DOI HIGHLIGHTS Beautiful public land hidden gems from @Interior The US Department of the Interior manages everything from national parks to wildlife refuges to public lands, so who better to ask about America's hidden gems [including many BLM-managed public lands]? (USA TODAY) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2rn54,3xn3,etqd,ju9v,1bct,ijo3 Secretary Zinke to Visit Regional DOI Offices, Meet with Local Stakeholders Secretary Zinke will meet with leadership from the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and other agencies, as well as local and Tribal governments and stakeholders. More stops may be announced. (Department of Interior News Release) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2rn54,3xn3,csyq,er4m,1bct,ijo3 Secretary Zinke Announces Proposed 73-Million Acre Oil and Natural Gas Lease Sale for Gulf of Mexico Lease Sale 249 will include about 13,725 unleased blocks, located from three to 230 miles offshore, in the Gulf’s Western, Central and Eastern planning areas in water depths ranging from nine to more than 11,115 feet (three to 3,400 meters). (Department of Interior News Release) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2rn54,3xn3,mc6k,gio8,1bct,ijo3 WILDLIFE QUESTION OF THE WEEK What is the black oystercatcher’s favorite food? Keep reading for answer below. UPCOMING EVENTS Now - May 19: Redding Mayor's Mountain Bike Challenge Don't miss Redding's first local Mountain Bike Challenge uniting current and new bicyclists in a friendly self-competition highlighting a diverse trail system. (Healthy Shasta website) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2rn54,3xn3,g1pc,cb22,1bct,ijo3 Related: Mountain Bike Challenge promo video http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2rn54,3xn3,2yd9,1qed,1bct,ijo3 March 11: Habitat Restoration at Fort Ord National Monument Since 1994, Return of the Natives (R.O.N.) has worked with community volunteers and the Bureau of Land Management to restore and revitalize Fort Ord. Everyone is welcome for this habitat restoration event! A great family activity that is FREE. Tools, water, and great snacks provided. Wear sturdy footwear and plenty of layers. Bring your community service forms to earn hours. (R.O.N. Facebook event) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2rn54,3xn3,hu6b,ko3v,1bct,ijo3 March 12, 18 and 26: BLM Hosting Nature Hikes to Alabama Hills Movie Locations The Bureau of Land Management, Alabama Hills Stewardship Group and Eastern Sierra Interpretive Association will host guided hikes in March on the film history and natural history of the Alabama Hills. Film history hikes will be heldMarch 4 and 26. There have been more than 400 movies and countless commercials filmed in the Alabama Hills. Participants will hear interesting and amusing stories about numerous productions as they explore the camera locations. (BLM News Release) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2rn54,3xn3,38ec,3t95,1bct,ijo3 March 19: #MeetUsonRoute66 for an InstaMeet at Mojave Trails National Monument We are hosting our first InstaMeet – Partners and our social media followers are invited to Amboy Crater on Saturday, March 18 at 4:30 pm Pacific to capture what is promising to be a great bloom in the desert. BLM staff will be on hand to talk about the history of Amboy Crater, the Mojave Trails National Monument, Route 66 and the importance of community in supporting public lands management. You won't want to miss this opportunity to photograph the dynamic contrast of wildflowers and black lava at the iconic landscape featured along Route 66. (BLM California Facebook) March 19: Talk will Focus on Elusive Mountain Lions, Fishers An opportunity to learn about mountain lions and fishers, among the most elusive wildlife species on the North Coast, will be offered in a free lecture at 3 p.m.,Sunday, March 19, at the Redwood Playhouse in Garberville. (BLM News Release) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2rn54,3xn3,2dw4,l3rm,1bct,ijo3 April 3: USFS and BLM 2017 Off-Highway Vehicle Grant Applications are Available for Public Comment The Inyo National Forest and the Bureau of Land Management Bishop Field Office have submitted to the California State Parks Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation (OHMVR) preliminary applications for grant funds to enhance and manage motorized recreation. The agencies invite public comments on the preliminary grant applications. Comments should be submitted directly through the division website and sent to the responsible agency anytime from March 7 to April 3, 2017. (BLM News Release) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2rn54,3xn3,28t4,hd0f,1bct,ijo3 Related: Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Proposals (BLM website) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2rn54,3xn3,h95b,b7qk,1bct,ijo3 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,2rn54,3xn3,lo0q,9s6i,1bct,ijo3 April 16 and May 6, 13 and 27: Bureau of Land Management Guided Hikes Planned for April/May in Pine Hill Preserve The Bureau of Land Management’s Pine Hill Preserve, located in the Cameron Park area, El Dorado County, will offer three guided-plant tours and a bird tour in April/May in different areas of the preserve. The tours, led by volunteer naturalists, are free and open to the public. There is a limit of 25 participants per plant tour and 20 participants for the bird tour. Each plant tour will focus on the diverse and rare plants growing within the chaparral and oak woodland ecosystems. (BLM News Release) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2rn54,3xn3,cdf5,48j1,1bct,ijo3 April 22: BLM Reopens its Desert Discovery Center The BLM has scheduled activities associated with the reopening of its Desert Discovery Center upon completion of renovations that began last fall. While finishing touches are taking place inside, the Center school programs have already started and the center will reopen to the public on Tuesday, February 28. The public is encouraged to visit the center from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday to Saturday. A grand reopening celebration will take place on Earth Day, Saturday, April 22. (BLM News Release) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2rn54,3xn3,10cg,expt,1bct,ijo3 WILDLIFE QUESTION OF THE WEEK ANSWER What is the black oystercatcher’s favorite food? This bird actually prefers limpets and mussels to oysters. (see more wildlife trivia on the My Public Lands Tumblr) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2rn54,3xn3,i0pd,fnsp,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/
