News.Bytes, Bureau of Land Management California ISSUE 761 - MARCH 5, 2017 - Track the Bloom - From the Field - Headlines and Highlights - BLM and DOI Highlights - Wildlife Question of the Week - Upcoming Events TRACK THE BLOOM Track the Bloom Campaign 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. (My Public Lands Tumblr) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2sh59,3xn3,6nld,ge3a,1bct,ijo3 Related: #TracktheBloom on Facebook and #TracktheBloom on Twitter http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2sh59,3xn3,bngw,g9al,1bct,ijo3 http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2sh59,3xn3,lqrm,irnd,1bct,ijo3 Related: California's superbloom has totally outdone Texas' bluebonnets (Houston Chronicle) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2sh59,3xn3,a4x2,ljbr,1bct,ijo3 Related: Wildflower ‘Superbloom’ Means a Banquet for Desert Creatures (KQED News) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2sh59,3xn3,gsae,jau3,1bct,ijo3 Related: California's desert wildflower explosion draws record crowds (AP News) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2sh59,3xn3,k2yl,jb0k,1bct,ijo3 Carrizo Plain is Indescribable The superbloom has migrated north to California's Central Valley, and the show is simply indescribable at the Carrizo Plain National Monument. The Valley floor has endless expanses of yellows and purples from coreopsis, tidy tips and phacelia, with smaller patches of dozens of other species. Not to be outdone, the Temblor Range is painted with swaths of wildlflowers in oranges yellow and purple like something out of a storybook. Visitors are flocking to the area to see this explosion of color, and travelers should be prepared with a full tank of gas as there are no services in the monument. (BLM California Facebook) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2sh59,3xn3,97bt,5gqu,1bct,ijo3 Related: Southern California Super Bloom Migrates North of Los Angeles (ABC 7) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2sh59,3xn3,ascj,99oe,1bct,ijo3 Related: Majestic ‘Super Bloom’ Migrates North to Central California (KTLA News) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2sh59,3xn3,bah8,kl3z,1bct,ijo3 FROM THE FIELD Bona Fide Rights at the Bridge to Nowhere On the upper reaches of the East Fork of the San Gabriel River, 4 1/2 miles from the nearest road, sits a highway bridge over a deep span of the river. It is just south of the steepest river gorge in Southern California, called the Narrows. It is the Bridge to Nowhere. The bridge was completed in 1936 by Los Angeles County highway engineers as part of the Camp Bonita-Forks Road project... The bridge has been used since the early 1990s by a company know as Bungee America. It is one of the few Bungee jumping operations which utilize a bridge for a platform in the country. Herein lies the surveying dilemma. The owner of Bungee America had claimed to own the bridge. The U.S. Forest Service disputed that, based on county records, and requested the Bureau of Land Management to execute a dependent resurvey of the necessary aliquot parts to settle the questions. (The American Surveyor, page 26) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2sh59,3xn3,6k31,c8yg,1bct,ijo3 Volunteers Help Make Trail Maintenance Possible Volunteers worked with BLM last weekend along a 2.2 mile section from the Mountain King Mine down to the North Fork of the Merced River. The group was able to remove rocks, trees and debris from the whole trail section. There was one larger rock slide that covered portions of the trail so the group built a trail up and over the slide. (BLM California Facebook) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2sh59,3xn3,1tzu,ls3x,1bct,ijo3 Wildlife and the Role of Prescribed Fire Wildland fire managers use prescribed fires as a way to protect habitat. This may seem counterintuitive, but prescribed fires serve several important functions; they reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires by limiting fuel, restore important habitat and help maintain habitat that is currently healthy. Fire management staff initiate controlled fires in fire dependent habitats that are made up of plants and wildlife that have developed adaptations to a regular and natural fire cycle. (USFWS Medium) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2sh59,3xn3,e4nv,atqu,1bct,ijo3 HEADLINES AND HIGHLIGHTS Physical Fitness Park Dedicated to Memory of U.S. Forest Service Fallen Smokejumper Over 125 people celebrated the opening of the Luke Sheehy Memorial Fitness Park in the Bureau of Land Management Swasey Recreation Area near Redding, California today. The Park is a lasting tribute to Luke Sheehy, a U.S. Forest Service Smokejumper who died in the line of duty and is dedicated to all wildland firefighters. “Luke continues to be an inspiration to the wildland firefighting community,” said Josh Mathiesen of the California Smokejumpers. “We hope this fitness park will be a lasting tribute to our friend and colleague.” (BLM California Facebook) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2sh59,3xn3,9123,1agl,1bct,ijo3 Related: Luke Sheehy Memorial Fitness Park in Shasta County dedicated to fallen smokejumper (KHSL News) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2sh59,3xn3,23uc,hwv4,1bct,ijo3 Related: Fitness park dedicated to fallen firefighter (KRCR News) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2sh59,3xn3,1jyh,8y8g,1bct,ijo3 BLM Offering Firewood Cutting Permits near Ferndale The Bureau of Land Management is offering firewood cutting permits at the Lost Coast Headlands area, six miles west of Ferndale. Permits are available for purchase at the Arcata Field Office, 1695 Heindon Road, in Arcata. Permits will allow wood cutters to remove downed trees in a designated wood cutting area. The permits cost $10 per cord, with a two-cord minimum and a 10-cord maximum. The BLM will provide purchasers with maps of the cutting area and information on wood cutting regulations. Those planning to cut wood must buy the permit and be present during wood cutting. (BLM News Release) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2sh59,3xn3,l2kt,3fmm,1bct,ijo3 Moreno Valley Public Safety Expo BLM's California Desert District took part in the Moreno Valley Public Safety Expo this year. The event was hosted by the City of Moreno Valley, California. Over 3000 young kids and adults visited the BLM booth to learn about wildfire prevention, the BLM and public lands in Southern California. (Moreno Valley website) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2sh59,3xn3,fo0w,lu39,1bct,ijo3 The Wild Horse program changed his life. Now a re-entry program is helping him stay on the right track. At first, Chris Culcasi viewed the three months he’d have to spend in a transition program after his release from jail as little but a delay before he could enter horseshoeing school. He was eager to go to farrier school after Sacramento Bee readers donated his tuition, but he couldn’t start until March 20. In the meantime, he entered the Sacramento Re-entry Program, which helps inmates return to society. Near the end of his time there, he had realized the skills he learned will be vital to his success down the road. (The Sacramento Bee) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2sh59,3xn3,c65v,4j40,1bct,ijo3 Devil’s Garden wild horses available to TIP trainers Wild horses gathered last fall from the Modoc National Forest’s Devil’s Garden Plateau Wild Horse Territory will be made available through the Mustang Heritage Foundation’s Trainer Incentive Program or TIP. Anyone with the proper facilities can adopt Devil’s Garden horses from the Litchfield Holding Facility through the BLM’s normal process. However, training helps provide a foundation for potential adopters and substantially increases adoption rates. Once trained, these horses will need good homes. Anyone wanting to adopt trained Devils Garden wild horses should contact a TIP trainer or Litchfield Corrals. (Modoc National Forect News Release) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2sh59,3xn3,6xs1,3mpo,1bct,ijo3 Students Visit California Coastal National Monument Stephanie Strasser's third grade class is studying local community history. Trinidad Elementary School and Trinidad Pre-School went on a hike up to the Trinidad Lighthouse and were greeted by the Lighthouse Keepers wife, Josephine Harrington (played by BLM Park Ranger, Julie Clark) who served the lighthouse from 1888-1916. After they climbed up in the tower they were able to use binoculars and look for migrating whales. (BLM California Facebook) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2sh59,3xn3,d86k,3wxl,1bct,ijo3 Mountain Bike Race in the Panoche Desert Superpro Racing hosted a mountain bike racing event in the Panoche Desert Hills, a little piece of desert isolated only two hours from San Francisco, California. Nearly 80 riders enjoyed dirt double tracks that roll endlessly up and down giant hills that border the remote San Benito Mountains on one side and the Central Valley on the other. This year’s route offered a new extended climb option to add even more amazing super bloom scenery and desolate terrain. The total course was over 71 miles long traversing the Tumey Hills and Panoche Hills in the San Joaquin Valley. (BLM California Facebook) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2sh59,3xn3,56gq,4w9v,1bct,ijo3 Connecting to elders, parents, students and educators at the 40th year of the California Conference on American Indian Education The theme - Indian Education: The Power to Achieve featured 40 years of success and growth of American Indian education in California and the positive impacts of American Indian Education Centers throughout the state... Heritage education and connecting to community are two of the fundamental reasons I sought out a position within the Bureau of Land Management. I enjoyed sharing educational opportunities like Project Archaeology and Hands On the Land programs as well as hearing concerns and answering questions regarding public lands and wish to thank the Conference committee for the opportunity to attend. (BLM California Facebook) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2sh59,3xn3,eyuz,gzax,1bct,ijo3 Five professionals recognized for their service As a natural resource specialist for the Bureau of Land Management’s California Coastal National Monument, Standley helps implement an inventory and monitoring program for resources in the national monument and works with citizen scientists to collect information and reduce disturbance to wildlife using the monument. Standley first became involved with The Wildlife Society as a graduate student at the Universities of Arizona Wyoming, where he went to chapter meetings and attended his first student conclave. (The Wildlife Society website) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2sh59,3xn3,1yz8,7lq3,1bct,ijo3 BLM AND DOI HIGHLIGHTS 21 Excellent Side Trips for Your Next National Park Visit Planning a trip to a national park? Consider adding a nearby national wildlife refuge or national monument to the itinerary. With many public lands next door to some of the country’s most visited canyons, waterfalls, and mountain peaks, these lesser-known natural gems are a great way to avoid the crowds while still getting to experience all that nature has to offer! (Department of Interior blog) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2sh59,3xn3,dnpi,5v73,1bct,ijo3 Secretary Zinke accepts President Trump’s Q1 salary as a donation for National Park Service President Donald J. Trump donated his first quarter salary to the National Park Service to help fund the maintenance backlog in America’s historic battlefields. The donation, totaling $78,333, was accepted by Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke and Harpers Ferry National Historical Park Superintendent Tyrone Brandyburg at the daily White House Press briefing. (Department of Interior News Release) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2sh59,3xn3,2ezj,h11j,1bct,ijo3 Interior Department Announces Proposal to Repeal Recent Amendments to Federal Energy Valuation Rules As part of the Administration’s effort to reduce regulation and control regulatory costs, the U.S. Department of the Interior announced a proposal to repeal the Consolidated Federal Oil & Gas and Federal & Indian Coal Valuation Reform Rule (2017 Valuation Rule) in its entirety. Concurrently with this proposal, Office of Natural Resources Revenue (ONRR), is publishing an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking comments on whether revisions are appropriate or needed to the pre-existing regulations governing royalty values, including comments on whether the 2017 Valuation Rule should ultimately be retained or re-promulgated, in whole or in part. (Department of Interior News Release) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2sh59,3xn3,8hla,8f2d,1bct,ijo3 WILDLIFE QUESTION OF THE WEEK True or False? Baby sea turtles don’t have an X or Y chromosome and their sex is defined during development by the nest environment. 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,2sh59,3xn3,du4j,e4we,1bct,ijo3 Related: Mountain Bike Challenge promo video http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2sh59,3xn3,57po,b8jg,1bct,ijo3 April 8: Mojave Desert Land Trust to hold open house Saturday at Amboy Crater The Mojave Desert Land Trust will hold its Spring Open House from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Amboy Crater, featuring activities, speakers and hikes. Registration will begin at 10 a.m., followed by welcome remarks by Danielle Segura, executive director of the Mojave Desert Land Trust, and Kyle Sullivan, manager of the Mojave Trails National Monument for the Bureau of Land Management. The Keynote Speaker will be Cynthia H. Breunig, CEO of the San Gorgonio Council of Girl Scouts. (Desert Dispatch) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2sh59,3xn3,3eeo,ek8,1bct,ijo3 April 8 and 9: Public Riding and Driving Limitations are in Place for Motorcycle Races at Fort Sage OHV Area The Bureau of Land Management will restrict public riding and driving during the 50th annual Diamond Back Hare Scrambles motorcycle races, from Saturday toSunday, April 8 to 9, at the Fort Sage Off Highway Vehicle area near Doyle. Race course trails will only be open to those participating in the race. The BLM expects approximately 200 competitors. (BLM News Release) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2sh59,3xn3,6hu8,20ol,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,2sh59,3xn3,gsg7,jfma,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,2sh59,3xn3,2o8,2x8,1bct,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 toSaturday. 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,2sh59,3xn3,3uku,eh0k,1bct,ijo3 WILDLIFE QUESTION OF THE WEEK ANSWER True. Baby sea turtles don’t have an X or Y chromosome and their sex is defined during development by the nest environment. The nest’s thermal environment determines whether an embryo will develop as a male or female. Warmer sand temperatures produce more females and cooler sand temperatures produce more males. To make things even more complicated, in some species of sea turtles, their sexual anatomy is not physically apparent until about a decade or so when they approach sexual maturity. (Florida Atlantic University) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2sh59,3xn3,lk2i,exbq,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/
