News.Bytes, Bureau of Land Management California ISSUE 773 - AUGUST 9, 2017 - From the Field - Wildfire - Headlines and Highlights - BLM and DOI Highlights - Wildlife Question of the Week - Upcoming Events FROM THE FIELD BLM Bakersfield Field Office Biologists Survey for Bats in Abandoned Mines It’s an hour after sunset. The heat of the day has dimmed, stars are starting to twinkle, and most of us are either tuned into the TV, or thinking about heading to bed, but not Bureau of Land Management Wildlife Biologist Carly Summers. She, fellow Wildlife Biologist Brianna Doran, Geologist Gregg Wilkerson, retired Wildlife Biologist Amy Kuritsubo who now volunteers, and Drs. Pat Brown and Bill Rainey know that twilight time is the prime part of the day to survey bats living in abandoned mines on public lands within central California’s Bakersfield Field Office boundaries. (BLM California Facebook) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2vy2p,3xn3,92xe,80vz,1bct,ijo3 Successful Reptile BioBlitz Adam Clause, a PhD student at the University of Georgia, is studying the species richness and abundance of reptiles in the Volcanic Tablelands because it is a place where four unique biomes coalesce: the Sierra Nevada, White Mountains, Basin and Range, and Mojave Desert. The Volcanic Tablelands has many places for reptiles to hide so volunteers are crucial to help survey the study area. (BLM California Facebook) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2vy2p,3xn3,fad8,9gxv,1bct,ijo3 Invasive grasses choking desert tortoise The desert tortoise is fighting an aggressive invader. The invader’s name is Bromus, commonly known as red brome and cheatgrass, and they threaten to consume tortoise habitat in Southern California, Nevada and parts of Arizona and Utah, often at the expense of desert tortoise survival. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and several partners, including U.S. Geological Survey, the Bureau of Land Management, and the National Park Service, are working to defend the tortoise and its Mojave Desert home with a multi-pronged counter-attack. (USFWS Pacific Southwest Region website) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2vy2p,3xn3,3v0a,9ucn,1bct,ijo3 WILDFIRE Honoring Fallen Firefighter Brent Witham The body of Brent Witham was returned home to San Bernardino, California Monday. Brent died in the line of duty while engaged in firefighting efforts in Montana on August 2, on the Lolo Peak Fire. He was transported with honor, officially escorted the entire way home by Forest Service Law Enforcement and Honor Guard. (Witham Memorial Ceremony website) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2vy2p,3xn3,l49x,dxyl,1bct,ijo3 Video: Federal officials issue restrictions on target shooting due to fire risk Please remember the following if you are planning to go recreational shooting on public lands (KCRA News): http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2vy2p,3xn3,jix3,5k92,1bct,ijo3 Cross-country travel is not permitted outside of OHV open area boundaries, so please stay on designated routes. Never shoot from or over any road or highway. Always use a safe backdrop. Glass and exploding targets are prohibited. Do not use plastic pellets, tracer rounds, exploding rounds, or steel-core rounds. Do not attach targets to plants or place targets against rocks, plants, or solid objects. It is illegal to deface or destroy trees, signs, outbuildings, or other objects on federal lands. Carry in your targets and carry out all litter, brass and shell casings. All targets, shell casings, debris and trash must be removed. For more information on recreational shooting or areas closed during fire season contact your local BLM office: blm.gov/contact/california Wildfire Forecast for August As the traditional peak of wildfire season approaches, “conditions are expected to remain favorable” for major fires in large sections of the West, according to the latest forecast prediction by the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC). The August report specifically cited heat wave events, limited precipitation and the evaporation of the record winter snowpack as reasons why so many environments are dry and fire-vulnerable. (NIFC Predictive Services website) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2vy2p,3xn3,ad0e,hrxz,1bct,ijo3 Wildfires: Know Before You Go Cal OES provides daily map updates for wildland fires across California. Also, Twitter is a great place to see the latest news and information about fires. Follow us @BLMca! Current fire restrictions on public lands → on.doi.gov/2qcKS8p Cal OES California wildland fire map via Esri → arcg.is/2tj6L7l Wildland fire information via InciWeb → bit.ly/2siVOlO Wildland fire information via CAL FIRE → bit.ly/2tqv43i Defensible space information → bit.ly/2sobgZi HEADLINES AND HIGHLIGHTS Video: River Safety Tips As you make plans for your next public lands adventure please keep the following river safety tips in mind (BLM California Twitter). http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2vy2p,3xn3,2eeg,6jio,1bct,ijo3 River hazards include strong currents, undertows, whirlpools and submerged objects. Be aware of cold waters. Swimming is discouraged in dangerous waters. Wear life jackets. >From all of us at the Bureau of Land Management, please be safe while enjoying the great outdoors! Redding's Endless Off-Road Playground Visit Redding featured Chappie Shasta Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Recreation Area! Visitors to the rolling, brushy hills near Shasta Lake in northern California will find OHV riding challenges for all abilities. More than 250 miles of roads and trails are open to motorcyclists, all-terrain vehicle drivers and four-wheelers. The area is near massive Shasta Dam and Shasta Lake, and there are overlooks of the Sacramento River below the dam. (Visit Redding YouTube) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2vy2p,3xn3,29vu,9rq,1bct,ijo3 Video: A Horse, A Convict, A Chance for Change At the Wild Horse Program at Rio Cosumnes Correctional Center inmates train wild mustangs to become adoptable to the public. Through this process a deep bond forms between horse and inmate and then the possibility for transformation happens. Chris Culcasi, one of the inmates in the program, takes steps out of a criminal life toward a new future. Zephyr, the wild mustang he trained, leads a parallel path. (The Sacramento Bee) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2vy2p,3xn3,35t9,bsib,1bct,ijo3 SLO County Has Two Historic Lighthouses. Here’s How You Can Tour Them National Lighthouse Day was Monday — and San Luis Obispo County residents had two chances to celebrate at our historic sites. With beautiful views, scenic hikes and decades of history, Point San Luis and Piedras Blancas lighthouses are both worth a visit. Here’s what you need to know. (The Tribune) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2vy2p,3xn3,krcl,kg0e,1bct,ijo3 BLM AND DOI HIGHLIGHTS 2017 Total Solar Eclipse Viewing Tips On Monday, August 21, 2017, millions of people across the United States will get to see one of nature’s most awe-inspiring sights -- a total solar eclipse. With wide-open spaces and low light pollution, public lands managed by Bureau of Land Management in Wyoming, Idaho and Oregon are the perfect place for viewing this rare event. (DOI blog) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2vy2p,3xn3,3k37,1ont,1bct,ijo3 Related: Watch Solar Eclipse on Your Public Lands (BLM website) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2vy2p,3xn3,gi2c,iaoc,1bct,ijo3 Related: View the Eclipse (Travel Wyoming) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2vy2p,3xn3,91bc,dnoj,1bct,ijo3 Related: Idaho’s Solar Eclipse: Camping in the Path of Totality (Visit Idaho) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2vy2p,3xn3,4n2x,1bdd,1bct,ijo3 Related: Tips for planning a safe and enjoyable High Desert eclipse viewing (Oregon Natural Desert Association) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2vy2p,3xn3,3zgc,ls95,1bct,ijo3 Leave No Trace with Us: Plan Ahead and Prepare We’re partnering up with Leave No Trace to bring you important and useful tips to #LeaveNoTrace as you visit your public lands. There are seven Principles of Leave No Trace and we’ll be sharing them over the next seven weeks so be sure to follow along! (My Public Lands Tumblr) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2vy2p,3xn3,6iy9,3h1q,1bct,ijo3 Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke Statement on Sage Grouse Report U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke received a report from the Department of the Interior Sage-Grouse Review Team regarding possible plan and policy modifications to complement state efforts to improve Greater Sage-Grouse conservation and economic development on public lands. The report is the final product required by Secretarial Order 3353 “Greater Sage-Grouse Conservation and Cooperation with Western States” issued June 7, 2017. The report as well as the cover letter from the BLM to the Secretary, and the memo from Secretary Zinke to Deputy Secretary David Bernhardt is available here. (DOI News Release) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2vy2p,3xn3,gc9a,11hm,1bct,ijo3 Ormat to Conduct Geothermal Well Testing Near Mammoth Lakes The Bureau of Land Management Bishop Field Office, in coordination with the Inyo National Forest Mammoth Lakes Ranger District, has approved a proposal by Ormat Nevada Inc. to conduct a 30-day flow and injection test of two existing geothermal wells, expected to begin August 21, near the town of Mammoth Lakes, California. (BLM News Release) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2vy2p,3xn3,61y,2bt1,1bct,ijo3 Feedback on Recently Updated BLM.gov Website We recently updated our website. Content is updated daily and we would like to thank you for your patience. If you encounter issues with the site please let us know so we can better serve you. Please email us at newmedia@xxxxxxx. WILDLIFE QUESTION OF THE WEEK Fill in the Blank _____________ are wonderful structures but they need a lot of maintenance. Keep reading for answer below. UPCOMING EVENTS August 10-12: Young Mustang Geldings up for Adoption at BLM Open House Young mustang geldings, aged 3 to 5, will be available for adoption at a special open house at the Ridgecrest BLM Wild Horse & Burro Program Corrals,Thursday, August 10, to Saturday, August 12. The corrals are located at 3647-A Randsburg Wash Road in Ridgecrest, California. Please contact (760) 384-5765 or (800) 951-8720 for more information. (BLM News Release) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2vy2p,3xn3,35me,hgk1,1bct,ijo3 Now - January 2018: Wild Horse and Burro Adoption Events The BLM offers wild horses and burros for adoption or purchase at events across the country throughout the year. Upcoming wild horse and burro adoption events are planned into 2018. The most current adoption and purchase event schedule is provided on the BLM website. All times are in local time. Event information is shown in local time and subject to change without notice. Please call the Wild Horse and Burro Information Call Center at (866) 468-7826 for the most updated information. (BLM website) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2vy2p,3xn3,9l9p,fy7,1bct,ijo3 August 30: Piedras Blancas Hike In Open House The Piedras Blancas Light Station will be hosting free open house events for visitors hiking the Boucher trail (a segment of the California Coastal Trail) on the last Wednesday in August. The trail head is located at the elephant seal viewing area. The hike is self led, and is 1.5 miles (one way) to the light station. The Piedras Blancas Light Station will be open to hikers 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Bureau of Land Management and State Parks staff as well as our volunteers will be available to answer questions about wildlife, ecology, and human history of this beautiful stretch of coastline. For tour information, please call (805) 927-7361 or email PiedrasBlancasTours@xxxxxxxxx. September 30 and November 11-12: Fee-Free Days on BLM-managed Public Lands The unique and diverse natural landscapes and world-class visitor facilities on BLM-managed lands are among America’s greatest treasures, and most of these lands and waters are open for recreational use. Through the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act, the BLM and other Federal agencies -- including U.S. Forest Service, the National Park Service, the Bureau of Reclamation, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service -- collect recreation fees to maintain and improve the quality of visitor services and amenities. Visitors may purchase recreation passes that cover many recreation fees. On fee free days, recreation standard amenity and day use fees on Bureau of Land Management lands are waived. (BLM website) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2vy2p,3xn3,2c0m,7zha,1bct,ijo3 September 30 and November 11-12: Fee-Free Days on BLM-managed Public Lands The unique and diverse natural landscapes and world-class visitor facilities on BLM-managed lands are among America’s greatest treasures, and most of these lands and waters are open for recreational use. Through the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act, the BLM and other Federal agencies -- including U.S. Forest Service, the National Park Service, the Bureau of Reclamation, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service -- collect recreation fees to maintain and improve the quality of visitor services and amenities. Visitors may purchase recreation passes that cover many recreation fees. On fee free days, recreation standard amenity and day use fees on Bureau of Land Management lands are waived. (BLM website) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2vy2p,3xn3,jkqa,lhi4,1bct,ijo3 October 6-8: Norco Horse Affair See you in City of Norco - Horsetown USA! BLM's Ridgecrest BLM Wild Horse and Burro Program Corrals will be participating in the Norco Horse Affair on October 6, 7 and 8. BLM will be bringing 10 burros and 20 wild horses for adoption. (Norco Horse Affair Facebook event) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2vy2p,3xn3,73qi,dvzw,1bct,ijo3 WILDLIFE QUESTION OF THE WEEK ANSWER Feathers are wonderful structures but they need a lot of maintenance. A bird may spend up to several hours per day preening its feathers, using its bill to comb out dirt and arrange the outer vanes of the feathers into perfect alignment. And some feathers require more care than others. (Eleven Eye-Opening Photos of Birds Just Living Their Lives via Audubon) http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,2vy2p,3xn3,37v0,ldgp,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 http://www.blm.gov/ca/
