  |
||||
|
||||
|
- Commercial |
||||
| COMMERCIAL | ||||
 |
Video: Powered by Public Lands, BLM California's Oil and Gas ProgramThe Bureau of Land Management in California is responsible for managing one of the most productive individual onshore oil and gas leases in the lower 48 states. Hundreds of land lease holders now extract millions of barrels of oil annually from public lands in California, which cover more than 200,000 acres and 7,900 usable wells. Join us on a virtual tour of oil fields in Kern County. (BLM California YouTube) |
|||
 |
BLM Offers Livestock Operators Increased Flexibility Through Outcome-Based Grazing AuthorizationsThe Bureau of Land Management announced a new initiative to provide grazing permit holders an unprecedented level of flexibility in the management of livestock while also protecting the public lands. This effort emphasizes the Trump Administration’s goal of promoting shared conservation stewardship of public lands while supporting uses such as grazing. (BLM news release) |
|||
 |
BLM Releases Update to Online Oil and Gas Leasing Nomination SystemThe Bureau of Land Management today announced its latest update to the National Fluids Lease Sale System, an online automation effort that allows the public and industry to nominate public land for oil and gas development. The update increases transparency by making it easier for anyone to monitor the status of a nomination. (BLM news release) |
|||
| RECREATION | ||||
 |
Secretary Zinke Declares October National Hunting and Fishing MonthJust days before National Hunting and Fishing Day – which is held on September 23rd every year - U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke declared October will officially be recognized as National Hunting and Fishing Month at the Department. Zinke championed the order to recognize the lasting and positive impact of hunters and anglers on wildlife and habitat conservation in America. This order comes on the heels of several major sportsmen actions from Interior including Wednesday's announcement of the addition of 600 acres of land in Arizona's Santa Teresa Mountains to make Wilderness Areas accessible for hunting and fishing. (DOI news release) Related: Secretary Zinke Announces Greater Access for Sportsmen and Hikers in Arizona's Santa Teresa Mountains (DOI news release) |
|||
 |
Interior Employees Share Their Hunting and Fishing MemoriesSeptember 23 is National Hunting and Fishing Day. Held every year since 1972, National Hunting and Fishing Day celebrates outdoor sports and their conservation contributions. It’s also the perfect day for sportsmen and women to share their passion by mentoring future generations of hunters, anglers and conservationists. Check out some of the favorite hunting and fishing memories from Interior employees -- the men and women who work and play on America’s public lands. We hope they inspire you to hunt and fish on your public lands this fall. (DOI photo gallery) Related: Secretary Zinke Promotes Hunting, Fishing, and Wildlife Conservation with Employee "Showdown" at Department of the Interior (DOI news release) |
|||
 |
Secretary Zinke Signs Secretarial Order to Support Sportsmen and Enhance Wildlife ConservationU.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke signed Secretarial Order 3356, which will support and expand hunting and fishing, enhance conservation stewardship, improve wildlife management, and increase outdoor recreation opportunities for all Americans. Secretarial Order 3356 is an extension of Secretarial Order 3347, issued on Zinke's first day, March 2, 2017. That order identified a slate of actions for the restoration of the American sportsmen conservation ethic, which was established by President Theodore Roosevelt. (DOI news release) |
|||
 |
Go Dogs, Go!Recently BLM hosted the Whid Isle and Inland Empire Brittany Clubs to run dogs on two different "courses" in what are called braces. The courses included Puppy, Derby, Gun Dog, and All-Age. The dogs ran on Goose Butte in the BLM’s Spokane District. This has been the site for field trials for three Brittany Clubs for more than a decade. The most recent trial included with competitors from Washington, Oregon, Montana, Idaho, California and Canada! (BLM Oregon Facebook) |
|||
 |
Las Cruces Four Wheel Drive Club, BLM Partner on Prehistoric Trackways Trail SignsAfter a year and a half of planning, the first of 30 trail markers went up on 15 four-wheel driving routes in the Prehistoric Trackways National Monument. The signs, erected by the Bureau of Land Management and the Las Cruces Four Wheel Drive Club, mark the existing trails, note their level of difficulty, and, for the most part, reflect the names long used by the club when the annual Chile Challenge — an off-highway scramble by full-sized, four-wheel-drive vehicles — took place within the monument. (Las Cruces Sun-News) |
|||
 |
Everything You Need to Know about Hunting on Public LandsHunters have played a major role in the conservation of the nation’s wildlife resources since the late 19th century. American conservation giants like Theodore Roosevelt and Aldo Leopold were both avid sportsmen. Their passion for wildlife and hunting helped shape our nation’s wildlife management philosophy and public lands as we know them. By maintaining ethical traditions and respecting nature, sportsmen and women continue to be vital stewards of wildlife and habitat today. (DOI blog) |
|||
 |
New 5-Year Report Shows 101.6 Million Americans Participated in Hunting, Fishing and Wildlife ActivitiesThe U.S. Department of the Interior announced a new report by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that shows that 101.6 million Americans—40 percent of the U.S. population 16 years old and older—participated in wildlife-related activities in 2016, such as hunting, fishing, and wildlife-watching. (DOI news release) Related: Interior Secretary designated August as National Shooting Sports Month for DOI (Secretary Zinke Facebook) |
|||
| CONSERVATION | ||||
 |
Eagle Scout Project Benefits Greater Sage Grouse and PartnershipsWhen it came time to choose his Eagle Scout Service Project last year, 16-year-old Kolton Dahl had a pretty good idea that he wanted to do something related to the greater sage grouse. A tall, slender redhead, now in his junior year at Burns High School, Dahl had worked closely with Andrew Shields - a wildlife biologist at the Roaring Springs Ranch and an Eagle Scout himself - on projects monitoring greater sage-grouse that call the ranch and neighboring public lands home. (BLM Oregon Facebook) |
|||
 |
BLM Recognizes Westerners with Rangeland Stewardship AwardsThe Bureau of Land Management and the Public Lands Council met for a series of events promoting their shared stewardship activities throughout the West. The events took place at the annual fall meeting of the PLC, which represents more than 22,000 cattle and sheep producers who hold public lands grazing permits. The 2017 Rangeland Stewardship Awards kicked off the event. They were presented to a rancher in Utah, the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association, and an Elko, Nevada, county team for their dedication to the health and productivity of public rangelands under BLM management. (BLM news release) |
|||
 |
Secretary Zinke Announces $94.3 Million to States for Parks and Outdoor Recreation through Land and Water Conservation FundU.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke today announced that $94.3 million will be distributed for outdoor recreation and conservation projects to the 50 states, U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia from the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which is funded through offshore oil and gas leasing. These funds are awarded through federal matching grants that leverage public and private investment in America’s state and local public parks. (DOI news release) |
|||
 |
BLM Collaborates with Two Non-Profits for Conservation of the Northern Red DesertDuring a 10-day project, the Bureau of Land Management, the Wyoming Conservation Corps, and the Wyoming Wilderness Association collaborated to support the conservation of the Northern Red Desert. Workers from the organizations placed 113 signs indicating the boundary of five Wilderness Study Areas, helping to preserve the area’s unique features and landscape. (My Public Lands Tumblr) |
|||
 |
BLM and Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Celebrate Award-Winning PartnershipThe Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation held a special dedication ceremony to celebrate the BLM’s recent acquisition of an important 160-acre parcel located at the confluence of La Barge and Miller Creeks, between the Miller Mountain Management Area and the Lake Mountain Wilderness Study Area in southwestern Wyoming. The event, hosted by RMEF Wyoming volunteers and Leah Burgess, RMEF Wyoming Lands Program Manager, honored the exceptional generosity of a conservation-minded landowner and recognized the leadership and dedication of the BLM team who worked with RMEF for more than 5 years to complete the project in October 2016. (My Public Lands Tumblr) |
|||
 |
Small Finds, Big DiscoveriesOne of the primary goals of paleontology is to learn about past environments and ecosystems. Documenting how past ecosystems changed, and the responses of the plants and animals to those changes, can help BLM Montana/ Dakotas predict what will happen in the future. So, it is not all about the past. (My Public Lands Tumblr) |
|||
| HEADLINES AND HIGHLIGHTS | ||||
 |
BLM Arizona Employees Honor Fallen at Patriot Day EventOn September 11, 2017, the BLM Arizona Strip District’s Employee Association hosted the first annual Patriot Day BBQ to reflect on one of the most significant events in our country’s recent history. A “Memory Wall” was displayed in the breakroom during the BBQ which encouraged employees to share their stories and record where they were when they first received the news of the September 11 terror attack. The opportunity to share these experiences facilitated an open dialogue among employees as they reflected on the events of September 11, remembered and honored the fallen patriots who gave their lives in the service of others, and think on the freedoms and privileges we enjoy in the United States of America. (My Public Lands Tumblr) |
|||
 |
Bringing Home the GoldSpecial Olympics athlete Stephen “Woody” Woodward who works in the Bureau of Land Management Alaska warehouse in Anchorage, and his partner Jerrid Palmatier, BLM Alaska Flight Management Specialist, brought home the gold medal in their division this past weekend at the 2017 Special Olympics Alaska Fall Golf Tournament. (BLM Alaska Facebook) |
|||
 |
BLM Nevada's New Approach to Wildfire PreventionThis summer, BLM Nevada developed a coordinated fire prevention campaign which included three wildfire prevention teams and an innovative public engagement strategy. The teams were made up of BLM, USFS, and fire prevention staff from various states, who traveled around Nevada to share fire prevention information and reach target audiences. While each team provided critical fire prevention information, they all had a slightly different focus. The first team consisted of mostly BLM Nevada staff who traveled the entire state sharing safety messages on target shooting. (My Public Lands Tumblr) |
|||
 |
Earth Connections Camp for Tribal Youth Connects STEM and Cultural TraditionsUtah’s Earth Connections Camp welcomed about 45 American Indian youth for two full days of fun and learning in Salt Lake City. The day camp for American Indian youth emphasizes STEM and traditional cultural activities taught by tribal and agency experts. BLM Utah is a founding partner along with the Utah State Board of Education, and has helped direct camp for the past five years. The students visited outdoor learning stations featuring hydrology, Utah Tribal history, dam engineering, ethnobotany, health and medical sciences, soils and flute-playing. (My Public Lands Tumblr) |
|||
 |
Farewell to Former U.S. Secretary of the Interior and Idaho Governor Cecil D. AndrusAndrus passed away in his home August 24, 2017 at the age of 84. As Idaho's only four-term Governor, Andrus worked to create the Hells Canyon and Sawtooth National Recreation Areas, the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness and the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey Area in Idaho. He also championed the removal of nuclear waste in Idaho. As U.S. Secretary of the Interior, Andrus supported the creation of national parks and monuments. He ordered protection of 100 million acres as national parks, national forests and refuge areas such as the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska in 1978. We extend our condolences to Governor Andrus’ family. You will be missed, Cecil! (BLM Idaho Facebook) Related: Cecil Andrus, defender of Alaska’s wilderness as Carter’s interior secretary, dies at 85 (The Washington Post) |
|||
 |
Wild Horses and Burros Find Homes at Cheyenne Frontier Days
17 wild horses, two burros and one mule were successfully adopted during the |
|||
 |
Feedback on Recently Updated BLM.gov WebsiteWe 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 Blanks ________ are part of the Mustelidae family, which is a family of carnivorous mammals that includes skunks, weasels, wolverines and badgers. The ____________ is the largest member of the weasel family, yet the smallest marine mammal in North America. Keep reading for answer below. |
|||
| DOI HIGHLIGHTS | ||||
 |
Volunteer for National Public Lands DayNational Public Lands Day is the nation’s largest, single-day volunteer event for public lands. Held every year on the last Saturday of September, National Public Lands Day brings together hundreds of thousands of individual, student and organizational volunteers to help maintain and restore America’s treasured places. Public lands are managed by public agencies but belong to and are enjoyed by everyone. These special places provide us with outdoor recreation, education and relaxation; volunteering is a way for the public to give something back. The beauty and importance of public lands inspire us all, and we hope to see you outdoors for this year’s National Public Lands Day on Saturday, September 30. (DOI blog)Related: BLM Volunteer Site Map (BLM website) |
|||
 |
Answering the Call: Interior Employees Respond to HurricanesThe winds, rains, flooding and landslides of the 2017 hurricane season have been historic, but so have the generous and brave efforts of Department of the Interior employees. From the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico through Texas, Florida, the Southeast and other areas along the East Coast, hundreds of Interior employees are helping respond to the record-breaking devastation. (DOI blog) |
|||
 |
Secretary Zinke Directs Interior Bureaus to Take Aggressive Action to Prevent WildfiresU.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke directed all Department of the Interior bureaus, superintendents, and land managers at all levels to adopt more aggressive practices, using the full authority of the Department, to prevent and combat the spread of catastrophic wildfires through robust fuels reduction and pre-suppression techniques. This year-to-date, 47,700 wildfires have burned 8 million acres across the country, with the majority of the devastation in the states of California and Montana. High-profile fires in Yosemite and Glacier National Parks have caught national headlines, however millions of acres of forest and grassland have burned in recent months. (DOI news release) Related: US West's Wildfires Spark Calls to Thin Tree-Choked Forests (U.S. News) |
|||
| WILDLIFE QUESTION OF THE WEEK ANSWER | ||||
| Happy Sea Otter Awareness Week! Otters are part of the Mustelidae family, which is a family of carnivorous mammals that includes skunks, weasels, wolverines and badgers. The sea otter is the largest member of the weasel family, yet the smallest marine mammal in North America. (12 Facts about Otters for Sea Otter Awareness Week via DOI) | ||||
|
||||
