 King Range National Conservation Area  |
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- Your Public Lands |
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| YOUR PUBLIC LANDS | ||||||
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Nature for WaterMarch 22, 2018 marks World Water Day. This year’s theme “Nature for Water” embodies the importance of waters that flow through BLM-managed public lands. Healthy riparian and wetland areas are critical to healthy watersheds. Wetlands support vegetation adapted to soils saturated by surface or ground water. Examples of wetlands include marshes, swamps, and bogs. Riparian areas serve as habitats and travel corridors for vegetative communities. They link wetlands to streams and upland areas. Examples of riparian areas include cottonwood and willow forests along streams and vegetation along lake shores. (My Public Lands Tumblr) |
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#FindYourWay on BLM-manged Rivers and TrailsThe Bureau of Land Management is celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Wild and Scenic Rivers and National Trails Acts. Take a journey through Montana’s Upper Missouri Rivers Breaks, where the Lewis and Clark and Nez Perce National Historic Trails follow the Upper Missouri River Wild and Scenic River. (My Public Lands Tumblr) Related: #FindYourWay On a BLM-managed National Trail with NEW Story Map (BLM California Facebook) Related: #MakeYourSplash On a BLM-managed Wild and Scenic River (BLM California Facebook) |
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| HEADLINES AND HIGHLIGHTS | ||||||
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BLM's Wild Horse and Burro ProgramThe Bureau of Land Management oversees 26.9 million acres of public land managed for wild horses, wild burros and other species. Unchecked herds double in size every four years, due to a lack of natural predators and a rapid growth rate. To prevent overpopulation and overgrazing, the BLM gathers excess animals each year and offers them to a good home. (BLM Wild Horse and Burro Program video) |
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Not Your Ordinary Job: Apply to be a Wildland FirefighterDo you enjoy the outdoors? Looking for adventurous career? Want a job that challenges you physically? A wildland firefighting job might be for you! Wildland firefighters often travel to remote locations, many that are rarely seen by most people. (My Public Lands Tumblr) Related: NEW BLM California fire job vacancies (BLM California Facebook video) |
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More Veterans are Heading West to Fight a New Battle: Worsening WildfiresSand and gravel crunched under the pounding boots of about 150 men and women walking and jogging on a recent rain-drenched morning at Paramount Ranch in the Santa Monica mountains. The wildland firefighter hopefuls were tackling a fitness test. They had to cover three miles of outdoor terrain with a 45-pound pack on their chests in less than 45 minutes... Between fire seasons, he travels the country providing training through a program with the Bureau of Land Management and Team Rubicon, a non-profit veteran service organization that responds to natural disasters worldwide. (KPCC News) |
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Riverside County Deputies, BLM Personnel Educate Target Shooters about Restrictions on Public LandRiverside County sheriff’s deputies staged a two-day campaign to deter target shooting on public lands near homes around Lake Elsinore, making contact with “numerous” people who were told that county regulations prohibit the activity, a sergeant said Monday. Deputies joined personnel from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management on Saturday and Sunday to find and stop individuals conducting outdoor shooting in the area of North Peak and Steele Peak, according to sheriff’s Sgt. Chad Thompson. (The Press-Enterprise) |
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| BLM AND DOI HIGHLIGHTS | ||||||
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Interior Women Make More HistoryMarch is Women’s History Month, and we’re highlighting notable firsts for women at Interior and our bureaus. From the past to the present, women at Interior blazed a trail to help the Department achieve its mission managing the nation's natural resources and cultural heritage, pursuing cutting-edge science, and honoring trust responsibilities to American Indians, Alaska Natives and affiliated island communities. (DOI blog) |
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Secretary Zinke Welcomes Traveling Memorial to Lives Lost in Opioid EpidemicU.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke applauded President Trump for welcoming the “Prescribed to Death” exhibit to the Ellipse in Washington, D.C., where it will be hosted by the National Park Service and will be open to the public from April 12 until April 18, 2018. (DOI news release) |
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Secretary Zinke Selects Members of Newly Created “Made in America” Outdoor Recreation Advisory CommitteeU.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke announced the members of the “Made in America” Outdoor Recreation Advisory Committee. The Committee was established on November 8, 2017, and is intended to serve as an advisory board to the Secretary of the Interior on public-private partnerships across all public lands, with the goal of expanding access to and improving infrastructure on public lands and waterways. (DOI news release) |
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Secretary Zinke Supports Grizzly Bear Restoration in North Cascades EcosystemU.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke traveled to Sedro-Woolley, Washington, where he announced support of Grizzly Bear Restoration efforts in North Cascades National Park and the surrounding ecosystem. The Secretary emphasized the cultural and spiritual importance of grizzly bears in tribal communities, the contributions grizzly bears make to the biodiversity of the ecosystem, and the ecological devastation that the permanent loss of grizzly bears would cause if nothing is done. (DOI news release) |
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Secretary Zinke Continues Meetings with Tribal Nations on Opioid CrisisU.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke traveled to Washington State where he held two meetings, one with the Spokane Tribal Business Council and another with the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation. These meetings focused on the ongoing opioid epidemic and how the Department of the Interior can assist with tribal efforts. On Monday, President Trump announced the latest steps in the administration's push to end the crisis, including launching CrisisNextDoor.gov and Opioids.gov. Earlier this week, Secretary Zinke met with tribal leaders in Arizona and Wisconsin and tomorrow Zinke will meet with the Lummi Tribe. (DOI news release) |
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Interior’s Best Friend: Dogs on the JobIn honor of National Puppy Day, DOI sp the work of Interior’s favorite four-legged friends. From pulling sleds to K-9 detecting, dogs help Interior accomplish its mission and are essential to keeping Indian country, public lands, visitors and wildlife safe. Take a “paws” and check out these conservation and law enforcement programs at Interior that rely on man’s best friend. We can all agree, #TheyreGoodDogs. (DOI blog) |
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| WILDLIFE QUESTION OF THE WEEK | ||||||
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True or False Keep reading for answer below. |
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| UPCOMING EVENTS | ||||||
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Now - June 1: Mayor's Mountain Bike ChallengeThe Mayor's Mountain Bike Challenge is officially underway in the City of Redding! Shout out to partners from Healthy Shasta, Redding Trail Alliance, Redding Recreation and The McConnell Foundation. (Mayor's MTB Challenge website) |
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March 30: Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument Visitor Center Spring ScheduleThe visitor center is open Wednesday through Monday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The visitor center will remain closed on Tuesdays. This visitor center schedule will be in effect through April 14. The following is a sampling of activities scheduled during March at the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument. (BLM news release) |
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April 3: BLM Schedules Public Training Webinar for Tracking Desert DataThe Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Geological Survey are hosting an introductory webinar from 2 to 3 p.m., April 3, to explain public access to the Surface Disturbance and Reclamation Tracking Tool, which is used to track and manage disturbance cap information in the California desert. Registration will be limited to the first 15 participants, so groups are encouraged to register together to allow additional space for more participants. After registration, the participant will receive instructions on joining the webinar. Participants must register for the webinar at goo.gl/wFNAkb. For more information, contact Russel Scofield, BLM, at ascofiel@xxxxxxx. |
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April 3: BLM Schedules Public Scoping Meeting on Crimson Solar ProjectThe Bureau of Land Management, Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office, has scheduled a public scoping meeting for the proposed Crimson Solar Project in eastern Riverside County on April 3 from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the BLM Palm Springs South Coast Field Office, 1201 Bird Center Dr, Palm Springs, CA 92262. (BLM news release) |
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April 6-8: Limited Access at Dry Valley OHV Area During Hare Scrambles RaceWeekend back country explorers planning to visit the Dry Valley area east of Susanville the weekend of April 7-8 will encounter more people than usual, as a two-day Diamondback Hare Scrambles’ motorcycle race is scheduled on public land. Competitors will begin arriving Friday, April 6. (BLM news release) |
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April 7-8: Wild Horses, Burros Available for Adoption in King CityWild horses and burros from western public rangelands will be available for public adoption, Saturday and Sunday, April 7 and 8, at the Salinas Valley Fairgrounds, 625 Division St., in King City. The Bureau of Land Management will offer 15 wild horses, all under 5-years-old, 10 gelding burros and 10 female burros. Anyone interested can preview the animals from 3 to 5 p.m. Friday, April 6, and from 7 to 9 a.m. Saturday, April 7. An auction begins at 9 a.m. Saturday, with bid prices starting at $125 per animal. Horses and burros not taken during the auction will be available on a first-come, first-served basis until 5 p.m. Saturday and from 7 to 11 a.m. Sunday. The adoption fee is $125. (BLM news release) Related: 2018 wild horse and burro adoption events (BLM website) |
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April 8, 14, 29, May 5, 20 and June 3: BLM, Horsetown-Clear Creek Preserve Offer Spring OutingsThe Bureau of Land Management and Horsetown-Clear Creek Preserve will offer free public outings ranging from bird watching to traditional uses of native plants, on weekends from late March until June. The events are free. (BLM news release) |
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April 14: Fishing at Bass PondJoin California Department of Fish and Wildlife and BLM's Redding Field Office at Bass Pond in the Sacramento River Bend Outstanding Natural Area off Bend Ferry Road near Bend, California. The pond will be stocked with trout and volunteers will be available to help with questions about fishing. Free bait and limited loaner tackle will also be available. Registration will go from 8:45 am to 2:30 pm and fishing from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. Participants must be 16 years or younger and able to hold a rod and reel. For additional information call Monty Currier, CDFW at (530) 225-2368 or Eric Coulter, BLM at (530) 224-2100. |
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| WILDLIFE QUESTION OF THE WEEK ANSWER | ||||||
| True. The humpback chub, a fish native to the Colorado River and considered endangered since 1967, has turned a corner. In a recent analysis, scientists at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service say the chub’s five distinct populations throughout the Colorado River watershed in Colorado, Utah, and Arizona are stable enough to reclassify the fish as threatened rather than endangered. (A Humpback Comeback: Rare Colorado River Fish Moves Away From Extinction via KUNC) | ||||||
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