2019 Planners Scheduled to Ship this Week

Sign up today! The Bureau of Land Management manages 15 million acres of public lands in California - nearly 15 percent of the state - and 1.6 million acres in northwestern Nevada. This year's monthly planner features stunning public lands across the state with impressive employee photography. Get your FREE planner while supplies last. (BLM website)

BLMer Teaches Preschool Class about Public Lands

"I love my job when I have the chance to share with youth the importance of the natural and cultural resources on their public lands. Today was one of those great days!" -Somer Shaw, BLM California's San Joaquin River Gorge

Somer recently visited her son's preschool class in Fresno to teach about trees using redbud sticks, pine cones, acorns and baskets. Students listened to how the Dumna, Kechayi and Mono people (both past and present) use trees. They learned about basketry, food, clothing and making structures. Students even put on animal costumes exploring both the special features of animals and how animals need trees to survive in their local foothills and even in their own backyard. (BLM California Facebook)

BLM Chips in at the Cheyenne Greenway

This spring and fall, employees from the BLM Wyoming State Office took time to collect trash from Dry Creek along the City of Cheyenne Greenway. The events helped to fulfill their duties as adopters of this stretch of the urban trail, which runs parallel to the office. (My Public Lands Tumblr)

BLM Employee Spends Spare Time Coaching Local Youth 

Kent Dastrup is the BLM Utah Cedar City Field Office GIS Specialist and is a volunteer coach for Canyon View High School sports! Thanks for your dedication to making youth sports a priority Kent! (BLM Utah Facebook)

Feds Feed Families 

The BLM Idaho's Boise District Office participated in the "Feds Feed Families" Campaign, an organization that collects food for families in need through local food banks. Overall, the Boise District Office donated 1,038 pounds, accounting for 47 percent of the total pounds donated by the Bureau of Land Management! The items collected included: 938 pounds of nonperishable items and 100 pounds of perishable items like garden produce, potatoes, onions, and fruit. BLM is proud to help local residents in need and is excited to participate in the campaign next year. Way to go, BLM Idaho! (BLM Idaho Facebook)

BLM Alaska Supports Troops

The BLM Alaska Fairbanks District Office wanted to send care boxes to support troops overseas, but instead of a couple boxes, employees decided to do more. 27 boxes of donated items were mailed. (BLM Alaska Facebook)

BLM Employees Volunteer at the Homeless Shelter 

Once a month, 6-8 employees from the BLM Utah State Office feed the homeless community a nice, warm lunch. After sanitizing hands and putting on hair nets, the folks in charge divide up the labor force. Some dish food, some collect tickets and some hand out trays of full course meals. The downtown Salt Lake City homeless shelter is across the street from the BLM office, making it easy to give back to those in need in the community. Thank you to all of you who have participated! (BLM Utah Facebook)

BLM Bakersfield Releases Hydraulic Fracturing Environmental Analysis Scoping Report 

The Bureau of Land Management Bakersfield Field Office has made available the scoping report for the supplemental environmental impact statement and potential Resource Management Plan amendment on hydraulic fracturing. (BLM news release)

BLM Accepting Applications for Special Recreation Permit Subgroup of the California Desert Advisory Council

The Bureau of Land Management's California Desert District is accepting applications from the public for six members of its Special Recreation Permit Subgroup of the California Desert District Advisory Council to serve two-year terms. Applications will be accepted until January 21. (BLM news release)

BLM is Accepting Applications for the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreational Area Subgroup

The Bureau of Land Management’s California Desert District Desert Advisory Council is now accepting applications for membership on the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area subgroup. Persons wishing to apply should submit their application by January 21. (BLM news release)

The BLM Bakersfield Field Office Will Lift Fire Restrictions on Friday

The Bureau of Land Management Bakersfield Field Office is lifting its fire restrictions on Friday, December 7, for approximately 650,000 acres of BLM-managed public lands in Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Tulare and Ventura counties, due to reduced fire conditions. Easing of fire restrictions will also affect all BLM-managed recreational areas, including the Carrizo Plain National Monument, Chimney Peak, Kennedy Meadows, Keysville, Lake Isabella, San Joaquin River Gorge and Three Rivers. (BLM news release)

BLM Mother Lode Field Office Lifts Emergency Fire Restrictions

The Bureau of Land Management Mother Lode Field Office is lifting its emergency fire restrictions at 9 a.m., Nov. 30, on approximately 230,000-acres of public land, due to reduced wildland fire potential. This action will reopen target shooting on public lands in all or portions of 14 central California counties. The easing of fire restrictions apply to public lands managed by the Mother Lode Field Office in the Sierra Nevada foothills in Amador, Calaveras, Colusa, El Dorado, Mariposa, Merced, Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tuolumne and Yuba counties. The lifting of restrictions also affects BLM recreational areas along the American, Merced, Mokelumne, South Yuba and Tuolumne rivers. Fire restrictions were originally initiated on May 25. (BLM news release)

BLM Central Coast Field Office Lifts Emergency Fire Restrictions

The Bureau of Land Management Central Coast Field Office is lifting its emergency fire restrictions on Nov. 30, on approximately 300,000-acres of public land, due to reduced wildland fire potential. This action also reopens target shooting at Panoche, Tumey and Griswold hills, as well as on public lands from the Pacific Coast to the San Joaquin Valley. The easing of fire restrictions apply to public lands managed by the Central Coast Field Office in Alameda, Contra Costa, Fresno, Merced, Monterey, San Benito, San Joaquin, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz and Stanislaus counties. Fire restrictions were initiated on May 25. (BLM news release)

Remembering Pearl Harbor

On a quiet morning 77 years ago today, Imperial Japanese forces attacked the United States at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Shocked and angered by the attack, the country joined the Allied forces to fight World War II, inspired by the call of “Remember Pearl Harbor.” A moving reminder of the service and sacrifice of those who fought, the USS Arizona Memorial is jointly administered by the U.S. Navy and the National Park Service. (DOI video)

USGS Identifies Largest Continuous Oil and Gas Resource Potential Ever Assessed

The U.S. Department of the Interior announced the Wolfcamp Shale and overlying Bone Spring Formation in the Delaware Basin portion of Texas and New Mexico’s Permian Basin province contain an estimated mean of 46.3 billion barrels of oil, 281 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, and 20 billion barrels of natural gas liquids, according to an assessment by the U.S. Geological Survey. This estimate is for continuous (unconventional) oil, and consists of undiscovered, technically recoverable resources. (DOI news release)

Hunting Heritage: A Public Lands Tradition

Kari Boyd-Peak from Bureau of Land Management Utah shares a public lands hunting tradition that goes back generations in her family. (BLM California Facebook video)

The Gift of the Great Outdoors!

Is adventure on your wish list this year? Get all your holiday shopping done today with the best deal of the season. It’s not just a pass, it’s a year’s worth of memories. Check out doi.gov/pass.

December 13: BLM to Host Cotoni-Coast Dairies Public Access Workshops

The Bureau of Land Management Central Coast Field Office will host two public workshops to explore recreational access opportunities at the Cotoni-Coast Dairies unit of the California Coastal National Monument in Santa Cruz County. (BLM news release)

December 13-16: BLM, USFS and Partners Celebrate Pacific Crest Trail 50th Anniversary

The Bureau of Land Management Bakersfield Field Office, Sequoia National Forest, Giant Sequoia National Monument and High Sierra Volunteer Trail Crew invite the public to a family friendly work weekend on the Pacific Crest Trail from Dec. 13-16, in honor of the 50th anniversary of the PCT and the National Trails System Act. (BLM news release)

December 14: BLM to Host Hiring Open House for Central California Seasonal Wildland Fire Positions

The Bureau of Land Management Central California District is accepting applications for 2019 summer seasonal wildland firefighting jobs. There are fire positions available for hotshot, handcrew and engine crew members; heavy equipment operators and dispatcher personnel based in Bakersfield, Bishop, Placerville and Porterville.

On Dec. 14, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Bakersfield Field Office will offer tours of the fire station, engines and heavy equipment. In addition, BLM staff will offer resume tips and explain the USAJobs application process as well as give the public a feel for what it’s like to work on a fire crew. (BLM news release)

December 14 and 15: Meeting Planned for the BLM Desert Advisory Council 

The BLM's California Desert Advisory Council will hold a public meeting on December 14-15, 2018. The DAC will participate in a field tour of BLM-administered public lands on Friday, December 14, 2018, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will meet in formal session on Saturday, December 15, 2018, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (BLM news release)

December 14 - January 5:

Join the Christmas Bird Count

Audubon's 119th Christmas Bird Count will be conducted between the dates of Friday, December 14, 2018 through Saturday, January 5, 2019. There is a specific methodology to the CBC, and all participants must make arrangements to participate in advance with the circle compiler within an established circle, but anyone can participate... If you are a beginning birder, you will be able to join a group that includes at least one experienced birdwatcher. (Audubon website)

January 6, March 3, April 7 and May 5: Story Time and Young Explorers at Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument

Story Hour for children ages 5 to 7: Join us in our Kid’s Corner to hear a story about nature and creatures that live in the desert of the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument. Reading will be followed by an indoor or outdoor arts and crafts activity.

Young Explorers for ages 8 and above: Compass and maps are a very important part of your 10 essentials when hiking in the desert. Let’s explore and have fun learning about them!

RSVP required. Event will take place from 1 to 2 p.m. Please visit www.desertmountains.org/calendar or call (760) 862-9984 for more information.

Ongoing: Bring Home a Wild Horse or Burro

The BLM Wild Horse and Burro Program is excited to announce nearly 70 events this year as part of BLM's efforts to find good homes for our nation's wild horses and burros. Known for their intelligence, endurance and loyalty, wild horses and burros, with the right training, are outstanding for trail riding, packing, working and have successfully competed for awards in numerous fields from endurance riding to dressage. With more than 81,000 wild horses and burros on BLM-managed public lands, these wild icons of our American history need your help more than ever. Without any natural predators that can control population growth, wild horse and burro herds grow rapidly on the range and can quickly overcome the land's ability to support them. The BLM works to maintain healthy wild herds by gathering excess animals and placing them into good homes. (BLM website)