BLM California News.Bytes Issue 869

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Long exposure of Class IV and V rapids along the Merced Wild and Scenic River segment.

Merced Wild and Scenic River in the Mother Lode Field Office area.

ISSUE 869 - September 5, 2019

  • Headlines and Highlights
  • Wildland Fire
  • BLM and DOI Highlights 
  • Wildlife Question of the Week
  • Upcoming Events

HEADLINES AND HIGHLIGHTS

Upcoming travel plans? Please remember to check road conditions and closures. Travelers can also download the QuickMap app, quickmap.dot.ca.gov, or call 1-800-427-7623 for constantly updated highway information. (California Department of Transportation

Historic railroad bridge at Hobo Camp trailhead.

Volunteers needed for National Public Lands Day projects in Susanville

The Bureau of Land Management and Lassen Land and Trails Trust are inviting volunteers to help with projects to spruce up the Bizz Johnson National Recreation Trail, in a special work day, Saturday, Sept. 21, in observance of National Public Lands Day. (BLM press release

San Jacinto Mountains. Photo by Tom Brewster.

Making a Monument

When developers set their sights too close to the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto mountains, concerned citizens won public and tribal support to create a national monument to protect the land for future generations.
(Palm Springs Life

Volunteers standing in a forest.

The 6th Annual Arborglyph Extravaganza was a huge success!

The 6th Annual Arborglyph Extravaganza was a huge success! This year's volunteers documented over 69 trees, donated over 208 volunteer hours to the BLM, and worked tirelessly for this archaeological and historical cause. Thank you to everyone who donated and volunteered for this amazing stewardship program. If you would like to learn more, please visit: (Aspenluv current projects)

Tent and Canoe by lake.

What is BLM Land? Your 2020 Guide

Some of the more important questions are, “Where is BLM”, “What can I do on BLM land,” and “Is BLM free to use?”
In this article we’ll answer all the important questions and guide you to the most enjoyable BLM experiences.
Let’s dive in! (Drivin' & Vibin' article)

Orange County Crescent Bay

Your Public Lands in California

Public lands in the Golden State offer a sense of adventure for the outdoor enthusiast, offering rivers, trails, campgrounds, off-road open areas and more. The experiences are as varied as the landscapes. Spectacular scenery can be found among scenic vistas, such as the foggy bluffs of the King Range National Conservation Area, in the ancient redwood forest of the Headwaters Forest Reserve, in the geological formations of the Alabama Hills, the valley of golden flowers in the Carrizo Plain National Monument and the wind sculpted sand dunes in the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area. You will also find wilderness areas, national scenic and historic trails, national wild and scenic rivers, wildlife viewing areas, off-road opportunities and even a lighthouse or two to explore and learn about California's history. Your BLM adventure starts here! (BLM California Facebook video)

Be sure to follow #MyPublicLandsSummer on social media! 
Over the summer, follow along as we highlight opportunities for #BLMAdventures
on your public lands across the nation.


WILDLAND FIRE

CA campfire permit promo graphic

California Campfire Permit

Campfire permits are required for open fires, such as campfire, barbecues and portable stoves on federally managed lands and private lands that are the property of another person. On private lands, written permission from the landowner is also required for campfire use. Get your California Campfire Permit quickly and easily online! (readyforwildfire.org)

Visit the BLM California fire restrictions website for more information about current fire restrictions on BLM-managed public lands. 

Follow wildland fire incident information and updates
via InciWeb and CAL FIRE.

Horton Campground. Photo by BLM.

BLM Bishop Field Office Issues Seasonal Fire Restrictions

The Bureau of Land Management Bishop Field Office issued seasonal fire restrictions for BLM-managed public lands in the Eastern Sierra effective Monday, July 1, due to increased wildland fire danger in the region. The restrictions will remain in effect until November 1, or until wildland fire conditions on public lands in the region improve. (BLM news release)

Bakersfield public lands. Photo by BLM.

BLM Bakersfield Field Office Increases Fire Restrictions

The Bureau of Land Management Bakersfield Field Office increased fire restrictions for BLM-managed public lands effective Monday, July 1, due to high wildland fire danger. The additional restriction includes no campfires, barbeques, or open fires, regardless if you are in a developed campground, other than portable stoves with gas, jelled petroleum, or pressurized liquid fuel with a valid California campfire permit, available free at all BLM, Forest Service and Cal Fire offices or at www.preventwildfireca.org/Permits. The BLM-managed public lands affected by these fire restrictions are in eastern Fresno, western Kern, Kings, Madera, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Tulare and Ventura counties; as well as the Carrizo Plain National Monument, Keysville Special Recreation Management Area, Lake Isabella and San Joaquin River Gorge. (BLM news release)

2018 Mendocino Complex Fire. Photo by Kipp Morrill, BLM.

BLM Ukiah Field Office Initiates Seasonal Fire Restrictions

The Bureau of Land Management Ukiah Field Office initiated fire restrictions, effective July 1, for BLM-managed public lands in Colusa, Glenn, Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Napa, Solano, Sonoma and Yolo counties, due to wildland fire danger. (BLM news release)

Chappie Shasta OHV area. Photo by BLM.

BLM Announces Seasonal Fire Restrictions for Public Lands Managed by Redding Field Office

The Bureau of Land Management implemented fire restrictions for public lands managed by the Redding Field Office in Shasta, Siskiyou, Butte, Trinity and Tehama counties, beginning Monday, July 1. The restrictions will remain in effect until further notice. (BLM news release)

King Range National Conservation Area. Photo by Bob Wick, BLM.

BLM Announces Fire Restrictions for Lands Managed by Arcata Field Office

The Bureau of Land Management implemented fire restrictions for public lands managed by its Arcata Field Office in Del Norte, Humboldt, Trinity, and Mendocino counties, beginning Monday, July 1. The restrictions will remain in effect until further notice. (BLM news release)

Whitewater Canyon. Photo by Steve Razo, BLM.

BLM Initiates Whitewater Canyon Closure Due to Increased Wildfire Risk

The Bureau of Land Management is temporarily closing public lands in and near Whitewater Canyon, Riverside County, due to the potential threat of wildfire. This public safety closure started Monday, July 1, and will remain in effect until further notice. (BLM news release)

Cronan Ranch Rx burn. Photo by Monte Kawahara, BLM.

BLM Mother Lode Field Office Initiates Seasonal Fire Restrictions

The Bureau of Land Management Mother Lode Field Office initiated fire restrictions on BLM-managed public lands in Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Mariposa, Merced, Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tuolumne and Yuba counties, effective June 14, due to wildland fire danger. (BLM news release)

Central Coast. Photo by Ryan O'Dell, BLM.

BLM Central Coast Field Office Initiates Seasonal Fire Restrictions

The Bureau of Land Management Central Coast Field Office is initiated fire restrictions, effective June 10, for BLM-managed public lands in Fresno, Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz counties, due to wildland fire danger. The National Interagency Fire Center predicts the likelihood for large wildland fires will be above normal this summer. An unusually wet winter has produced an abundant grass crop, which has already cured or dried out. These heavy fuel loads have a high potential for creating extreme wildland fire behavior. (BLM news release)

2019 Rx burn on public lands.  Photo by Steve Watkins, BLM.

BLM Bakersfield Field Office Issues Fire Restrictions

The Bureau of Land Management Bakersfield Field Office issued fire restrictions for BLM-managed public lands effective May 20, due to potential wildland fire danger. The BLM-managed public lands affected by these fire restrictions are in eastern Fresno, western Kern, Kings, Madera, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Tulare and Ventura counties. Fire restrictions will also affect 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 fire engine and firefighters. Photo by Paul Gibbs, BLM.

BLM Initiates Seasonal Fire and Target Shooting Restrictions in the California Desert District

The Bureau of Land Management initiated stage II and III fire restrictions as of April 10 for BLM-managed public lands within Los Angeles, Orange, San  Bernardino, Riverside, Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Mono and San Diego counties. These restrictions will remain in effect until further notice. Stage II and III fire restrictions address the use of campfires, controlled flame devices and smoking on public lands. (BLM news release)

Wildfire Weather Aware campaign graphic.

Be #WildfireWeatherAWARE

It’s that time of year again and we need to get ready for wildfire. This includes things like clearing leaves off the roof and out of the gutters, clearing vegetation and combustible materials around your home and preparing or reviewing your evacuation plan. This spring and summer, learn more by following the #WildfireWeatherAWARE campaign with the Bureau of Land Management, CAL FIRE, U.S. National Weather Service, Forest Service and California Fire Safe Council. (BLM California Facebook)

Related: Ready for Wildfire (readyforwildfire.org)


BLM AND DOI HIGHLIGHTS

kids playing. nps photo.

Secretary Bernhardt Announces $170.6 Million to Support State Parks and Outdoor Recreation through the Land and Water Conservation Fund

U.S. Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt today announced $170,623,713 million in grants from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) to all 50 States, five U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia for state-identified outdoor recreation and conservation projects.LWCF funds are non-taxpayer dollars derived from Outer Continental Shelf lease revenues and are awarded through federal matching grants administered by the National Park Service. (DOI news release)

Joshua Tree kids in the park

Every Kid Outdoors Program Provides Fourth Grade Students with Free Entrance to Public Lands

Fourth grade students can get a free annual pass to visit more than 2,000 federal recreation areas with their families, classmates, and friends. The Every Kid Outdoors Program is an interagency collaboration between the Department of the Interior, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and U.S. Forest Service that provides fourth graders with free access to explore, learn, and recreate in spectacular settings, including national parks, wildlife refuges, marine sanctuaries, and forests. (DOI news release)

BIA Officer Jakson and K-9 Kofi with seized narcotics. Photo by BIA.

Interior’s Law Enforcement K-9 Unit Seizes More Than $4 Million Dollars of Narcotics in Indian Country

While on patrol near the exterior boundaries of the Laguna Indian Reservation in New Mexico, a Bureau of Indian Affairs K-9 police unit arrested an individual and seized 85 pounds of narcotics worth more than $4 million dollars. (DOI news release)

Woman fishing on Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge

Secretary Bernhardt Expands Public Access to Hunting and Fishing on 1.4 Million Acres Nationwide

Kicking off this year’s hunting season and continuing the Trump Administration’s efforts to increase recreational access on public lands, U.S. Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt announced today new hunting and fishing opportunities on more than 1.4 million acres nationwide. (DOI news release)

A photo of a young boy with a hunting rifle by water.

Happy Hunting and Fishing Season!

Kicking off the 2019/2020 hunting and fishing season, Secretary Bernhardt highlights the historic 1.4 million acre expansion of hunting and fishing opportunities on public lands across the country
(DOI video)


WILDLIFE QUESTION OF THE WEEK

Adult mountain yellow-legged frog

Multiple Choice 

The time required to reach reproductive maturity for the mountain yellow-legged frog is believed to be about how many years after metamorphosis?
(a) 1 year
(b) 2 years
(c) 4 years
(d) 6 years

Keep scrolling to find out!


UPCOMING EVENTS

Northern California fishing pond

BLM Hosting Special Fishing Day for Veterans and Families

Military Veterans, activity duty military members and their families can enjoy a day of fishing in a specially stocked pond, when the Bureau of Land Management Redding Field Office hosts its annual Veterans Fishing Day, Saturday, Sept. 7, at the Sacramento River Bend Outstanding Natural Area, north of Red Bluff."

There is no need to register for the event that runs from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.  BLM staff and volunteers will be on site to greet anglers of all ages and provide information.  Those over 16 years old must have valid California fishing licenses. (BLM news release)

Dumont Dunes

BLM to Hold Dumont Dunes OHV Recreation Public Meeting

The Bureau of Land Management is hosting a public meeting from 10 a.m. to noon, September 17, at the Barstow Field Office, 2601 Barstow Road, Barstow, CA.

The BLM will be presenting information concerning the management of the Dumont Dunes Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Recreation Area for the upcoming OHV season and seeking public comment on proposed implementation actions. (BLM new release)

King Range National Conservation Area. Photo by Bob Wick, BLM.

September 28 and November 11: BLM Announces Upcoming Fee-Free Days on Public Lands in 2019

The summer travel season gets under way in June with Great Outdoors Month. To encourage visitation to America’s public lands, the Bureau of Land Management will waive recreation-related fees for visitors to agency-managed public lands on three additional dates through the remainder of 2019: September 28 (National Public Lands Day) and November 11 (Veterans Day). BLM-managed public lands offer a wide array of recreational opportunities, including hiking, hunting, fishing, camping, mountain biking, horseback riding, boating, whitewater rafting, off-highway vehicle driving, rock climbing, and more. Americans make approximately 67 million visits annually to BLM-managed lands, supporting approximately 48,000 jobs nationwide and contributing almost $7 billion to the U.S. economy. (BLM news release)

Bizz Johnson Trail. Photo by Bob Wick, BLM.

Summer: Bus Shuttle Service to Begin on Bizz Johnson National Recreation Trail

Summer bus shuttle service on the Bizz Johnson National Recreation Trail begins Saturday, June 1, and will continue every Saturday through the summer season. The service is a partnership of the Bureau of Land Management and Lassen Rural Bus. On Saturdays, the bus picks up passengers at 8:30 a.m. at the Historic Susanville Railroad Depot, 601 Richmond Rd., and makes stops at Devil’s Corral, Fredonyer Summit and Westwood. This allows hikers and mountain bike riders to use the trail for return trips to Susanville. Depending on the stop, the return trips are 7, 18 and 30 miles. The BLM shuttles bicycles in a specially-designed trailer. Participants should arrive early to allow time for bike loading. There are separate fees for the bike shuttle and bus service. (BLM news release)

Historic photo of burros in Bodie, California. Photo by BLM.

Now - December 2019: Fueling the Boom, Chinese Woodcutters in the Great Basin 1870-1920 

The Nevada State Museum in Carson City is hosting a new exhibit featuring historical/ archaeological artifacts and photographs about Chinese woodcutting camps from Bodie Hills. The exhibit will highlight the significance of the woodcutting community near Chinese Camp (Aurora), shedding light on the little-known history of the Chinese woodcutters who lived there and felled pinyon pines to supply charcoal and firewood to the mining camps of Bodie and Aurora from 1875 to 1915. (Nevada State Museum website)

Trinidad Head Lighthouse. Photo by BLM.

First Saturday of Every Month: Living History at Trinidad Head Lighthouse

BLM Park Ranger Julie Clark plays Josephine Harrington for Trinidad School students at Trinidad Head Lighthouse. Josephine lived with her husband, Captain Fred Harrington the lighthouse keeper, at the Trinidad Head Lighthouse for 28 years. Julie has been performing this living history piece to bring the past to life since the BLM acquired the lighthouse in 2014. Now part of the California Coastal National Monument, the Trinidad Head Lighthouse is open to the public the first Saturday of every month (year-round). Visitors can climb to the top of the lighthouse from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. thanks to docents from the Trinidad Museum Society

Contact the Arcata Field Office for details, (707) 825-2300.

WHB adoption promo. Photo by BLM.

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)

Related: Adoption Incentive Program (BLM website)

WILDLIFE QUESTION OF THE WEEK ANSWER

 the answer is (c).  The time required to reach reproductive maturity is believed to vary between 3 and 4 years after metamorphosis.

Mountain yellow-legged frogs (Rana muscosa and Rana sierrae) are amphibians that inhabit naturally fishless lakes, ponds, and streams in the high country of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Once the most numerous amphibians in the Sierra Nevada, today mountain yellow-legged frogs have disappeared from 92% of their historic range. (NPS Website).

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