News.bytes 540 - BLM California

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From: BLM CA Newsbytes <reply-183567@elabs10.com>
Date: Thu, 19 Jul 2012 14:48:27 -0700
Subject: News.bytes 540 - BLM California
To: guyperea@gmail.com

News.bytes
A publication of Bureau of Land Management in California

Issue 540 - 7/19/12 - Visit us on Facebook -- follow us on Twitter -
Share us with friends and colleagues!

THIS WEEK IN NEWS.BYTES:
- America's Great Outdoors
- Get Outdoors tip of the week
- Wildfires and prevention
- Wild horses and burros
- Not for educators only: Wildlife trivia question of the week
- Renewable energy
- Traditional energy
- California water issues
- Grazing and drought
- Headlines and highlights: Assorted topics from your public lands in California
- Selected upcoming events
- National and Department of the Interior items
- More wildlife stories

If this message does not show up properly in your email, you can see
it online at:
www.blm.gov/ca/news/newsbytes/2012/540.html


AMERICA'S GREAT OUTDOORS

"Share the Experience Photo Contest"
"We're seeking amazing photos from amateur photographers that
highlight the best of America's federal lands, national parks and
historical sites in these categories: Adventure and Outdoor Recreation
- Historical & Cultural - Scenic, Seasons & Landscapes - Friends,
Family & Fun(ny) on Federal Lands - Wildlife." (This is the official
federal recreation lands 2012 photo contest.)
www.sharetheexperience.org/

"Astronomy hike to King Peak" (BLM, 7/12/12)
This weekend, Saturday July 21: A free guided hike in the King Range
National Conservation Area, with information focused on astronomy. The
outing is part of a summer hikes series offered by the Bureau of Land
Management and the Lost Coast Interpretive Association.
www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/info/newsroom/2012/july/NC1276_kingrangehike.html

"Salmon season now open" (Appeal Democrat, 7/17/12)
"Hundreds -- if not thousands -- of fishermen clogged favored fishing
holes along the Feather River on Monday for opening day of
recreational salmon season on California rivers. Using hired guides,
driving their own boats or standing on shorelines in waders or
flip-flops and shorts, they spun lines and sank lures in hopes of
snagging their two-fish limit. Many were hungry to take part in what
officials are saying is the first normal fall run of Chinook salmon
since a drastic decline in population five years ago."
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=1&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,13u4r,3xn3,oer,gz3y,283f,37zd

RELATED: "Salmon season opens with a flotilla -- and a 16-pounder"
(Modesto Bee, 7/17/12)
"Sharon Olson had Lady Luck on her side Monday as she snagged probably
the first salmon of the season at the confluence of the Sacramento and
American rivers."
www.modbee.com/2012/07/17/2284654/salmon-season-opens-with-a-flotilla.html

RELATED: "River Recreation" (BLM California)
www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/prog/recreation/rivers.html


GET OUTDOORS TIP OF THE WEEK...
...Visit Cache Creek, and bring a copy of this bird list. Cache Creek
is managed in a walk-in primitive fashion to minimize impacts to
wildlife, cultural and wildland values. A herd of tule elk inhabits
the area and the endangered bald eagle is common during winter. Please
do not disturb nesting birds by approaching them closely. The area is
open to hunting under state laws, however partial seasonal closures to
visitors may be enacted to protect certain wildlife species. River
rafting is a popular use of the river depending upon water releases
from Clear Lake and Indian Valley Reservoir.
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=1&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,13u4r,3xn3,esbk,4sn3,283f,37zd


WILDFIRES AND PREVENTION

"BLM Mother Lode Office announces fire restrictions" (BLM, 7/18/12)
The BLM has implemented fire restrictions on all BLM-managed public
lands within the Mother Lode Field Office boundary. This includes
BLM-managed public lands in Nevada, Yuba, Placer, El Dorado, Amador,
Sacramento, Calaveras, Tuolumne, Stanislaus, Sutter and Mariposa
counties, a total of about 230,000 acres. The fire restrictions will
remain in effect until further notice.
www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/info/newsroom/2012/july/CC1270_mlfofirerestrictions.html

"BLM announces fire restrictions for lands managed by Bakersfield
Field Office" (BLM, 7/13/12)
The BLM has implemented fire restrictions on public lands managed by
the Bakersfield Field Office in Eastern Kern County, including
recreational areas at Lake Isabella and Walker Pass. The fire
restrictions will remain in effect until further notice. The
restrictions are needed due to dry fuels and high fire danger
throughout central California.
www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/info/newsroom/2012/july/CC1269_bakofirerestrictions.html

"Forest officials: Mill Fire fully contained Wednesday night" (Lake
County News, 7/18/12)
"After a week and a half of scorching rugged terrain in the Mendocino
National Forest, the Mill Fire was fully contained on Wednesday
evening …. The most recent maps of the incident showed that its
westernmost edge had pushed to within about a half-mile of the Lake
County line. Full containment came as the fire held at 29,502 acres ….
As of Wednesday morning the fire has cost an estimated $13.9 million
to fight, burned five outbuildings and caused four injuries, fire
officials reported."
www.lakeconews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=26018

RELATED: "Firefighting vets back from first wildfire" (News.bytes Extra)
BLM California's all-veteran Folsom Lake Hand Crew has just completed
its first assignment -- at the Mill Fire on the Mendocino National
Forest.
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=1&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,13u4r,3xn3,3n8z,d5z8,283f,37zd

"Sand Canyon fire 70 percent contained" (Bakersfield Californian, 7/18/12)
"A wildfire in Sand Canyon that menaced a cluster of homes Tuesday was
70 percent contained Wednesday night with full containment expected
Thursday. The fire burned 1,428 acres and had the potential to explode
to 6,000 to 8,000 acres before firefighters curtailed its progression,
according to the Kern County Fire Department."
www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/local/x160346140/Sand-Canyon-fire-50-percent-contained

"Vegetation fire scorches 400 acres in Lassen County" (Redding Record
Searchlight, 7/18/12)
"The Spanish Fire started near Spanish Ranch and is burning grass,
brush and juniper around 50 miles north of Susanville .... 300 people,
nine engines, several dozers, four tankers and five helicopters are
battling the blaze, which spread at a moderate pace through the day."
It has burned both private land and BLM-managed land.
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=1&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,13u4r,3xn3,fb9z,8x75,283f,37zd

"Firefighters get handle on Oregon, Washington blazes" (Capital Ag
Press, 7/16/12)
"Several major wildfires" in Oregon were "winding down on Monday as
firefighters ... increasingly contained them. The largest wildfire in
Oregon, the Long Draw, was fully contained on Sunday at about 580,000
acres near Basque, Ore., according to the Northwest Interagency
Coordination Center."
www.capitalpress.com/idaho/mp-fire-update-071612

"'We're going to be living with this for months if not years'"
(Associated Press at KVAL, Eugene, Oregon, 7/16/12)
"Good weekend weather helped firefighters get the upper hand on large
wildfires in southeastern Oregon, and crews were able to contain the
state's largest wildfire in more than a century." The Long Draw
Fire"charred more than 900 square miles, a larger swath of Oregon than
any fire since the 1800s. Another blaze south of Burns was 70 percent
contained, and a handful of evacuated residents were allowed to return
and assess the damage to their property."
www.kval.com/news/local/Crews-contain-Oregons-largest-wildfire-in-memory-162633196.html

"Crews contain wildfires in Southeast Oregon" (LaGrande Observer, 7/16/12)
"The fires in Southeast Oregon have destroyed hundreds of thousands of
acres of grazing land and the Bureau of Land Management is reporting
that it may take up to two years for the land to recover."
www.lagrandeobserver.com/News/Local-News/Crews-contain-wildfires-in-Southeast-Oregon

"'Tornado' of fire had Colorado firefighters fleeing Waldo Canyon"
(Canon City, Colorado Daily Record, 7/15/12)
"Once on the ridgetop, the fire exploded into the city, creating a
seldom-seen tornado of flames that destroyed 346 homes, killed a
couple in their 70s, forced thousands to flee for safety and left
firefighters to take courageous stands to save hundreds of houses. If
a lesson is to be learned from Waldo Canyon, it is this: Nature holds
the power. And at times, man has no choice but to get out of the way."
Said Todd Richardson of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, "The fact
is, we can build all the stuff we want, but Mother Nature is stronger
than anything." The 2012 wildfire season "is already the most
destructive in state history."
www.canoncitydailyrecord.com/ci_21078616/timeline-waldo-canyon-fire-june-26-colorado-springs

"Take responsibility..." (California Fire Alliance)
In California, the number of homes and businesses are growing in the
Wildland Urban Interface -- and fire is an increasing threat. Reduce
your home's fire danger and prevent wildfires from spreading by taking
responsibility today.
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=1&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,13u4r,3xn3,116g,55i0,283f,37zd

"Fire Information" (National Interagency Fire Center)
The National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho, "is the nation's
support center for wildland firefighting. Eight different agencies and
organizations are part of NIFC, including the BLM.
www.nifc.gov/fireInfo/nfn.htm

"California incidents" (InciWeb)
Current and recent wildfires (and prescribed fires).
www.inciweb.org/state/5/


WILD HORSES AND BURROS

"Wild horses and burros auctioned and adopted in North Highlands"
(Sacramento Bee, 7/15/12)
"They came for different reasons but the people who showed up at the
Sacramento Horsemen's Association corrals Saturday looking to adopt a
wild horse or burro agreed on one thing -- there is an element about
horses that casts a spell of tranquility and happiness on those around
them. Ranging from black to tan to gray, 14 wild horses and five
burros trotted in pens at the North Highlands facility for the Bureau
of Land Management's adoption program, which featured a silent auction
in the morning and an open adoption in the afternoon."
www.sacbee.com/2012/07/15/4631881/wild-horses-and-burros-auctioned.html

RELATED: "BLM wild mustang auction" (Sacramento Bee, 715/12)
Ten photos from the story above.
www.sacbee.com/2012/07/14/4631522/blm-wild-mustang-auction.html

"BLM to move small band of horses to water source in Surprise Valley"
(BLM, 7/13/12)
The BLM Surprise Field Office is planning to relocate about 12 wild
horses to a nearby water source within their herd management area. The
horses are staying close to a water source that has dried up due to
drought conditions in the Fox Hog Herd Management Area and their
condition is deteriorating.
www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/info/newsroom/2012/july/NC1277_horses.html

"BLM completes wild-horse roundup in Nevada" (AP in Reno
Gazette-Journal, 7/14/12)
"The Bureau of Land Management said 647 'excess' mustangs were removed
from the range in Humboldt and Pershing counties during the gather
that ended in early July. The BLM said the roundup was needed because
of a lack of forage and water on the range because of the drought and
the poor condition of horses."
www.rgj.com/viewart/20120714/NEWS/307140052/BLM-completes-wild-horse-roundup-Nevada


NOT for EDUCATORS ONLY:
Belding's ground squirrel
WILDLIFE TRIVIA QUESTION of the WEEK:
The Belding's ground squirrel...
(a.) ...spends most of its time hibernating.
(b.) ...eats half of its weight in acorns every day.
(c.) ...spends most of its time on its back legs.
(d.) ...stores up to 25 pounds of nuts and seeds in its burrow.
(e.) ...is just glad it's not a Balding ground squirrel, and doesn't
have to deal with those toupees and full-body comb-overs.
See answer - and more wildlife stories - near the end of this News.bytes.


RENEWABLE ENERGY

"Calico Solar Project Application Slammed By Railroad" (KCET, 7/17/12)
"K Road Solar's hopes of getting a routine approval to completely
redesign the gargantuan Calico Solar Project were dimmed this week, as
a powerful corporate neighbor objected in no uncertain terms. The
Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway, whose transcontinental rail line
would be flanked by the Calico project," submitted comments to the
California Energy Commission that "slam K Road for providing seriously
incomplete information about the proposed redesign, and call on the
CEC to send K Road back to the drawing board."
www.kcet.org/news/rewire/solar/calico-solar-project-application-slammed-by-railroad.html

"Colusa's Walker Ridge turbine project not spinning yet" (Colusa Sun
Herald, 7/17/12)
"Windmill-like turbines will not be spinning along Walker Ridge in
western Colusa County for at least a couple more years. AltaGas "hopes
to be operational in 2015." A manager for the AltaGas said, "We are in
the (US Bureau of Land Management) review process, and after that we
have the public consultation." He " described that BLM process as
very, very thorough."
www.colusa-sun-herald.com/news/public-8904-project-mackie.html

"Dogs search for ancient remains on wind farm project site near
Ocotillo" (Imperial Valley Press, 7/17/12)
Three tribes hired forensic dogs to seek out "the scent of cremated
ancient Native Americans ..... the latest effort to preserve sensitive
areas throughout the construction of the Ocotillo Wind Express
facility. The project's developers, Pattern Energy, agreed Tuesday
afternoon to hold off construction near three of the project's towers
after a number of additional potential cremation sites were
discovered, said a spokesman with one of the area tribes. "
www.ivpressonline.com/news/ivp-dogs-search-for-ancient-remains-on-wind-farm-project-site-near-ocotillo-20120717,0,2447573.story

"First solar-geo plant blooms in Nevada's high desert (engadget, 7/13/12)
"With a steady supply of sunshine and more than 100 acres of land at
its disposal," Enel Green Power "installed a cluster of 89,000 solar
panels," at its geothermal plant, creating the "first hybrid
solar-geothermal plant of its kind in the world .... For an industry
still struggling to secure a foothold against cheaper, conventional
sources of energy, such as natural gas, proponents say the creation of
out-of-the-box projects such as the Stillwater hybrid plant are
crucial in moving renewable energy development forward."
www.engadget.com/2012/07/13/first-solar-geo-plant-blooms-in-nevada-high-desert/

"Wind energy tax credits shot down" (East County Magazine, 7/14/12)
"Efforts by the wind industry to amend the Small Business Jobs and Tax
Relief Act (S. 2237) have failed. The industry had sought to insert
language to extend until 2014 the wind production tax credits set to
expire at year's end."
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=1&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,13u4r,3xn3,ase6,k830,283f,37zd

"Readout of Secretary Salazar's visit to Colorado's National Renewable
Energy Laboratory site" (Department of the Interior, 7/13/12)
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar visited the National Renewable
Energy Laboratory campus in Golden, Colorado where he toured the
327-acre campus' state-of-the-art facilities and met with scientists
regarding ongoing research on the development, commercialization and
deployment of renewable energy.
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=1&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,13u4r,3xn3,12yz,676,283f,37zd


TRADITIONAL ENERGY

"States, oil producers see regulatory problems on the horizon" (Oil &
Gas Journal, 7/16/12)
"Excessive and poorly conceived federal regulations threaten to stifle
an onshore US oil and gas renaissance that is being made possible by
hydraulic fracturing and other new technologies, state officials and
producers told the US House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.
States are better qualified and have worked with producers and other
stakeholders to develop rules that are effective and economic, they
said at field hearings July 13 in Edmond, Okla., and July 14 in Fargo,
ND."
www.ogj.com/articles/2012/07/states-oil-producers-see-regulatory-problems-on-the-horizon.html


CALIFORNIA WATER ISSUES

"Firm is spearheading opposition to Mojave Desert groundwater pumping"
(Los Angeles Times, 7/13/12)
"The company that wants to pump large amounts of Mojave Desert
groundwater and sell it for a profit to Southern California suburbs
has run into opposition from ... an international corporation that
runs industrial salt operations next door to the proposed project.
Texas-based Tetra Technologies Inc., an oil and gas services
enterprise, has come out swinging at Cadiz Inc.'s pumping plans,
filing two lawsuits, mounting a public relations campaign and
dismissing the water project's environmental review as a sham designed
to escape serious scrutiny."
www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-cadiz-tetra-20120713,0,6037284.story

RELATED: Cadiz water project progresses" (Riverside Press-Enterprise, 7/18/12)
"A final environmental report has been issued for a long-running and
controversial project that proposes pumping water from an ancient
Mojave Desert aquifer and exporting it to cities in California ....
The Cadiz Valley Water Conservation, Recovery and Storage Project
would provide a new water source for about 400,000 people by
extracting the groundwater in an open valley between the Mojave
National Preserve and Joshua Tree National Park in eastern San
Bernardino County. A public hearing on the environmental impact report
is set for Wednesday, July 25, in Orange County and via video
conferencing in Joshua Tree."
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=1&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,13u4r,3xn3,1cra,jlkf,283f,37zd

RELATED: "Environmental report released for Cadiz water project"
(Needles Desert Star, 7/16/12)
The Santa Margarita Water District scheduled a public hearing for
Wednesday, July 25 in Mission Viejo, on the final environmental impact
report for the proposed Cadiz Valley Water Conservation, Recovery and
Storage Project and .
www.thedesertstar.com/articles/2012/07/17/news/local/news885.txt

"Special report: Water supplies pass tipping point" (San Diego
Union-Tribune, 7/14/12)
First in a series: "Because of a huge snowpack two winters ago,
California has plenty of water to last through this summer. But the
long-term trend is clear: Across the arid West, people have overtapped
the water sources. Over the next few months, reporter Mike Lee will
explore the region's water supplies, prices and consumption in an
occasional series of in-depth reports."
www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/jul/14/special-report-water-supplies-reach-tipping-point/

"El Niño could bring wetter winter" (Palm Springs Desert Sun, 7/18/12)
"A Pacific-generated weather phenomenon that usually packs cooler,
extra-rainy conditions for the Coachella Valley and elsewhere in the
Southwest may return this fall and winter," potentially causing
"flooding, heavy rains, and mudslides."
www.mydesert.com/article/20120718/NEWS09/207180316/El-Ni-o-could-bring-wetter-winter

"Plan to release more water from Trinity dam; officials hope to avoid
fish kill" (Eureka Times-Standard, 7/18/12)
"A plan has been drafted to increase water flow from the Trinity River
dam in order to prevent a repeat of the massive fish kill on the
Klamath and Trinity rivers that occurred in 2002."
www.times-standard.com/localnews/ci_21100453


GRAZING AND DROUGHT

"Ranchers ravaged by fires, drought -- and scarce alfalfa" (Reuters on
NBCNews.com, 7/13/12)
"It took less than an hour last month for a Montana wildfire to reduce
Scott McRae's ranch to thousands of blackened acres devoid of the
grasses that were to sustain hundreds of cattle .... Recent wildfires
in states such as Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming have
displaced thousands of cows from federal rangelands which may not be
fit for grazing for years. Where range has not been destroyed, drought
has lessened forage."
www.msnbc.msn.com/id/48178081/ns/weather/#.UASINXlkBOI

"Heat leave ranchers a stark option: Sell" (New York Times, 7/15/12)
"As a relentless drought bakes prairie soil to dust and dries up
streams across the country, ranchers struggling to feed their cattle
are unloading them by the thousands, a wrenching decision likely to
ripple from the Plains to supermarket shelves over the next year.
Ranchers say they are reducing their herds and selling their cattle
months ahead of schedule to avoid the mounting losses of a drought
that now stretches across a record-breaking 1,016 American counties.
Irrigation ponds are shriveling to scummy puddles. Their pastures are
brown and barren .... prices of hay and other feed are soaring beyond
their reach."
www.nytimes.com/2012/07/16/us/heat-forces-ranchers-to-sell-herds-to-cut-losses.html

"Fact sheet on the BLM's management of livestock grazing" (BLM, July 2012)
The Bureau of Land Management, which administers about 245 million
acres of public lands, manages livestock grazing on 157 million acres
of those lands, as guided by Federal law. The BLM administers nearly
18,000 permits and leases held by ranchers who graze their livestock,
mostly cattle and sheep, at least part of the year on more than 21,000
allotments under BLM management.
www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/prog/grazing.html

"BLM bracing for drought impacts in Nevada" (Associated Press in San
Jose Mercury News, 7/15/12)
"Federal land managers on the northern Nevada range say they're in a
better position than usual to deal with the blazing summer drought
conditions thanks to some proactive steps they took back in the dead
of winter. Officials for the Bureau of Land Management say it's
possible drought conditions could force removal of livestock or
temporary closure of grazing allotments in some areas."
www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_21081785/blm-bracing-drought-impacts-nevada

"Worst-in-generation drought dims U.S. farm economy hopes" (Bloomberg
Businessweek, 7/16/12)
"A worst-in-a-generation drought from Indiana to Arkansas to
California is damaging crops and rural economies and threatening to
drive food prices to record levels. Agriculture, though a small part
of the $15.5 trillion U.S. economy, had been one of the most resilient
industries in the past three years as the country struggled to recover
from the recession."
www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-07-16/worst-in-generation-drought-dims-u-s-farm-economy-hopes.html


HEADLINES and HIGHLIGHTS

"Flying trains, flash floods and wash outs -- It's Glamis!" (News.bytes Extra)
A summer thunderstorm caused flash floods in the El Centro area,
damaged Wash Road and swept railcars off the track. Please drive
carefully on Wash Road in the area of the Imperial Sand Dunes, respect
marked areas and watch for road crews.
www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/info/newsbytes/2012/540xtra_flying_trains.html

RELATED: "Seeley residents accustomed to flooded roads after rainfall"
(Imperial Valley Press, 7/18/12)
"On July 13, certain parts of the Valley experienced between 1 inch
and 2 inches of rain in about a one-hour time frame, according to
Imperial County officials." The water covered many roads in the area.
www.ivpressonline.com/news/ivp-seeley-residents-accustomed-to-flooded-roads-after-rainfall-20120718,0,6969165.story

"Cleanup collects 16,500 pounds of waste" (Riverside Press-Enterprise, 7/12/12)
"More than 80 volunteers" took part in the annual Temescal Valley
Great American Cleanup. "Local residents, ranging from children to
adults," removed 16,500 pounds of discarded trash and debris from the
Lake Mathews region. A number of organizations including the BLM
supported the cleanup effort.
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=1&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,13u4r,3xn3,8ucx,u0c,283f,37zd

"Over 106k pot plants seized at Tulare County grow sites" (Visalia
Times-Delta, 7/15/12)
Tulare County Sheriff's Department reported four arrests after "raids
on 11 marijuana grow sites in Tulare County that netted 106,529 live
plants .... In addition to the marijuana plants, authorities also
seized firearms, ammunition, fertilizer, pesticides and rat poison.
Animal carcasses were discovered at some of the grow sites, including
an endangered ring-tailed cat. There was also evidence of a bear cub
having been shot by the growers on U.S. Forest lands." The BLM
assisted in the operations.
www.visaliatimesdelta.com/article/20120716/NEWS01/307150001

"Madera County drug agents eradicate thousands of pot plants" (KSEE, 7/18/12)
During "a 24-hour marathon," the Madera County Narcotic Enforcement
Team eradicated "more than twenty thousand marijuana plants" and also
"completed the first ever reclamation operation" at the same time.
"Unlike years past, when authorities handled eradication missions and
reclamation operations in two stages, Madera County embraced the
challenge to do it all at once. Generally, agents eradicate the
gardens mid-summer through early fall, and leave the campsites intact
for volunteers with BLM to hike in mid-October to remove the debris."
www.ksee24.com/news/local/Madera-County-Drug-Agents-Eradicate-Thousands-of-Pot-Plants-162921226.html

"BLM advisory council meets in Geyserville" (BLM, 7/18/12)
Members of the Bureau of Land Management's Northwest California
Resource Advisory Council will discuss a variety of land management
issues when they meet July 26 and 27.
www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/info/newsroom/2012/july/NC1278_nwracmtg.html

"Desert scape: Water woes causing a lonely death for palm oasis" (Palm
Springs Desert Sun, 7/14/12)
Corn Spring "is one of the most remote palm oases anywhere in the
Southwest desert ... about 100 miles east of Palm Springs," on lands
managed by the BLM. It was once "a lush oasis dominated by desert fan
palms." But now, "the oasis is dying, one of the few palm oases in our
desert that is expiring. This is strange since most palm oases in
California, Nevada and Arizona are thriving as never before with
dramatic increases in palm numbers compared with a half-century ago.
What gives with Corn Spring? Why are the palms dying?"
www.mydesert.com/article/20120715/COLUMNS08/207140339/1052/lifestyles0102/

JOBS
"Current job openings - BLM California" (USAJOBS website)
Current listings include rangeland management specialist and a number
of ongoing listings.
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?ufl=1&rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,13u4r,3xn3,8qwy,1ci0,283f,37zd


NATIONAL, OTHER STATE AND DEPARTMENT of the INTERIOR ITEMS

"Fayette County rescue prompts talk of geocaching safety" (Commercial
Appeal, Memphis Tennessee, 7/18/12)
"Stomping through the wilderness isn't the only thing geocachers do.
In fact, most of their time is spent in public areas, looking for
business cards and trinkets hidden in a parking lot or movie theater.
The activity captured local attention recently after an announcer for
a Memphis public radio station and a young actor ... became lost
during a weekend of geocaching in Fayette County. They were found safe
Monday after spending two nights lost in a forest."
www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/jul/18/preparedness-key-in-geocaching/

"Four arrested in northwestern Arizona pot farm operation" (Las Vegas
Review-Journal, 7/16/12)
"A tip from hunters" led law enforcement to "12,556 marijuana plants
on Bureau of Land Management land."
www.lvrj.com/news/four-arrested-in-nowthwestern-arizona-pot-farm-operation-162670916.html


SELECTED UPCOMING EVENTS

BLM California has a new events calendar on Facebook. You can view it
by signing in to your Facebook account.

July 21 - Astronomy hike - King Range
www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/info/newsroom/2012/july/NC1276_kingrangehike.html

More information on the following events at the Santa Rosa and San
Jacinto Mountains National Monument can be found at:
www.desertmountains.org/

July 20 - Night Owl movie series

July 25 - What's Up There? (Plants of the forest)

July 28 - Devil's Slide hike


WILDLIFE TRIVIA answer and related websites
(a.) ...spends most of its time hibernating ...from seven to nine
months of the year.

SOURCE: "Belding's Ground Squirrel - Spermophilus beldingi" (BLM
California wildlife database)
www.blm.gov/ca/forms/wildlife/details.php?metode=serial_number&search=2366

More wildlife news from your public lands (and elsewhere):

"Editorial: Wildlands caught in drug war crossfire" (Sacramento Bee, 7/18/12)
"Illicit marijuana farms in remote forestlands throughout California
have long been recognized as a threat to public safety," including
hikers who run across these. "The threat to the environment and to
wildlife from massive and increasingly sophisticated marijuana grows
is even greater. Pot farmers use powerful pesticides and herbicides to
kill rodents and weeds that reduce their yields. Not just fishers, but
porcupine, beavers, dear, bobcats and owls have died after eating
poisoned pellets or feeding on animals that have eaten the pellets."
www.sacbee.com/2012/07/18/4638119/wildlands-caught-in-drug-war-crossfire.html

"Grouse's plight indicates broader ecological problem" (Reno
Gazette-Journal, 7/18/12)
"The sage grouse, one could say, is the tip of an ecological iceberg.
The bird's plight is a symptom of a larger problem — the disappearance
of an iconic Western landscape vital to pronghorn, pygmy rabbits,
birds, reptiles and a threatened trout unique to the Great Basin. All
depend on sagebrush habitat, a vast stretch of rangeland described by
the environmental group WildEarth Guardians as 'our own Serengeti'."
www.rgj.com/article/20120701/NEWS/307010076/Grouse-s-plight-indicates-broader-ecological-probl

"Flycatcher habitat plan open for comment " (Riverside
Press-Enterprise, 7/13/12)
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service "is seeking comments on revised
protections for the endangered Southwestern willow flycatcher, a
migratory songbird that lives in streamside vegetation in San
Bernardino and Riverside counties." The Service "also released a draft
environmental assessment and an economic analysis that pegs the cost
of the proposed designation of protected habitat at $11 million to $19
million over 20 years. Local water agencies have said the designation
would threaten water supplies and pending projects."
www.pe.com/local-news/breaking-news-headlines/20120713-wildlife-flycatcher-habitat-plan-open-for-comment.ece

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