CONSERVATION AND RECREATION ON PUBLIC LANDS

Giant Gap gains defenders" (Auburn Journal, 12/03/2004)
"Two land trusts have gained a solid foothold in a new attempt to protect the scenic majesty of Giant Gap, near Gold Run." One property "will be transferred to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management." Said a trust spokesperson: "This will result in the protection of the American River canyon's scenic beauty and wildlife habitat, the protection of water quality and the enhancement of public recreational access to the river canyon."
http://www.auburnjournal.com/articles/2004/12/03/news/top_stories/04giantgap.txt

"Land conservancy may buy Piedras Blancas Resort" (San Luis Obispo Tribune, 12/03/2004)
"The shoreline surrounding the weathered resort is the last parcel west of Highway 1 that's surrounded by Hearst Ranch property but owned by someone other than the state or federal government....The US Bureau of Land Management owns the Piedras Blancas Lighthouse site. State parks owns William Randolph Hearst Memorial State Beach at San Simeon Cove....The conservancies say the purchase would be a key link in a planned trail that would extend along the coast from Oregon to Mexico."
http://www.sanluisobispo.com/mld/sanluisobispo/news/local/10328951.htm

Related: "Piedras Blancas Light Station" (BLM California website)
http://www.ca.blm.gov/bakersfield/pbls/

"Peak interest; Trona Pinnacles a popular spot for nature lovers, sci-fi fans alike" (Bakersfield Californian, 12/04/2004)
"The remote desert site, managed by the Bureau of Land Management, is always open and free to the public. The best time to visit is winter, when daytime temperatures average a balmy 68 degrees." More than 20 movies have used the area - with its unusual geologic formations - as a backdrop.
(Free registration required)
http://www.bakersfield.com/eye_street/story/5123055p-5168403c.html

Related: "Trona Pinnacles" (BLM California website)
"However it may appear to you, a visit to the Trona Pinnacles will be a journey into one of the most unusual geologic wonders in the California Desert."
http://www.ca.blm.gov/ridgecrest/trona.html

"Native plants get some helping hands" (Monterey County Herald, 12/05/2004)
"Return of the Natives is a community and school-based environmental education program dedicated to involving students (kindergarten through university) in habitat restoration and service learning projects in schools and the community. Return of the Natives partners with the Bureau of Land Management in restoration and education efforts on their newly acquired Fort Ord Public Lands, along with the Monterey regional parks, California state parks, and with the city of Salinas, with their various restoration projects."
http://www.montereyherald.com/mld/montereyherald/news/local/10345580.htm

SPECIAL PHOTO FEATURE: Pogonip

"Pogonip hits northern California public lands" (News.bytes Extra, December, 2004)
Pogonip, or ice fog, results in a phenomenon called "hoarfrost," which is a deposit of interlocking ice crystals on objects exposed to cold, foggy air. Dazzling winter scenes are revealed as tree limbs, leaves, fence wires are coated with the ice. As the fog burns off in the daylight hours, there are a few magical moments when the hoarfrost glistens in the sun, beautifully contrasted against azure skies. See this photo feature from BLM's Northern California public affairs specialist.

SAGE GROUSE, ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT, OTHER WILDLIFE

"Bird not likely to get endangered status" (Associated Press at MSNBC, 12/3/2004)
"Interior Department biologists have recommended against adding the sage grouse to the endangered species list, a determination that could wind up benefiting natural gas and oil producers but add to environmentalists’ concerns. A coalition of farmers, ranchers, oil and gas developers and other businesses praised the recommendation as potentially historic....Last month, Interior’s Bureau of Land Management, which oversees oil and gas leases and much of the sage grouse habitat, issued a conservation plan."
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/6646138/

Related: "Grouse unlikely to find shelter on endangered list" (USA Today, 12/03/2004)
"An endangered listing for the greater sage grouse, whose habitat overlaps with the West's prime gas drilling territory, has been contested by energy advocates who fear that federal protections on the bird's nesting areas will disrupt the Bush administration's plan for a gas industry boom."
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2004-12-02-grouse_x.htm

Related: "Service scientists make recommendation on greater sage-grouse" (U.S. Fish & Widlife website)
Includes links to news release, funding opportunities for sage-grouse conservation, and "learn more."
http://www.fws.gov/

Related: "BLM announces national strategy for conserving sage-grouse on public lands" (BLM national website)
(As reported in issue 184 of News.bytes)
http://www.blm.gov/nhp/spotlight/sage_grouse/

"Western governors focus on wildlife; Changes to species law discussed at S.D. summit" (San Diego Union-Tribune, 12/04/2004)
"A majority of Western governors gathered in San Diego yesterday said they favor significant revisions in the federal Endangered Species Act, one of the nation's landmark environmental laws. Colorado Gov. Bill Owens and others said the 31-year-old law often robs Westerners of their property rights and imposes broad rules after little consultation." BLM California representatives attended the meeting.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/state/20041204-9999-7m4govs.html

"Rules target fish habitat" (Redding Record Searchlight, 12/05/2004)
Two Redding-area creeks retain their designation as critical habitat for salmon and steelhead - but a "dozen or so smaller Sacramento River tributaries in the Redding area" do not. "Meanwhile, Fish and Game officials have urged the federal Bureau of Land Management to prevent development on 215 acres around Salt Creek known as 'Area 51.' Plans to carve nearly 60 lots there could harm fish and undermine a $20 million restoration effort...."
(Free registration required)
http://www.redding.com/redd/nw_local/article/0,2232,REDD_17533_3376665,00.html

WILDLIFE TRIVIA QUESTION OF THE WEEK: Newt defense
What does a California newt often do, when it is threatened? Take your best guess in our online interactive quiz:
http://www6.ca.blm.gov/forms/polls/issue18/wild/index.php

LAST WEEK'S WILDLIFE TRIVIA QUESTION
How do coyotes typically find their food? See how our readers answered during the past week:
http://www6.ca.blm.gov/forms/polls/issue185/wild/index.php?result=true

SPECIAL STATUS PLANT OF THE WEEK: Abode lilly
This plant grows in adobe soil in interior foothills of California. It is a perennial herb with yellowish bulb, 1/2 - 1 inch long, with 1-12 large scales, and 0-2 small scales. Stems upright, 6-18 inches. Leaves are elliptic to obovate, to oblong, with 3-10 leaves clustered near the ground. Flowers contain 6 pinkish-purple, obovate petals. Fruit is a capsule with 3 chambers, and many flat, brownish seeds.
http://www.ca.blm.gov/pa/ssp/plants/Adobe_lily.html

MEET YOUR ADVISORY COUNCIL MEMBERS: David Charlton
Desert District Advisory Council member David Charlton is from Newberry Springs and represents botanical interests as a renewable resource representative. He is an accomplished botanist and....read more in this week's News.bytes feature.
http://www.ca.blm.gov/news/rac/dac/member_profiles/charlton.html

PROFILE: Christina Welch
Currently Acting Field Manager El Centro Field Office, Christina finds "working in controversial arenas, with passionate and polarized publics, and helping them come to consensus to be wildly satisfying" - as long as there is some down time afterwards. Read more in this week's News.bytes Profile:
http://www.ca.blm.gov/news/newsbytes/profiles/welch-elcentro.html

HEADLINES AND HIGHLIGHTS

"Mustangs' slaughter feared" (Sacramento Bee, 12/7/2004)
"Advocates for wild horses, burros blast little-noticed provision in spending bill....'This is not something the BLM sought,' said Celia Boddington, a spokeswoman for the agency in Washington. But if it becomes law, she said, the agency will follow the law. Animal-rights activists were stunned to discover the provision tucked into the bill."
http://www.sacbee.com/content/politics/story/11686080p-12574985c.html

"Carrizo Plain National Monument Advisory Committee to meet" (BLM California news release, 12/6/2004)
The agenda for the December 11th meeting will include discussion of the Draft Resource Management Plan.
http://www.ca.blm.gov/news/2004/12/nr/CCNews25_carrizomeeting.html

"South Mountain clean-up" (Off-road.com, 12/01/2004)
A father reports in words and photos, as his 11-year-old son and other volunteers help BLM clean up and maintain this popular off-roading area.
http://www.off-road.com/dirtbike/features/2004/cleanup/

Related: "South Cow Mountain OHV Recreation Area" (BLM California website)
http://www.ca.blm.gov/ukiah/cowmtn.html#southcow

"Los Angeles DWP seeks comments on Pine Tree wind project" (Desert News, 12/03/2004)
"Los Angeles Dept. of Water and Power officials are seeking comment on a draft environmental impact report and environmental assessment for a large windfarm the city wants to build north of Mojave....the project would generate some 120 megawatts of electrical power which, DWP says, 'will help meet overall demand for electrical power in Southern California.'" The BLM is involved in an environmental review, since public lands are involved.
http://www.desertnews.com/2004/December/12_02_04_NEWS_LA_DWP.html

"Snapshots: Highlighting BLM projects that support the National Fire Plan" (BLM California website)
California article: "Hats Off to the Big Red Truck"
PDF file, 340 kilobytes: http://www.ca.blm.gov/news/pdfs/snapshots_ca/2004_1203.pdf

Related: "Snapshots" (BLM national fire website)
Features items from Wyoming, Idaho, Nevada, besides the California article above.
PDF file, 1.2 megabytes: http://www.fire.blm.gov/textdocuments/12-3-04.pdf

"Current job openings - BLM California" (USAJOBS website)
Current openings include biological scientist and ecologist.
http://jobsearch.usajobs.opm.gov/a9blm-ca.asp

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BOOKSTORE FEATURE: "Don't get bitten"
"The dangers of things that bite or sting: Snakes and spiders and wasps, oh my! Learn how to avoid their painful and even lethal bites and stings in this informative pack-size book."
http://store.ca.blm.gov/cgi-bin/webc.exe/st_prod.html?p_prodid=1960