Alturas Field Office Fiscal Year 2008 Strategic Plan
It is the mission of the Bureau of Land Management to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. |
The Alturas Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management is staffed by a team of employees focused on achieving common goals and objectives but flexible enough to adapt to ever changing work priorities. We meet these challenges through continual self improvement and adherence to Individual Development Plans which are updated on an annual basis.
BACKGROUND
The Alturas Field Office is located in northeastern California. The Field Office boundaries encompass public land in four counties as follows:
Lassen Modoc Shasta Siskiyou
268,214 ac. 142,143 ac. 53,120 ac. 39,736 ac.
This constitutes a total public land base of 503,243 acres. Management direction for the areais provided in a Proposed Resource Management Plan (RMP) issued in May 2007. We are currently resolving two protests received on the RMP and hope to complete a Record of Decision on the Plan by early 2008.
The Field Office area includes several large contiguous blocks of public land, however, much of the rest of the public land is located in smaller scattered parcels resulting in a variety of interesting management opportunities.
Livestock grazing is one of the many multiple uses managed out of the Alturas Office. Total active grazing use is 55,000 AUMs on 155 allotments. Interdisciplinary rangeland health assessments have been completed on 44 priority grazing allotments encompassing 300,000 acres of public land. It has been determined that 18 of these allotments (150,000 acres) fail to meet at least one rangeland health standard due to livestock grazing practices. We complete annual agreements with grazing permittees on permit terms and conditions designed to bring these allotments into compliance with standards.
Grazing use is currently conducted in accordance with Integrated Resource Management Plans on both Tule Mountain and the Likely Tablelands. We continue to implement plans on these areas which include an additional 9 allotments on 97,000 acres of public land and feature sensitive riparian areas such as Cedar Creek and Fitzhugh Creek. An AMP is also currently being implemented on the North Ash Valley Allotment.
Three additional rangeland health assessments are planned for 2008. As time allows, the staff will also continue monitoring and management planning on the 247,000 acres already identified as high priority management areas.
The BLM, Pit River Tribe and the State Office of Historic Preservation signed a Programmatic Agreement in early FY07 to protect significant cultural resources from livestock grazing impacts on the Yankee Jim Ranch Allotment. This Agreement includes a Historic Property Management Plan. The BLM worked with a newly trained Pit River Tribal crew to complete an archaeological inventory of Yankee Jim in 2007.
Significant archeological and historical sites are found throughout the area. We are currently involved in an Emigrant Trail Scenic Byway interpretive project as well as in efforts to acquire lands associated with the Battle of the Infernal Caverns.
Recreational use, including hunting, fishing, hiking, camping, photography, bird watching, horseback riding, mountain biking and off-road vehicles, is increasing on public land in the area. The Field Office manages one developed campground on the Pit River in Shasta County. Six interpretive panels were installed at the campground in 2007.
The Alturas Field Office has recently partnered with Modoc and Lassen counties, the Sierra Nevada Conservancy, the American Land Conservancy, the Wildlife Conservation Board and the Lassen Land and Trails Trust (LLTT)to railbank the 85 mile Modoc Line south of Alturas. LLTT plans to acquire the Line in the spring of ’08. BLM will then enter into a joint powers agreement to manage the Line as a trail resource on an interim basis pending the return of rail service.
There are four Wilderness Study Areas under the jurisdiction of the Alturas Field Office: Tule Mountain (17,000 ac.), Pit River Canyon (11,000 ac.), Lava (10,800 ac.) and Timbered Crater (17,900 ac.). The Field Office also manages the 1,200 acre Ash Valley Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) for the management and protection of sensitive plant species. Six additional ACECs encompassing 29,100 acres are identified in the Proposed RMP.
Some of the premier wildlife habitat in the State is found in Northeastern California. The area provides habitat for a large number of mule deer and pronghorn. Rocky Mountain elk are also migrating into the area. Reductions in sage-grouse populations are of concern, and we are currently implementing habitat improvement projects to address this situation. We are awaiting Justice Department approval to acquire over 800 acres of mining mitigation land near Hayden Hill. This area includes sage-grouse habitat as well as constructed wetlands.
Many streams and reservoirs on public land are excellent cold and warm water fisheries and are home to both native and introduced species of fish. Monitoring and protecting spring sources and riparian areas is a high priority for Field Office personnel.
Threatened or endangered species found in the area include: northern spotted owl, Modoc sucker, Shasta crayfish and slender Orcutt grass.
Mining activity is limited to mineral material sales involving cinders, flat rock, and sand and gravel. The Alturas Field Office is also responsible for leasing and permitting geothermal development on National Forest land in the Medicine Lake Highlands.
There are many vectors contributing to the spread of noxious weeds in the area. These weeds are spreading at an alarming rate and, so far, about a dozen species have been identified. At this point, our primary species of concern are yellow starthistle, scotchthistle and squarrose knapweed. We contract with counties and the Pit River Tribe and fund a seasonal weed crew to treat infestations.
The Resource Advisory Council has identified juniper management as a top priority for the area. In response, the Alturas Field Office has teamed with the United States Forest Service and Modoc County to develop a landscape level Sage Steppe Ecosystem Restoration Strategy encompassing a 6.5 million acre planning area in northeastern California and northwestern Nevada. The centerpiece of the Strategy is an environmentally sensible reduction in the level of juniper encroachment in the area. The Proposed Strategy is expected to be issued in early 2008.
ALTURAS FIELD OFFICE PRIORITIES
FY 2008
1. Workplace Safety including CASHE Compliance
2. Alturas RMP ROD and Implementation
3. Grazing Permit Renewals/Cultural Resource Evaluations/Implementation of Yankee Jim PA
4. Resource Monitoring and Use Supervision
5. Sage-Grouse Conservation Planning, Implementation and Monitoring (SNC Coordination)
6. Sagebrush Steppe Restoration Strategy Implementation and Adaptive Management
7. Prescribed Fire/Fuels Reduction/Stewardship Projects
8. Land Tenure Adjustment Plan Implementation (Infernal Caverns, Hayden Hill, Lava Beds)
9. Noxious Weed Inventory and Control
10. Disposition of Descent Into Goose Lake Interpretive Proposal
11. Aspen Enhancement
12. IRMP/AMP Implementation
13. Pacific Forest and Watershed Stewardship Council Partnership
14. Rangeland Health Assessments
15. Budget Planning System/18 Month Planning Schedule
16. Wind Energy Proposals
17. Enterprise Geographic Information System Database Development
18. Public Outreach (Migratory Bird Festival, Resource Academy, River Center, California Archaeology Month, Pit River Watershed Alliance)
19. Ben Bridge Cinder Pit Production Verification
20. Medicine Lake Geothermal
21. Lauer Reservoir Road ROW and Dam Construction
