News Release

 

For Release:  December 19, 2002

Contact: Joy Fatooh,  60-872-5029

CC-03-09

 

BLM Continues Voluntary Seasonal Closure in Chalk Bluff Area

 

The Bureau of Land Management Bishop Field Office will continue a voluntary seasonal closure of the western part of Chalk Bluff in 2003, from January 1 through July 31, to minimize disturbance of raptors that may use the area during the breeding season.

 

"Chalk Bluff is part of the Volcanic Tableland, a unique landscape that includes habitat for a variety of animals and plants," BLM field manager Bill Dunkelberger says. "Chalk Bluff has had special value to wildlife and humans since prehistoric times. With the dramatic increase in bouldering use there recently, we need to look at how that use affects a fairly fragile environment. While we recognize bouldering as a legitimate use of public lands, we need to identify and mitigate the impacts that bouldering may have on other values and resources."

 

"Last year BLM implemented an interim strategy to protect resources while maintaining bouldering opportunities. We were grateful for the cooperation and support provided by the climbing community, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, the Access Fund and others in addressing increasing bouldering use.  We now need to look at a long-term strategy for regional climbing use.  In 2003, BLM would like to facilitate collaboration between affected land management agencies, the climbing community, and general public with the goal of providing continued climbing access and opportunities in an environmentally appropriate manner. Meanwhile BLM will continue its interim strategy. We're not looking at any change in management at this time."

 

The interim strategy, developed with public input, includes the voluntary closure during the breeding season for raptors - eagles, hawks, falcons and owls - which largely abandoned Chalk Bluff during the same time that bouldering increased from a handful of enthusiasts to thousands of visitors annually.

 

From January through July 2002, BLM posted voluntary seasonal closure of the western part of the bluff, where recreation has been lighter than in the popular eastern canyons, and monitored both raptor and human activity. BLM found that human use continued in the area and raptor breeding and foraging did not resume, while in the Volcanic Tableland overall there was a slight drop in visitors and a slight increase in raptors. Dunkelberger says, "We need to monitor longer than one year to better understand the relationship between human and raptor use."

 

The 2003 voluntary seasonal closure will be identical to last year, involving Chalk Bluff west of the "Happy Boulders" canyon, with signs posted along the boundary. Dunkelberger notes that many visitors respected the 2002 closure, and better compliance may help show how raptors respond in the long term. "BLM personnel will patrol the area, inform users of the reasons for the voluntary closure and respectfully ask them to consider using other places."

-BLM-