News.bytes
A publication of
Bureau of Land Management in California
Issue date: 12/10/2002
This week in News.bytes:
- Fighting wildfire: Award, report
- Fighting wildfire: President's forest thinning plan
- Not for Educators Only:
- Weed of the Week: Dalmation toadflax
- Wildlife Trivia of the Week: Habitat-specific
- Field Office planner wins interpretation/environmental
education award
- Land use, rights-of-way issues:
- Planned gravel mine in Soledad Canyon
- Valley Rainbow Interconnect power line
- Police training at Fort Ord?
- Volunteers in the spotlight
- Headlines and Highlights, including:
- Big Sur Wilderness and Conservation Act of 2002
- On a mission to stop desert dumping
- Lost Coast walk
- Selected Upcoming Events
|
FIGHTING
WILDFIRES: Award to Californian, national report release Related:
"LEADERS CHOSEN FOR COUNTY'S FIRE SAFE COUNCILS"
(Calaveras Enterprise, 12/9/02) |
| FIGHTING
WILDFIRES: Forest thinning, rangeland health plans "PRESIDENT'S BRIEFING ON HEALTHY FORESTS INITIATIVE" (U.S. Department of the Interior Web site, 12/11/2002) Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton briefs the President: "The first thing I would tell you today is that we are dealing with an emergency situation. And for those who think we have a breathing spell this winter, the Southwest fire season is only a few months away..." http://www.doi.gov/news/021212.htm "BUSH FIRE STRATEGY: SPEED UP THINNING OF NATIONAL FORESTS" (San Jose Mercury News, 12/12/2002) "The rules could have major impacts in California, where 20 percent of the state is made up of national forest lands, and an additional 15 percent is administered by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, which also is affected." http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/news/4722441.htm "BUSH ADMINISTRATION MOVING AHEAD ON THINNING FORESTS TO PREVENT FIRES" (Associated Press, in San Diego Union-Tribune, 12/12/2002) http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/nation/20021211-1149-bush-wildfires.html "BUSH SPEEDS LOGGING PLAN; HE BYPASSES CONGRESS WITH PLAN TO MINIMIZE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW" (San Francisco Chronicle, 12/12/2002) http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2002/12/12/MN184822.DTL "BUSH ADMINISTRATION PROPOSES STEPS TO RESTORE FOREST AND RANGELAND HEALTH" (News release: U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and White House Council on Environmental Quality, 12/11/2002) "We are trying to expedite our processes in order to prevent catastrophic damage to our forests and rangelands by returning these lands to good health, which will protect lives, property and homes," said Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton. "Needless delay closes the narrow window of opportunity we have to do essential fuels treatment work between fire seasons." Includes links to Fact Sheet, more information. http://www.doi.gov/news/0504.htm
Invasive weeds are generally non-native plants from Europe and Asia. They spread at an alarming rate because, unlike native species, there are no native insects, fungi, or diseases to control their growth and spread. A handful of such plants in the 19th century now number in the hundreds of millions. These noxious weeds are destroying wildlife habitat and forage, threatening endangered species and native plants, increasing soil erosion and groundwater loss, and blocking recreational opportunities. http://www.ca.blm.gov/redding/redlida.html |
"What is the most habitat-specific mammal in North America?" (See answer near the end of this issue of News.bytes) ALSO:
"BLM INTERPRETERS
AND EDUCATORS HONORED AT NATIONAL CONFERENCE" (BLM news release,
12/06/2002)
Request from Navy to modify use of La Posta withdrawal from microwave relay station to training site and to transfer administrative jurisdiction of to the Navy - approximately 1,079 acres near Campo in southeast San Diego County. http://www.ca.blm.gov/news/2002/12/nr/CDDnews12_La_Posta_Withdrawal_Modification/Conv.htm "BOARD TARGETS POWER LINES" (Riverside Press-Enterprise, 12/11/2002) Riverside County supervisors will ask state Utilities Commission to block San Diego Gas & Electric's proposed Valley Rainbow Interconnect power line: "The county doesn't want to be the utility basement for the rest of Southern California." Line would likely involve BLM in rights-of-way permitting. http://www.pe.com/localnews/stories/PE_NEWS_nalines11.edbe.html "POLICE TRAINING CENTER MOVES FORWARD" (Monterey Herald, 12/11/2002) Fort Ord re-use, involving BLM California: Monterey Peninsula College would expand its public safety training program after trading land with the county and negotiating management of fragile habitat. http://www.montereyherald.com/mld/montereyherald/news/local/4714721.htm "LOCKYER IN MINE BATTLE" (Los Angeles Daily News, 12/09/2002) California Attorney General agrees to join federal court battle over a Cemex, Inc. sand-and-gravel mine in Soledad Canyon -- city and county officials asked him to help them fight project. Company won BLM bid for mining at the site. http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200%257E20949%257E1042796,00.html "CEMEX LAWSUIT COULD RESOLVE POLICY QUESTIONS" (Santa Clarita Signal, 12/10/2002) Related Editorial: newspaper welcomes state Attorney General to Cemex lawsuit, questions his enthusiasm, says precedent could be set for case where federal and local decisions differ.... http://www.the-signal.com/Archive/ViewStory.asp?StoryID=1437 Related: "LOCKYER TO JOIN FIGHT AGAINST MINE" (Santa Clarita Signal, 12/10/2002) http://www.the-signal.com/Archive/ViewStory.asp?StoryID=1430 VOLUNTEERS IN THE SPOTLIGHT "ROSE BLOOMS IN THE DESERT" (Barstow Desert Dispatch, 12/03/2002) "Our Town" feature on BLM Barstow's volunteer coordinator, Rose Foster -- who recruits for cleanup efforts and other improvements to public lands. Also refers to a volunteer event last weekend, but notes "volunteering opportunities are available year-round." http://www.desertdispatch.com/ourtown/stories/120302.html Related: examples of projects worked on by volunteers to the BLM's Barstow Field Office. http://www.ca.blm.gov/barstow/volunteer.html "VOLUNTEER PROGRAM" (BLM California Web pages) Related: information on other opportunities to volunteer with BLM California, volunteer application, volunteer coordinators. http://www.ca.blm.gov/caso/volunteers.html |
| HEADLINES
AND HIGHLIGHTS "BIG SUR WILDLAND PROTECTION IS LIKELY" (San Jose Mercury News, 11/21/2002) The House and Senate approved designating 56,880 acres of canyons, streams, oak forests, and other scenic federal lands on the Big Sur coast and at the Pinnacles National Monument in San Benito County as protected wilderness - as components of the National Wilderness Preservation System, and as additions to the Ventana Wilderness, the Silver Peak Wilderness, and the Pinnacles Wilderness. The "Big Sur Wilderness and Conservation Act of 2002" still must be signed by the President to become law. http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/4570755.htm Related: "BIG SUR WILDERNESS AND CONSERVATION ACT OF 2002" (Library of Congress Web Site) You can find the final text of the bill by searching for "Big Sur Wilderness" in the category "Search Bill Text 107th Congress (2001-2002):" on Thomas - the Library of Congress Web site: http://thomas.loc.gov/ "BLM ON A MISSION TO STOP ILLEGAL DESERT DUMPING" (Barstow Desert Dispatch, 12/08/2002) BLM's Barstow Field Office apprehends more people for illegal dumping in the desert: "BLM land is public land ... Public land belongs to all of us and all of us need to take responsibility for keeping it safe." http://www.ridgecrestca.com/articles/2002/12/08/news/local_news/news01.txt "WALK ON THE BEACH TAKES STAMINA, GOOD TIMING" (Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11/24/2002) Feature article on the Lost Coast, with hiking trails managed by BLM California. (Story originally from the 11/24/02 San Jose Mercury News) http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/living/travel/specialty_travel/active_extreme/4594533.htm
Pacific fishers -- they need forests with low and closed canopies to protect them from predation. Also of interest: "Fishers are well-known for being one of the few predators of common porcupines." Learn more about Pacific Fishers from our BLM California Wildlife Database: (Note: see comment on "secure server" under Selected Upcoming Events below.) https://doi1.ios.doi.gov/blmcawildlife.nsf/siteurl/13359579?OpenDocument |
(Note: the Upcoming Events database is now on a more secure Web server, and your browser may state "You are about to view pages over a secure connection" and ask you to "Trust a Security Certificate" from the Department of Interior that hosts this site. To view the pages, you must select "Yes" or "OK" for both questions.)
12/13/2002 - Desert District Advisory Council
Ridgecrest
https://doi1.ios.doi.gov/blmEvents.nsf/siteurl/20367590?OpenDocument
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News.bytes published by
Bureau of Land Management
California State Office
2800 Cottage Way, Suite W-1834
Sacramento, Ca 95825
(916) 978-4600
http://www.ca.blm.gov
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