WILDLIFE TRIVIA QUESTION OF THE WEEK: Interactive fish
Which species of sculpin is found only in the Rogue River and its tributaries within California?

(a) Rough sculpin
(b) Reticulate sculpin
(c) Whitewater sculpin
(d) Pit Sculpin
(e) Robberfish sculpin
Take our online interactive quiz, and check your answer against others. (Sculpin photo courtesy Dr. Douglas F. Markle, Oregon State University.)
http://www6.ca.blm.gov/forms/polls/issue147/wild/

WHERE IS THIS?
1. Dead Mountains Wilderness Area
2. Black Mountains Wilderness Area
3. Resting Spring Range Wilderness Area
Take your best guess and check your answer against other readers, in our interactive photo quiz:
http://www6.ca.blm.gov/forms/polls/issue147/wa/index.php

Photo Album: Carrizo Plain National Monument
The Carrizo Plain is an area by-passed by time. Soda Lake, its centerpiece, is a glistening bed of white salt set within a vast open grassland, rimmed by steep mountains. The plain is home to many wildlife and plant species, is culturally important to Native Americans, and is traversed by the San Andreas fault - which has created and moved mountain ranges, carved valleys and is marked by a subtle alignment of ridges, ravines and pools.

PROFILE: Miriam Morrill
Miriam Morrill joined BLM the last week of December 2003.  She is still piecing together the many parts of her program and getting to know the many partners and constituents - but, generally, she manages the community assistance and rural fire assistance grant programs and coordinates state-wide fire mitigation and education efforts. Learn more in our weekly News.bytes feature:
http://www.ca.blm.gov/news/newsbytes/profiles/morrill-SO.html

DESERT MONITORING

"Multi-species monitoring program begins at Imperial Sand Dunes" (BLM California news release, 02/27/2004)
The Bureau of Land Management has initiated a four-month multi-species monitoring program at the Imperial Sand Dunes that will likely set a baseline for future population estimates of the Pierson's milkvetch.
http://www.ca.blm.gov/news/2004/02/nr/CDDnews24_milkvetch_monitoring.html

"Workers prepare to monitor desert" (Imperial Valley Press, 02/28/2004)
"A group of environmental workers and government biologists will be criss-crossing the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area in the largest federal monitoring program of plant life and wildlife ever attempted in the sprawling dune ecosystem, U.S. Bureau of Land Management officials confirmed Friday."
http://www.ivpressonline.com/articles/2004/02/28/news/news05.txt

"Imperial Sand Dunes" (BLM California Web site)
http://www.ca.blm.gov/elcentro/ImperialSandDunes/index.html

WILD HORSES AND BURROS

"Adopted wild horses honored for endurance achievements" (BLM California news release, 03/01/2004)
Two Northern California wild horses, and their owners and riders, have received national recognition from the American Endurance Ride Conference, the BLM and the National Wild Horse and Burro Foundation - for their excellence in endurance competition.
http://www.ca.blm.gov/news/2004/03/nr/NCnews39_endurance_awards.html

Photos of the two horses and riders in action (BLM California Web site)
http://www.ca.blm.gov/news/newsbytes/temp_issues/147-xtra_endurance.html

"Wild horses and burros available for adoption in Santa Maria" (BLM California news release, 2/24/2004)
The BLM will offer 80 wild horses and 20 wild burros for public adoption Friday through Sunday, March 12 through 14, at the Santa Barbara County Fairgrounds in Santa Maria. Adoption visitors can also learn more about a great use for their adopted horses and burros - back country packing - at the Back Country Horsemen of California's 2004 Rendezvous.
http://www.ca.blm.gov/news/2004/02/nr/NCnews36_santamaria_adoption.html

HEADLINES AND HIGHLIGHTS

"Results of recent BLM California oil and gas lease sale" (BLM California Web site)
BLM's oil and gas lease sale in Bakersfield in February received competitive bids by eight different bidders. The total revenue from the sale was $51,903. The results of oil and gas lease sales are posted on the BLM California website:
http://www.ca.blm.gov/caso/compsales.html#SaleResults

"Shooting range's future up for debate" (San Bernardino County Sun, 03/01/2003)
"Federal officials [at the BLM] are beginning to decide whether to renew a lease for the Inland Fish & Game Club, a shooting club that has periodically drawn neighbors' complaints about excessive noise."
http://www.sbsun.com/Stories/0,1413,208%257E12588%257E1990009,00.html

"BLM plans prescribed burning projects on north coast" (BLM California news release, 03/01/2004)
Tim Jones, fire management officer for the agency's Arcata Field Office, said about 130 acres will be burned. Fires will be ignited only if weather conditions and other factors allow for safe and successful burning and smoke management.
http://www.ca.blm.gov/news/2004/03/nr/NCnews38_arcataburning_2004.html

"Current job openings - BLM California" (USAJOBS Web site)
Includes:
Open to ALL this week: Supervisory range technician, Outdoor recreation planner.
Open to Federal Civil Employees only: Forester, Fire engine captain.
http://jobsearch.usajobs.opm.gov/a9blm-ca.asp

"Utah ruling to set standards on road claims" (Victorville Daily Press, 2/28/2004)
"A federal judge's ruling on counties' rights to federal land may set standards for others that hope to use a 19th century law to require rights-of-way, such as San Bernardino County, environmental activists said...."
http://www.vvdailypress.com/cgi-bin/newspro/viewnews.cgi?newsid1077980715,83985,

"Panel discusses search for unexploded ammo" (Mohave Valley News, 02/29/2004)
"A panel of experts from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Bureau of Land Management and the California Department of Toxic Substance Control came to Needles Feb. 25 to discuss the results of a search for unexploded ammunition at a former military post known as Camp Ibis....about 21 miles northwest of Needles."
http://www.mohavedailynews.com/articles/2004/02/29/news/news3.txt

"Army clears burn area" (Salinas Californian, 03/02/2004)
"The Army says it's finished cleaning up unexploded surface-level ordnance from the 1,500 acres that accidentally burned last fall on the former Fort Ord....The 1,000 acres accidentally burned eventually will be transferred to the Bureau of Land Management."
http://www.californianonline.com/news/stories/20040302/localnews/56291.html

"Colton Police ticket illegal off-roaders" (Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, 2/28/2004)
Brief item: "The team cited 19 drivers for off-road violations and one vehicle was impounded, police said.....Officials said it is unlawful to ride or drive on any property without the written permission of the landowner unless the area is posted by the U.S. Forest Service or the Bureau of Land Management as an open-riding area. There are no-open riding areas in Colton."
http://www.dailybulletin.com/cda/article/print/0,1674,203%7E21481%7E1987071,00.html

NATIONAL AND/OR DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR ITEMS

"Statement of Kathleen Clarke, Director, Bureau of Land Management...on BLM's Fiscal Year 2005 budget and ongoing efforts to reduce the maintenance backlog" (BLM national office news release, 02/27/2004)
Testimony at oversight hearing of the House Committee on Resources, Subcommittee on Parks, Recreation and Public Lands, on Feb. 26, 2004.
http://www.blm.gov/nhp/news/legislative/pages/2004/te040226.htm

"Interior Secretary makes pitch for funds" (Associated Press in Los Angeles Times, 2/29/2004)
"Administration seeks $760 million to thin forests, cut wildfire risk."
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-adna-norton29feb29,1,3888803.story

Related: "Federal agencies announce guidelines to aid wildfire prevention and restoration of healthy forests and rangelands" (Department of Interior/USDA Forest Service news release, 3/3/2004)
Includes links to a fact sheet and field guide.
http://www.doi.gov/news/040303c

"BLM expands virtual firearms training" (Government Computer News, 03/02/2004)
"The simulators can present video scenarios to trainees where they must make quick decisions about which actions to take....The systems can train individuals in basic marksmanship, use-of-force options and critical decision-making."
http://gcn.com/vol1_no1/daily-updates/25108-1.html