RECREATION ON PUBLIC LANDS

"Nearly 500 runners take on first Bizz Johnson Trail Marathon" (News.bytes Extra, issue 178)
Nearly 500 distance runners converged in Lassen County Sunday for the first Bizz Johnson Trail Marathon. The event was a qualifying race for the famous Boston Marathon. See photos and learn more:
http://www.ca.blm.gov/news/newsbytes/xtra-04/178-xtra_bizzrace.html

Related: "National qualifier brings 500 runners to area" (Lassen County News, 10/12/2004)
"Trail running is becoming the latest craze for harriers world over and Susanville welcomed almost 500 people to the Boston Marathon qualifier on the Bizz Johnson Trail."
http://www.lassennews.com/News_Story.edi?sid=2262&mode=thread&order=0

Related: "Bizz Johnson Trail" (BLM California website)
Learn more about this historic trail, and see photos.
http://www.ca.blm.gov/eaglelake/bizztrail.html

"Third annual Sand Flea Grand Prix races at the BLM's Samoa Dunes Recreation Area" (News.bytes Extra, issue 178)
Motorcycle racers and spectators enjoyed glorious weather, got their fill of racing excitement, and raised money for a great cause at the third annual Sand Flea Grand Prix races last Sunday on the shores of Humboldt Bay.
http://www.ca.blm.gov/news/newsbytes/xtra-04/178-xtra_samoa.html

"Horsetown Clear Creek Preserve offers public land guided hikes" (BLM California news release, 10/06/2004)
Outdoor enthusiasts have the opportunity to learn about topics ranging from wild trout and fly fishing to navigating with global positioning system units (GPS) in a series of free guided hikes offered by the Horsetown-Clear Creek Preserve on public lands in the Clear Creek area south of Redding.
http://www.ca.blm.gov/news/2004/10/nr/NCNews05_guidedhikes.html

"Quail, chukar season set to open in Upland" (Los Angeles Daily News, 10/06/2004)
"Upland game bird hunters can look forward to some pretty good shot-gunning come opening day of quail and chukar season Oct. 16....take a current Thomas Guide, BLM map or DeLorme Atlas to make sure you are hunting on unposted land."
http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200%257E28652%257E2450358,00.html

Related: "Hunting and target shooting" (BLM California website)
Hunting is permitted on public lands administered by the BLM. State of California hunting regulations must be followed. Access to public lands must be through public roads. Crossing private lands to access public lands is not permitted unless you first obtain permission from the private landowner. Surface management maps may help you in locating public lands.
http://www.ca.blm.gov/caso/hunting.html

"BLM to close shooting area; In making decision, agency cites sprawl, illegal dumping, partying" (Redding Record Searchlight, 10/12/2004)
"One bullet was plucked from a windowsill. Another was fished from a swimming pool. Such errant shots may be rare, but the Bureau of Land Management has nonetheless decided to phase out target shooting at an informal but popular wooded site off Swasey Drive west of Redding."
(Requires registration)
http://www.redding.com/redd/nw_local/article/0,2232,REDD_17533_3248711,00.html

"Rec fees surpass grazing for first time in BLM history" (Billings Gazette, 10/07/2004)
"For fiscal year 2004, the BLM collected $13.5 million in recreation receipts compared to $10 million for grazing. What's more, the agency estimates that 93 percent of its contacts with the public are now related to recreation. 'We used to do recreation on the side,' said Bob Ratcliffe, deputy manager of recreation and visitor services for the agency."
http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?display=rednews/2004/10/07/build/outdoors/30-rec-fees.inc

"National forest fees could be permanent" (Corvallis Gazette-Times, 10/12/2004)
"Recreational fees...could become permanent if the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act is approved by Congress this month. The fee program began in 1996 to ease the cost of operating and maintaining federal recreation sites" including some managed by BLM.
http://www.gazettetimes.com/articles/2004/10/10/news/the_west/west02.txt

LAND USE PLANNING

"BLM extends public comment period on Clear Creek Management Area" (BLM California news release, 10/12/2004)
In response to public requests, the BLM has extended the comment period on its draft resource management plan amendment and environmental impact statement regarding the Clear Creek Management Area (CCMA) for 30 days, from October 15, 2004, to November 15, 2004. The CCMA is a popular destination for off-highway vehicle recreation approximately two hours south of San Jose.
http://www.ca.blm.gov/news/2004/10/nr/CCNews04_clearcreekextn.html

"Organizations seek input on memorial forest" (Eureka Times-Standard, 10/10/2004)
Groups seek comments "on a new plan for a 675-acre chunk of public land near Petrolia. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management purchased the land in 1997 from Eel River Sawmills and another individual....The proposed plan would protect the old-growth forest and presses for restoration of logged lands in an effort to rehabilitate the area. The BLM-funded plan outlines management goals for the next 20 years."
http://www.times-standard.com/Stories/0,1413,127%257E2896%257E2458916,00.html

"Preserving the Black Forest" (Lake County Record-Bee, 09/30/2004)
"The dream of preserving the Black Forest became a reality Tuesday, when the deeds to the Bureau of Land Management and the County of Lake were officially recorded."
http://www.record-bee.com/Stories/0,1413,255%257E26901%257E2436166,00.html

WILDLIFE TRIVIA QUESTION OF THE WEEK: What IS that?
What is this animal?
1. Lyre snake
2. Western eyeless cave eel
3. Glossy snake
4. California rattleless snake
5. Central Valley leech
6. Western patch-nosed snake
7. Pacific long-tailed anchovy
8. California legless lizard
9. Bohemiam Rhapsody worm
10. Elephant
See a larger photo, and take your best guess in our online interactive quiz (or perhaps you already know the answer):
http://www6.ca.blm.gov/forms/polls/issue178/wild/index.php

LAST WEEK'S WILDLIFE TRIVIA QUESTION
See how people answered:
http://www6.ca.blm.gov/forms/polls/issue177/wild/index.php?result=true

SPECIAL STATUS PLANT OF THE WEEK: Field milk-vetch
Field milk-vetch appear in vernally-moist soil in sagebrush. They are a perennial herb with stems 1 1/2 - 12 inches long and leaves 3/4 - 4 inches long, with 9 to 23 spear-shaped to pear-shaped leaflets. Flowers have pink - purple to white petals, with a banner 5/8 - 7/8 inches long. Fruit is egg-shaped, papery, covered with white hairs, and 1/4 - 3/8 inches long, 1/8 inch.
http://www.ca.blm.gov/pa/ssp/plants/Field_milk-vetch.html

OUR READERS WRITE: "Great resource"
"I just checked out the link [from News.bytes, issue 177 and a story in the Yuma Sun] to see photos of the salvinia plant that is choking rivers. My, what a sight and what a website! I'm holding it on my computer to show our City Manager. Very impressive.
Thanks for doing such a good job with your newsletter -- and thanks for links to some great websites!"
      - P.M., Ojai

MEET YOUR ADVISORY COUNCIL MEMBERS: Ron Kemper
Ron Kemper is a resident of East Highlands and serves as a renewable resource representative on the council. He is a holder of a BLM federal grazing permit (Horsethief Spring allotment) and represents grazing interests.
http://www.ca.blm.gov/news/rac/dac/member_profiles/kemper.html

PROFILE: Leah Ward
Leah staffs the computer help desk for the California State Office: "My job is never the same from day to day. When I come to work, I never know what will happen. Whether people can't print, get to their network drives, or use applications, it’s up to the Help Desk staff to receive those calls and convey the issues to the System Administrators to figure out what the problem is with the system." Read more in this week's News.bytes Profile:
http://www.ca.blm.gov/news/newsbytes/profiles/ward_CSO.html

PHOTO ALBUM: Fossil Falls
Fed by the rains and snows of the last Ice Age, the Owens River once flowed from Owens lake down through this narrow valley between the Coso and Sierra Nevada Mountain ranges. Several times during the last 100,000 years, the discharge from the Owens river has been great enough to form a vast interconnected system of lakes in what are now the arid basins of the Mojave Desert.

Related: "Fossil Falls" (BLM California web page)
The rugged and primitive features of Fossil Falls are the product of volcanic activity. As recently as 20,000 years ago, lava from local volcanic eruptions poured into the Owens River channel. The erosional forces of the Owens River acted upon this volcanic rock, forming the polished and sculptured features that now can be seen at Fossil Falls.
http://www.ca.blm.gov//ridgecrest/fossil.html

BOOKSTORE FEATURE: "Audubon Society Field Guide to Rocks and Minerals"
"Perfect for mountain climbers and hikers, this valuable reference covers more rocks and minerals in North America than any other available guide. 794 full-color photographs depict all the important rocks, gems, and minerals--in many variations of color and crystal form--and the natural environments in which they occur; written descriptions provide information on field marks, similar rocks and minerals, environment, areas of occurrence, and derivation of names. Also includes a guide to mineral collecting and a list of rock-forming minerals."
http://store.ca.blm.gov/cgi-bin/webc.exe/st_prod.html?p_prodid=1573

Related: "Rockhounding" (BLM California website)
California's geological forces have created one of the widest varieties of rocks and minerals found in any state. This rock and mineral wealth was recognized by rockhounds even before the gold rush days. Early rockhounds were prospectors looking for valuable minerals and gemstones for commercial purposes. Now, more people are drawn to rockhounding for recreational purposes, mainly for the beauty that rocks and minerals provide.
http://www.ca.blm.gov/barstow/rock.html

HEADLINES AND HIGHLIGHTS

"Get involved" (Volunteer.gov website)
The El Centro Field Office is looking for volunteers interested in botany (plant monitoring), archaeology (site monitoring), and recreation (trail monitoring and inspection). See our volunteer opportunity for more information.
http://www.volunteer.gov/gov/uidetail.cfm?ID=1666

"Pine Hill Preserve volunteer workday" (BLM California news release, 10/12/2004)
A Take Pride in America workday will be held Sunday, October 24 to clean up the Ponderosa Parcel of the Pine Hill Preserve in El Dorado County.
http://www.ca.blm.gov/news/2004/10/nr/CCNews06_volunteer.html

"Current job openings - BLM California" (USAJOBS website)
Current openings include interpretive park ranger, firefighting-related positions and civil engineer technician.
http://jobsearch.usajobs.opm.gov/a9blm-ca.asp

"BLM to conduct prescribed burn on Case Mountain" (BLM California news release, 10/08/2004)
Burn will wait for appropriate weather. In the interest of public safety, BLM asks visitors to stay off Salt Creek Road and out of the Case Mountain area until the prescribed burn is completed.
http://www.ca.blm.gov/news/2004/10/nr/CCNews02_caseburn.html

"Goldfields training center is proposed" (Appeal-Democrat, 10/07/2004)
Engineers union "recently filed an application with the Bureau of Land Management for a 40-year lease to the site off Hammonton Road" for a heavy-equipment training school in the Yuba Goldfields. "One of the first projects will be repaving nine miles of Hammonton Road, the application said" - which it said would return sand and gravel mining to the Goldfields.
http://www.appeal-democrat.com/articles/2004/10/07/news/local_news/news3.txt

"BLM reward offered in Jellys Ferry vandalism" (Red Bluff Daily News, 10/07/2004)
BLM offers $1,500 reward to anyone who has information on destruction of large information board, which leads to the arrest and prosecution of the vandal.
http://www.redbluffdailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,134%257E26762%257E2460649,00.html

"BLM resource advisory council to meet three days at Fort Hunter Liggett" (BLM California news release, 10/12/2004)
Three days of meetings start Thursday, October 14. Topics will include management activities in Central California field offices and the State Office; the Hollister Field Office Resource Management Plan, California Coastal National Monument, public land access issues and a draft plan amendment for the Clear Creek Management Area. A public comment period is scheduled. Saturday schedule includes a field trip.
http://www.ca.blm.gov/news/2004/10/nr/CCNews05_cracmeeting.html

"BLM resource advisory council will meet in Ukiah" (BLM California news release, 10/07/2004)
Members of BLM's Northwest California Resource Advisory Council will focus on fire management, land use planning and public land recreation topics, when they convene for a field tour and meeting Thursday and Friday, Nov. 4 and 5.
http://www.ca.blm.gov/news/2004/10/nr/NCNews05_nwracmeeting.html

"Indians seeking a voice on dam" (Sacramento Bee, 10/9/2004)
"As legislation calling for a study of raising Shasta Dam heads to the White House for President Bush's signature, a small band of Redding-area Indians whose sacred grounds would be flooded by the project is fighting the clock - and casino politics - for a bigger voice in the decision....But the Bureau of Indian Affairs doesn't officially consider the Wintu a tribe despite their documented 150-year history along the McCloud River, and even though the government maintains a cemetery for Wintu....the cemetery ended up under the control of the Bureau of Land Management and not as Indian country held in trust by the Bureau of Indian Affairs."
http://www.sacbee.com/content/news/environment/story/11029290p-11946260c.html

NATIONAL AND/OR DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR ITEMS

"Natural gas and public lands: clean energy for a bright future" (The Seattle Times, 10/8/2004)
Guest column by Rebecca Watson, Department of the Interior Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management: "Critics of natural-gas development on public lands consistently fail to address the ultimate goal of these programs -- to provide the energy that powers our lives."
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2002057019_interior08.html