News.bytes Extra, issue 555

BLM Showcases Science in the California Desert

Jeff Gicklhorn of the BLM Ridgecrest Field Office explains his research to Rob Howard of the California Desert District.

More than 100 scientists, students, faculty, and natural resource managers convened for the 2nd California Desert Research Symposium at the University of Redlands on October 27.  The program featured graduate student research that contributes to the awareness and conservation of desert parks, wilderness, and other public lands in the California Desert.  Twelve graduate students presented talks on their research projects, followed by a Poster Reception on additional research.  Several of the research projects were conducted on units of the BLM’s National Landscape Conservation System (NLCS) and other public lands in the California Desert Conservation Area.  Promoting science and using the National Conservation Lands of the NLCS as outdoor laboratories are goals of the BLM’s NLCS Strategy.

Jeff Gicklhorn, Natural Resource Specialist in the Ridgecrest Field Office, presented a poster on Species Inventory of the Mojave Fringe-toed Lizard on Public Lands of the Needles Field Office.  Greg Hill, California Desert District, Dr. Louis Santiago, and his students from the University of California Riverside presented a poster on Hydraulic Strategies of Woody Plant Species in the San Gorgonio Wilderness.  A poster sponsored by Christina Lund, California State Office and presented by Thomas Huggins of UCLA described Climate Change in the Mojave Desert and its Effect on the Endangered Lane Mountain Milkvetch.  Also in attendance at the symposium were Jim Weigand, California State Office; Rob Howard, California Desert District; and Chris Roholt, retired CDD Wilderness Specialist.

The Symposium was funded by the Desert Legacy Fund at The Community Foundation California Desert Research Grant Program and supported by the Granite Mountains Desert Research Center and the University Of Redlands Department Of Environmental Studies. 

Dr. Louis Santiago of UCR and Greg Hill of the CDD view the poster shown off by Larissa Yates, Mark de Guzman, and Alexandria Pivovaroff of UCR.

- Greg Hill, Wilderness/NLCS Coordinator, BLM California Desert District (October 2012)

BLM California News.bytes, issue 555 -- To subscribe to News.bytes, send an e-mail to: mailto:Join-Newsbytes@List.ca.blm.gov OR visit our News.bytes subscription page.