BLM Learning Landscapes--News

Try BLM's Earth Day Word Scramble! Click here.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), an agency of the U.S. Department of the Interior, takes care of 261 million acres of public lands--more than any other Federal agency. That's almost equal to all the land in the States of Texas and California put together. These lands belong to you and to all Americans. They represent diverse ecosystems, from deserts to glaciers to caves, and provide natural resources that we depend on: trees for lumber and paper products; energy sources such as coal, oil, and gas; rangelands for cattle; and other minerals we use every day. The public lands are home to over 3,000 species of wildlife including mammals, reptiles, fish and birds, and a wide array of plants, some of which are threatened or endangered. Scientists have found fossils of dinosaurs and even sea creatures that give us clues about what the land was like millions of years ago. Also found on public lands are an estimated 4 million archaeological and historic sites – from the sites of America 's earliest human inhabitants to the historic ghost towns of the Old West.

BLM strives to keep our public lands healthy so that you and future generations of Americans will enjoy them for years to come. Do your part when you visit your public lands by "treading lightly" and leaving no evidence of your visit.

Try our Earth Day Word Scramble and discover the many natural and cultural resources on our public lands! When you're done, check your answers here.

Check out these websites for more information:

www.lnt.org: Learn more about caring for your public lands.

www.eeweek.org: National Environmental Education Week - a week of educational preparation for Earth Day.

www.earthday.gov: Links to federal government web sites for kids related to Earth Day and the environment.

Arizona

For information on Arizona events, contact Joanie Losacco, 602-417-9504.

Weed Eradication Project: In coordination with the Friends of the Agua Fria National Monument, the BLM is hosting a weed eradication event near the Monument's Badger Springs Wash Trailhead. Winter rains have invigorated the landscape with desert bloom, but along with the desert flowers the weeds have come also. The two activities planned include a field day project supported by the BLM Arizona State and Phoenix Field Office employees on March 21, and an Earth Day project for the public on April 23, 2005.

Ironwood Forest National Monument Tour: The BLM Arizona State Office will be conducting an Arizona congressional staff field tour of the Ironwood Forest National Monument on April 6. The tour will take an on-the-ground look at recreational shooting issues and border issues. Recreational shooting is a major concern with the urban encroachment of a growing Tucson metropolitan area. In addition, the border issues include the environmental degradation and public safety risks caused by a growing number of undocumented immigrants (UDIs) and drug smugglers crossing the Ironwood Forest National Monument.

Hands-On Forest Restoration Project: The BLM Arizona Strip Field Office staff will be conducting a Forest Restoration Project for a group of St. George, Utah high school students on March 31 and April 1. The students will travel to Mt. Trumbull, where they will do some hands-on forestry investigations and learn about the on-going ponderosa pine restoration program.

Brown Bag Series: The Arizona Strip Interpretive Association is hosting a lunchtime brown bag presentation on "Hiking in the Arizona Strip" on April 22, at the BLM Office in St. George, Utah. The presentation will feature guest speakers from the BLM to talk about the great opportunities to experience the natural wonders and solitude of places like the Grand Canyon-Parashant and Vermillion Cliffs National Monument, and several designated wilderness areas on the Arizona Strip north of the Grand Canyon.

Safford Field Office Earth Day Events: The BLM Safford Field Office, Coronado National Forest's Safford Ranger District, and Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests Clifton Ranger District are teaming up for the 1st annual Tri-County Fair hosted by KFMM radio at the Graham County Fairgrounds on April 7-9. As part of the weekend of family activities, the three offices will host a booth highlighting resource management topics. They will also sponsor a "family challenge" event in which participants will throw a spear using a replica of a prehistoric atl atl, a device used by early Native Americans to throw a spear. The radio station's website is http://www.kfmm.com/. (Contact: Joanie Losacco, 602-417-9504)

BLM Safford Field Office employees will participate in a community clean-up sponsored by Arizona Clean and Beautiful. On March 19, volunteers will spend the day cleaning along the Gila River near the Reay Lane Bridge in Thatcher. Graham County will assist with their staff and equipment. The project will be completed on April 16 as volunteers continue cleanup along Reay Lane south of the bridge.

BLM Safford Field Office recreation and law enforcement staff will participate in the Gila Valley Poker Run and Sand Drags, sponsored by Desert Riders Motorsports at the BLM's Hot Well Dunes Recreation Area. The event is expected to draw about 2,000 participants and spectators for a weekend of environmentally responsible off-highway vehicle recreation in a designated recreation site. BLM staff will be on hand to provide visitors will Tread Lightly and Leave No Trace information, and to assist with questions. More information is posted on the event website: http://www.desert-riders.com/sandrags.htm

The BLM-Barstow Field Office is hosting an Earth Day event at the Desert Discovery Center in Barstow, California, on April 30 from 10 am to 3 pm. The event will promote environmental awareness in a fun and festive atmosphere with support of local businesses and organizations, including the City of Barstow, National Park Service, the National Training Center, Barstow Community College, Caltrans, Southern California Water, Mojave Desert Resource Conservation District, and Barstow Unified School District. Contact: Rose Foster, 761-252-601.

The Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument is hosting an Earth Day event at the National Monument Visitor Center in Palm Desert, California, on April 22 from 10 am to 2 pm. Visitors will receive refreshments, a free desert plant, a National Monument poster, and an opportunity for guided nature walks. Contact: Danella George, 760-251-4804.

Little Snake Field Office Earth Day Activity: The Little Snake Field Office will participate in a multi-agency program coordinated by the Dinosaur National Monument at two area junior high schools. Participants include the BLM, NPS, Colorado Division of Wildlife, NRCS and others. Contact: Andrea Minor, 970-826-5000.

Lower Potomac Field Station Meadowood Earth Day Event: BLM Eastern States will sponsor an Earth Day event 10 AM to 1:30 PM on Friday, April 22 at the Lower Potomac Field Station Meadowood Farm in Lorton, Virginia. Contact: Terry Lewis, 703-440-1713.

Milwaukee Field Office Great America Cleanup: BLM will hold its "Great American Cleanup" 9:00 – noon Saturday, April 23 at the Milwaukee Urban Tree House in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Activities will include habitat restoration, trash removal and educational presentations and exhibits. BLM will arrange a speaking opportunity if requested. Contact: Terry Lewis, 703-440-1713.

World Center for Birds of Prey in Earth Day Celebration: BLM's Boise District Office and the Idaho State Office will join the World Center for Birds of Prey in the Idaho Earth Fest 2005 celebration on Saturday, April 23 in Boise, Idaho. Idaho Earth Fest is a free, family-oriented annual event focusing on common-sense conservation of Idaho's natural resources. BLM's booth and accompanying materials will feature live birds of prey from the World Center and the Birds of Prey National Conservation Area. Together, staff and birds will educate the public about the Birds of Prey National Conservation Area and why it is a world renowned resource for eagles, falcons, owls and more. Come find out what a Prairie Falcon would consider an "ice cream bar on legs" and the how the cliffs and thermals in Idaho's rugged Snake River Canyon work to birds' advantage. Contact: Shelley Davis-Brunner 208-373-4020.

Opening of Foothills Environmental Learning Center: The BLM will join with its partners in a Grand Opening event for the Foothills Environmental Learning Center on Earth Day, April 22, at 1:00 p.m. The Foothills Environmental Learning Center is a joint project with partners including Boise City, The Nature Conservancy, Idaho Power Co., Boise Cascade Corp., both the Idaho State Office and Boise District BLM, The Boise School District, and others. The facility is nestled in the wildland-urban interface area at the base of the Boise Foothills and was constructed with Firewise materials and concepts. The exterior of the building is designed to appear as a home in the WUI, but includes landscaping and interpretative signs demonstrating the concepts of living safely in a wildfire environment. Inside, the facility has a classroom and wet lab, a conference/meeting room, and offices. The facility will be used for a variety of environmental education purposes, primarily for school age, including vegetation, fire, hydrology, geology, and other curriculums. Contact: Randy Eardley, 208-387-5895.

The BLM Taos Field Office is working on a collaborative project to restore habitat along the Santa Fe River. The project will involve school children in the process so that they have an understanding of the importance of reviving the environment. A half day Earth Day clean up is planned along the Santa Fe River on public land. Contact: Theresa Herrera, 505-438-7517.

The Oregon Garden's "Earth Day 2005" Celebration: The BLMs Salem District will host an interactive booth with natural resource themes at Silverton, Oregon (approximately 50 miles from Portland). The display will highlight noxious weed education. BLM staff will hand out 1,200 Douglas fir seedlings as well as seeds for natives grasses and forbes, brochures "Noxious Weeds - a growing concern", environmental educational brochures, and a small flyer advertising Hugh Snook's book, A Landowners Guide for Restoring and Managing Oregon White Oak Habitat, BLM pencils, weed themed litter bags, BLM refrigerator magnets and BLM key tags. There will also be an interpretive display highlighting forestry and how to plant the seedlings. Admission is free and nearly 5,000 people are expected to attend the event. Other participants will include the Marion County Solid Waste Department, Salem Audubon Society, Oregon State University Master Gardeners, The Mars Society, Marion County 4-H, Silverton High School Environmental Club, A.C.Gilbert's Discovery Village, City of Salem, Marion County Solid Waste and Master Recyclers, Natural Resources Conservation Service and school classrooms from Salem, Silverton and Corvallis as well as interested members of the public and media.

4-H Day: BLM Oregon is participating in an Earth Day Celebration for all Albany and Linn-Benton schools with hands-on activities all day at Cloveridge Elementary School. Students will be bused from participating schools to learn about water quality, recycling, native plants and leave no trace ethics. BLM will be one of the participating agencies. Approx. 400 students are expected.

7th Annual Molalla River Recreation Corridor Earth Day: On April 23 at 10:00 am, in partnership with Molalla RiverWatch, approximately 50-75+ participants will meet at the Hardy Creek Trailhead in the Molalla River Recreation Corridor to register and receive Service Project assignments. Service Projects will be located throughout the trail system with an emphasis on the Aquila Vista Scientific Environmental Education Research Area. Service Projects will include: trail maintenance, turnpikes, puncheons, and other challenges. All tools and materials will be provided by the Salem District. Molalla RiverWatch will be providing lunch at the end of the event.

Klamath Falls Earth Day: Klamath Falls Resource Area of the Lakeview District will be participating with the Earth Day Event sponsored by the Klamath Solar Association at the Jefferson Square Mall Klamath Falls, Oregon.
Date: April 30, hours are 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. BLM display will feature posters of wildflowers, National Public Lands Day, Wood River Wetlands, handouts such as BLM recreation maps and brochures, interpretive coloring books of Birds of the Klamath Basin, Wildflowers in Klamath & Lake Counties, Wild Horses and others, several display boards of wildlife studies, wildhorses, information on other upcoming events such at Migratory Bird Day, Horse Packing Clinic, and National Public Lands Day. Tree seedlings will be given to participants along with planting instructions.

John Scharff Migratory Bird Festival, April 1-3 held in Burns. A cooperative event involving the BLM Burns District and the following other partners: Harney County Chamber of Commerce, U.S. Forest Service, and the U.S. FWS Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. The event features the following activities: birding tours, wildlife art exhibits, Kids art contest, various wildlife workshops, tour to Burns Wild Horse Facility, tours of the Steens/Alvord desert area, Historical tours, ranch tours, Key note speakers, a banquet with art auction. Proceeds go to operations costs and are applied to a variety of wildlife related conservation projects in Harney County. BLM employees get involved in exhibits, leading a variety of tours, conducting photography workshops, and are involved on the planning team. This is a very important community involvement event, bringing people from all over the west.

Earth Day at North Mountain Park, April 23, 2005 10:00 to 4:00, North Mountain Park in Ashland, OR. The Medford District Butte Falls Resource Area Environmental Education Program will be supplying and staffing a booth at this event. Our skilled, interpretive staff will teach about Botany, Noxious Weeds, and land management. This is the second year in a row our program has participated in this event. We work in partnership with North Mountain Park.

Utah State Office: Through April 15, BLM Utah will be having its annual Earth Day Kid's Poster Contest, which is open to all children, grandchildren, cousins, stepchildren, etc., (of Utah BLMers) from ages kindergarten through 6th grade. This year's theme is "Doing Your Part in Preventing Fires." Prizes will be awarded to the first place winners in each grade level and Honorable Mentions will be given to all other entrants.

Kanab Field Office: Earth Day Festival on April 22, from 1:00 - 6:00 at the Kane County Travel Council. BLM Utah will have booths from local organizations, including NPS, USFS and the BLM's Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument on Leave No Trace, animal tracks, and other land issues. Representatives from the local recycling company and electric company, as well as 4H and local university participants will provide educational material about Earth Day. Additionally, there will be a treasure hunt for smaller children, a drop off for recycling and live entertainment. An Earth Day Poster Contest is also being held with local schools from Kane County and Coconino County, Fredonia, April 1-18th.

Vernal Field Office: This year's theme for the joint USFS/BLM Earth Day celebration is "Everything Comes from the Earth" (compilation of mineral resource samples from the Uintah Basin and the product they produce) and "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" (samples and demonstrations of how we can do each of those 3 sections).

Wyoming BLM's Rawlins Field Office Partners with City for Earth Day: The Rawlins Field Office will again partner with they City of Rawlins and the Saratoga-Encampment-Rawlins Conservation District to plant trees in the city. Rawlins' designation as a "Tree City USA" helps provide bare-root seedlings at no cost to residents in a "Trash-for-Trees" trade of seedlings for recyclables. BLM employees volunteer to help organize the effort and plant trees. Contact: Mary L. Wilson, 307-328-4329.