East Idaho Uplands Local Working Group Meets
The East Idaho Uplands Local Working Group met on March 4, 2008 in Soda Springs and Pocatello, ID, via teleconference. Supervisory Natural Resource Specialist Matt Rendace represented the Idaho BLM Pocatello FO. Mike Foster, U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services, provided a PowerPoint presentation that displayed data supporting predator control to protect and enhance sage grouse populations. After a lively discussion of the presentation, the group continued working on their draft sage grouse conservation plan. 

Idaho Fish & Game Authorized for Emergency Human Entry
Idaho BLM Upper Snake FO Manager Wendy Reynolds has authorized the Idaho Fish & Game to enter areas on BLM lands within the Upper Snake FO closed to human entry to protect wintering big game habitat.  Idaho Fish & Game is implementing an emergency big game feeding program due to the severity of the winter and the large amount of snow on the ground affecting deer populations.  First attempts to reach the stranded deer have not been successful due to the winter conditions, but other attempts will be made to reach the animals. 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Conducting 5-Year Status Review for Bull Trout Fisheries staff from the BLM Twin Falls District and Idaho State Office attended a meeting with fisheries managers from Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Washington and Oregon and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to discuss a process for assisting the FWS conduct a status review on federally listed bull trout. The five-year review considers all new available information concerning the population status of a species and the threats it faces. State and federal agencies and various tribal governments are being asked to provide their best scientific and commercial information that has become available since the original federal listing. The FWS plans to have their findings published in the Federal Register in May 2008.

BLM Closes Lands near the South Fork of the Snake River to Protect Wintering Mule Deer The BLM Upper Snake Field Office is implementing a closure to human entry in the area of Stinking Springs and Wolf Flat December 1 through April 15. Fragile mule deer populations rely on these favored areas near the South Fork of the Snake River to make it through the winter. The closure is being implemented at the request of, and in partnership with, the IDFG Region 6 office in Idaho Falls. Public lands between the river road and the South Fork of the Snake River will remain open to anglers for fishing.