| Contacts: | Sarah Wheeler | , 208-524-7550 |
Stinking Springs Area Closure Starts December 1
IDAHO FALLS, ID – The Stinking Springs area near the popular South Fork of the Snake River will be closed to all motorized vehicles and human entry starting Thursday, December 1, 2011. The closure will remain in effect through sunrise May 1, 2012, depending on weather conditions.
“Increasing human activity in the Stinking Springs area creates additional stress on the fragile mule deer population that winters in the area, requiring the mule deer to use up their supply of stored winter fat more quickly than normal,” said Monica Zimmerman, BLM Upper Snake outdoor recreation planner. “We appreciate the public’s help in staying away from the closure area to help protect these sensitive animals.”
The closure also applies to other BLM lands in the vicinity of Stinking Springs. The U.S. Forest Service also has winter closures on National Forest lands in the area. It is advisable to check with agency offices before planning travel on these lands.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, recreational and other activities on BLM-managed land contributed more than $130 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 600,000 American jobs. The Bureau is also one of a handful of agencies that collects more revenue than it spends. In FY 2012, nearly $5.7 billion will be generated on lands managed by the BLM, which operates on a $1.1 billion budget. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.