U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT NEWS RELEASE
Ely District Office
Ely District Office
| Contacts: | Chris Hanefeld | , 775-289-1842 | , chris_hanefeld@nv.blm.gov |
Collaborative Effort Encourages People to Keep Motorized Vehicles on Trails
A weed control program and a non-profit organization are teaming with federal agencies to encourage people recreating on motorized vehicles in eastern Nevada to stay on trails.
The message "Use Your Power Responsibly" is intended to remind White Pine County residents and visitors to protect the habitat from invasion by non-native plants and noxious weeds.
In a healthy watershed, perennial native plants, such as herbs and grasses, are interspersed with sagebrush and other shrubs. The plants and the microscopic organisms in the soil crust help to retain soil and water, and provide food and habitat for wildlife.
Straying off existing or designated trails crushes the native vegetation and breaks up the soils, preparing them for invasion by the non-native plant species and noxious weeds that are often transported on vehicles, pets and even clothing.
Participating in the outreach effort are Tri-County Weed Control, Eastern Nevada Landscape Coalition, Bureau of Land Management, Great Basin National Park and Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest.
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.
Ely District Office 702 N. Industrial Way Ely, NV 89301