San Bernardino National Forest lands protected for rare plant species
Fifty-year mineral withdrawal maintains and conserves critical plant habitat
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Sacramento, Calif. – Today, the Bureau of Land Management announced the withdrawal of land within the San Bernardino National Forest, requested by the U.S. Forest Service for the protection of rare carbonate plants that grow in the soils of the ancient coral reefs that now comprise this land.
The withdrawn land is located within the Carbonate Habitat Management Area, an area specially managed because it contains critical habitat for multiple listed threatened and endangered-plant species. The lands will remain closed to new mining claims and to entry under the United States mining laws, subject to valid existing rights, for a period of 50 years.
The area withdrawn includes 2,841 acres of National Forest System lands and 280 acres of non-federal lands within forest boundaries that, if acquired by the United States, would be subject to the withdrawal order. The BLM is responsible for administering the Department of the Interior’s land withdrawal program and for processing all withdrawal-related applications or proposals for public lands.
The action follows a Notice of Withdrawal Application published in the Federal Register August 22, 2022. The notice gave affected users, parties of interest, and the public an opportunity to raise any concerns and to comment on the withdrawal application. No comments or concerns were identified or received during the comment period. The U.S. Forest Service expects no changes to operations, policy, management practices, or allowable uses. This action comes in response to an application for a withdrawal submitted by the U.S. Forest Service. For further information about this withdrawal, please contact Sarah Naranjo, BLM, at 505-954-2200.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.