Pat received the Milestone award yesterday in Reno via live video conference. Sally Jewell, Secretary of the Interior, Neil Kornze, Principal Deputy Director of BLM and Carl Rountree, Assistant Director for the National Conservation Lands were on hand to laud the dedication, hard work and perseverance of Pat and the other award winners.

Many of you have had the pleasure of meeting Pat and her husband Chuck at the Rendezvous, and if you’ve been really lucky you’ve soaked up some of her knowledge, experience, contagious enthusiasm and sharp wit.

She and Chuck have been a driving force for the Friends of Red Rock Canyon (FRRC) since 1999.  This dynamic duo helped grow FRRC into the largest, most well funded and multi-faceted group in the Friends Grassroots Network.  And while she worked to raise money, spearhead restoration projects, recruit and manage volunteers and build a strong base of support for Red Rock Canyon NCA in Las Vegas, she’s also been a strong leader in the Friends Grassroots Network. She has been instrumental helping BLM implement strong conservation management for Red Rock Canyon and other areas that are part of the National Conservation Lands.

As some of you may remember, Pat received the Conservation Lands Foundation’s coveted Advocate of the Year award in 2012 for her leadership in the Network and her unswerving dedication to the protection of the National Conservation Lands.

BLM’s Deputy Director Neil Kornze hit the nail on the head when he said that Pat’s work has made a lasting imprint and left a legacy for others to follow.

Please join the staff and board of CLF in thanking Pat for her hours of service and exemplary leadership and congratulating her on her well deserved award!

Well done Pat!!!

The existing plan protects the habitat for two caribou herds, millions of migratory birds and waterfowl, threatened polar bears, walrus, wolves, wolverine, grizzly bears, seals and beluga whales, among many others. Congress has long recognized the Reserve’s remarkable environmental and social values and directed the Secretary of Interior to balance oil and gas drilling with the protection of the Reserve’s Special Areas. H.R. 1964 would directly contradict this long history of the congressionally recognized need for balanced management and effectively allow for unchecked oil and gas drilling.

Simply put, this bill seeks to bring risky unsafe drilling to the Reserve and nullifies a balanced approach to managing one of our most spectacular landscapes. Congress should reject this legislation and support the common sense approach enacted in the Obama administration’s recently finalized plan.

As future development is considered in the Reserve, there are important issues of national and local interest regarding where and how any such development is undertaken.  The Obama Administration is to be commended for adopting a very fair and balanced approach to resource development and the protection of the Reserve’s Special Areas.  Rep. Hastings’ legislation destroys this balance and threatens the values congress and past administrations, both Republican and Democrat, have supported.

Alaskan, Arctic explorer, and author of “On Arctic Ground” Debbie Miller testified against H.R. 1964 during the hearing. You can read Debbie’s full written testimony here.

The project is being co-hosted by Wilderness Volunteers, a non-profit organization that sets up and promotes volunteer service on America’s wild public lands. It will take place Sept. 22-28, but you need to sign up now. Space is limited.

This volunteer opportunity is all part of the work being done by members of the Escalante River Watershed Partnership who, since 2008, have been working to restore and maintain the natural and ecological conditions on the Escalante River and its watershed. Their approach has been thorough and deliberate, as they build and sustain a coalition of ranchers, rafters, hikers, fishermen, researchers, and local governments who all want to see this spectacular river and watershed in southern Utah thrive. Grand Staircase Escalante Partners, the “friends” group for the monument, is taking a lead role in organizing and running the Partnership.

Much of the river is inside the boundaries of the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument, a real gem in the National Conservation Lands.  The river is so remote that it was the last major river in the lower 48 states to be explored and named by European settlers. It was also the last place in the continental United States to be mapped. Even today, it can feel like a frontier. With more than 300 species of amphibians, mammals, reptiles, birds, and an abundance of ancestral Puebloan ruins and artifacts, it is ripe for scientific study.

And these studies are taking place. They revolve around native fish and their habitat needs; assessing populations of beaver and their positive contributions to water quality and flow; how planting native trees and shrubs helps wildlife; finding the best ways to monitor progress of this restoration; and devising a long-term plan to remove Russian olive and tamarisk from the river corridor—two invasive species that have been wreaking havoc on its natural functions.

Many of these studies are being conducted by staff who work for the BLM, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Trout Unlimited, Forest Service, various researchers affiliated with universities, and many more. Collectively, the results of their research inform how we can best attempt to restore and maintain this beautiful river and watershed—and all the wildlife species and people who depend on it—long into the future.

Right now there’s room for volunteers to get involved, too. Check it out, and consider becoming part of this effort to improve habitat for one of the most spectacular and remote rivers in the Southwest.

The Meadow Valley Range Wilderness is in Lincoln Coutny, Nevada, about 50 miles northeast of Las Vegas.  Designated by Congress in 2004, the wilderness contains 123,000+ acres of ridgelines, canyons and peaks.  Sunflower Mountain, at just over 5,000 feet, looms above Kane Springs Valley and offers a wonderful geological palette for photographers in the evening light.  Bighorn sheep climb the ridges and an abundance of birding opportunities exist to see Golden Eagles, Say’s Phoebes, Gambel’s Quail and Great Horned Owls.  For more information, check out Jim Boone’s great website and visit Friends of Nevada Wilderness.

I’m in Bluff thinking about the state of Cedar Mesa and how Friends of Cedar Mesa fits into future management and preservation. I’m trying to think positively, but it’s a brown-out day. The air is gusting thick brown clouds of dust from Monument Valley. The snowfields in the La Plata Mountains of Colorado take on the red hues of desert sand in the aftermath of days like today. We’re lucky to have had only two such events so far this spring and this lousy dust storm confines me to my desk where I am finding it difficult to think positive thoughts.

Our Utah politicians come to mind. Seems like everything I’m for they’re against. Federal Land, the Antiquities Act, even the very idea of a National Conservation Area for Cedar Mesa seems to be dismissed without much chance for discussion. The word paradox comes to mind, as I think about it. These politicians don’t want the president to use his power to designate a national monument because it short circuits the local political processes. Yet the local politicians make it quite clear from the outset that they won’t support any further designations. What good are local political processes if the decision-makers have already made up their minds?

My thoughts are interrupted by the ping of a new email. The travel section of the Washington Post has an article about the thrill of discovery on Cedar Mesa:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/travel/on-utahs-cedar-mesa-solitude-and-the-thrill-of-discovery/2013/04/18/f7176460-a2eb-11e2-82bc-511538ae90a4_story_1.html

“’Check this out,’ I said, holding up a potsherd painted with a grid and stripes. We were like enthralled children, intent on our discoveries. I wondered what kind of life belonged to the hand that had painted these designs, whether out of devotion or boredom, I’m not sure. Certainly, other visitors had been here, but there was remarkably little evidence of them. The hikers who discover this site seem to share an unspoken respect for its sacredness, leaving its potsherds where they found them for future travelers. I sifted through the sand, finding charcoal from old fires and tiny eaten corncobs. It felt as if I were standing among ghosts.”

At one point the author is extolling the sacredness of discovery but then cannot resist but to dig and sift just like any other looter of archaeological sites. Paradox plain and simple. As the news of little visited sites continue to pervade the media and internet those sites lose their artifacts and the very reason people are attracted to the sites. In fact, all the popularized sites within a day’s hike of a trailhead or road have lost all their artifacts. Hard to believe, but true. If you haven’t visited that favorite spot on Cedar Mesa for a while, prepare yourself. You will still experience the beautiful old growth forest, the lovely cliff dwellings and ruins, the satiating solitude, but don’t expect to see many artifacts.

My weather born rant continues. There are lots of good rules and advice offered by the rangers at Kane Gulch. Listen up to learn about low impact visitation and don’t step on the cryptobiotic soils. Also don’t drink the water. In a drought year like this cattle crowd into the narrow draws in search of water. They poop in the potholes and shade up in the ruins. You be careful not to leave any trace but let the cows do what ever they want. Another huge paradox and cultural injustice. A few years ago my friend’s dog drank from a water hole heavily used by cattle. The dog nearly died of the bacterial leavings of manure in that water.

The BLM has lots of regulations on Cedar Mesa but provides little of its vast resources to law enforcement and education. There is one good law enforcement ranger for the vast area of San Juan County south of Monticello, Utah. He is not always on the job. He has a life. He has training requirements that take him away. He gets weekends off and vacations. Some of the time there is no law enforcement ranger for Cedar Mesa. Even things like car break ins, much less pot hunting, go uninvestigated.

With so-called “sequestration” of the Federal Government, the sieve of public financing becomes even finer and almost nothing drops out the bottom for on the ground education and enforcement. The rangers on Cedar Mesa have no seasonal ranger help this spring and must rely on volunteers for patrols and visitor center activities. The apparent lack of even travel money keeps them from monitoring sites requiring overnight hikes.

Despite its problems and paradoxes the environs of Greater Cedar Mesa continue to attract huge numbers of visitors from all over the world. Those people support our burgeoning tourist economy. Paradox: We want those people to come and yet we do almost nothing to make certain the resources stay sustainable. In essence we are currently mining the finite cultural resources of San Juan County, Utah. The hordes come and the artifacts disappear. Silent canyons of great beauty remain, but the magic of discovery, a stone tool or intricately painted pot sherd, are gone. The solid stone walls of a thousand year old ruin are marvelous, but are scoured of the material of daily life.

We clearly need to elevate the prominence and importance of Cedar Mesa on a national scale. We need a Greater Cedar Mesa national monument or conservation area. Paradox: more visitors and more disturbance. Right now I’m not sure how else to convince the government to provide the funding and management needed to preserve what’s left. But I’ll come up with some more positive ideas on a less windy day.

Photo by Tuleyome

Only 4 months in, 2013 is turning out to be a big year for expanding California public lands protection. In addition to the bill introduced by Congressman Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) to protect Point Arena-Stornetta Public Lands, a large portion of inland Northern California may also receive protection from Congress. A bill introduced in early March would designate nearly 350,000 acres as the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Conservation Area, which includes parts of four counties north of the Bay Area.

“We’re thrilled that Senator Boxer and Representatives Thompson, Garamendi, Huffman, Ami Bera, and Eshoo recognize the importance of permanently protecting our publicly owned lands in the Berryessa Snow Mountain region,” stated Sara Husby-Good, Executive Director of Tuleyome.  “There is strong community support for protecting this area in a way that will ensure the continued use and enjoyment of these lands for future generations.”

The new National Conservation Area would cover lands stretching more than 100 miles from Putah Creek, below Lake Berryessa, up to the peak of Snow Mountain. The area provides a haven for hiking, camping, rafting and horseback riding and is home to a diverse array of wildlife including bald and golden eagles, black bears and tule elk. The legislation would unite all currently owned federal lands within the area under one management plan, allowing for better coordination among federal agencies to protect wildlife, restore habitat, improve water quality, expand recreational opportunities and prevent wildfires. The Bureau of Land Management would take the lead in managing the area. The new designation would also help raise the profile of the Berryessa Snow Mountain region, increasing tourism and business opportunities for local communities. The bill would create a public advisory committee so that local residents, outdoors enthusiasts and business owners can share their ideas for preserving and promoting the area’s wildlife and pristine rivers, forests, ridges, canyons and creeks.

One of the bill sponsors, Representative John Garamendi, pointed out the common sense foundation of this proposal. “The Berryessa Snow Mountain National Conservation Act is a way to reap the benefits of our modern world while also protecting and promoting the beauty, serenity, and healthy activity that the natural world offers.” He continues, “By conserving this natural setting, we are maintaining a prized commodity that will bring tourists, boost economic activity, and support local jobs. This bill will fully respect property rights and is a win-win for residents of our region and our entire country.”

Re-introduction of these bills follows nearly six years of work at the community level to permanently protect this special place. If signed into law, Snow Mountain-Berryessa would be among the nation’s largest conservation areas, and only the second one in California.

Photo by Bureau of Land Management

Fast on the heals President Obama’s designation of five new National Monuments last week, Congressman Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) took advantage of the monument momentum by holding a press conference on Friday in Point Arena, CA where he announced a bill that would add Point Arena-Stornetta Public Lands to the California Coastal National Monument, it’s first terrestrial portion. The bill would expand the existing California Coastal National Monument by approximately 10 miles and include natural jewels such as the Garcia Estuary, the five-acre Sea Island Rocks Island, and two miles of the Garcia River, a prime habitat for steelhead, coho, and chinook salmon.

Ahead of the press conference, Congressman Huffman outlined his thoughts in an OP ED piece for the Ukiah Daily Journal, where he described his motivations for this bill. “The Public Lands encompass more than 1,100 acres of pristine coastal wetlands and hold natural wonders like habitat for endangered butterflies and the endangered Point Arena mountain beaver,” he said. “They provide visitors with tremendous views and support a diverse array of wildlife. If you’ve ever visited the southern Mendocino coast ­ perhaps to fish, hike, bird watch, or simply get outside ­you can attest to the signature beauty of this unspoiled coastline.”

In a recent article concerning Point Arena-Stornetta for The Press Democrat, author Mary Callahan pointed out additional advantages to the proposed expansion. “The property is situated not only as an obvious gateway to the off-shore monument but as a connecting link to neighboring public properties that can provide real estate for the Mendocino portion of the California Coastal Trail.”

Callahan also noted, “The property wraps around the Point Arena Lighthouse, abuts Manchester Beach State Park on the north side of the point and, to the south reaches toward a growing expanse of public lands that includes the BLM-managed Cypress Abbey Ranch, Phase I, acquired by the Trust for Public Lands last year, and a larger Phase II to be added later this year or next.”

Advocates and politicians have joined forces, setting the stage for a California Coastal Monument expansion either by legislation or presidential proclamation.

Durango, CO (March 25, 2013) – The Conservation Lands Foundation applauded today’s designation of five new national monuments by President Obama.

“Today’s action by the President is a terrific step in protecting America’s history and our outdoor heritage.  President Obama has ensured that future generations will benefit from unspoiled natural areas and have places to honor the people who made our country great,”  said Conservation Lands Foundation Executive Director, Brian O’Donnell.

The five national monuments designated include Rio Grande del Norte in Northern New Mexico, public lands in the San Juan Islands off the coast of Washington State, a Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad site in Maryland, the Col. Charles Young’s house in Ohio and the first national park site in Delaware.

The President used his authority under the 1906 Antiquities Act to designate the new monuments. This action came in response to calls from local elected officials, sportsmen, businesses and community members following an open and transparent public process as outlined in the Administration’s America’s Great Outdoors initiative.

National Monument status will benefit the local economies of each of the nearby communities by bringing in new tourism and protecting areas important for hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation. Protected public lands have also been shown to have a positive impact on people’s quality of life and the ability of communities to attract and keep new businesses.

“This impressive collection of new national monuments gives all Americans the chance to better understand our country’s history and the opportunity to experience our country’s outdoor heritage,” said O’Donnell.

Two of the national monuments protected – Rio Grande del Norte and the San Juan Islands – are now part of our National Conservation Lands, some of the most spectacular natural, cultural and historic lands in our country managed by the Bureau of Land Management.

The National Conservation Lands are our newest collection of protected lands and waterways—standing proudly alongside our National Parks, National Forests and National Wildlife Refuges as treasured places belonging to every American.

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The mission of the Conservation Lands Foundation (CLF) is to protect, restore and expand the National Conservation Lands so they will endure from generation to generation. The National Conservation Lands are protected public lands and waterways managed by the Bureau of Land Management that have joined the ranks of our national parks and wildlife refuges as special places that preserve our natural, historical and scientific treasures. www.conservationlands.org

of Five New National Monuments

President’s action will expand our National Conservation Lands and boost local economies

Durango, CO (March 22, 2013) – Conservation and community leaders are celebrating President Barack Obama’s commitment to designate five new national monuments in New Mexico, Washington, Maryland, Ohio and Delaware. These national monuments will permanently protect a diversity of lands and waters that honor our country’s heritage and conserve open space important for hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation.

“President Obama has taken an important step in protecting America’s outdoor heritage and honoring our nation’s history,” said Brian O’Donnell, Executive Director of the Conservation Lands Foundation. “These designations came in response to locally-driven efforts and we are grateful for President Obama’s leadership in advancing conservation at a time when it’s desperately needed.”

Two of these designations – the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument in northern New Mexico and the San Juan Islands National Monument in Washington – will become part of the Bureau of Land Management’s National Conservation Lands. These national monuments will benefit the local economies, protect important wildlife habitat and ensure that future generations will continue to experience America’s great outdoor heritage.

Local communities have long sought to protect these areas but their efforts had been frustrated by congressional gridlock. In fact, the 112th Congress became the first Congress since World War II to fail to protect a single new acre of public land as a park, monument or wilderness area.

“Today’s report of the designation of Rio Grande del Norte as a National Monument is a result of the commitment and passion of our people for this landscape we call home. For years, our community of sportsmen, ranchers, small business owners and other citizens across northern New Mexico has worked collaboratively with our members of Congress to protect it. Now we can rest assured that Rio Grande del Norte’s majesty will be preserved for generations to come,” commented Taos Mayor Darren Córdova.

“The San Juan Islands National Monument will honor the hundreds of volunteers who have helped the BLM maintain these lands,” said San Juan County Council Chair and Lopez Island resident Jamie Stephens. “The communities in these islands now look forward to working with the Bureau of Land Management to develop and carry out a management plan that protects these valuable natural and cultural sites.”

Photos and additional background materials available at www.RioGrandeDelNorte.org and ww.SanJuanIslandsNM.org.

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The mission of the Conservation Lands Foundation (CLF) is to protect, restore and expand the National Conservation Lands so they will endure from generation to generation. The National Conservation Lands are protected public lands and waterways managed by the Bureau of Land Management that have joined the ranks of our national parks and wildlife refuges as special places that preserve our natural, historical and scientific treasures. www.conservationlands.org

download the press release document here.

The Stornetta Public Lands are widely valued by the local community and there is strong support to see the lands and Garcia watershed protected.

A stunning part of California’s coast, the area is important wildlife habitat for several endangered species and native plant communities. It’s one of the prime birding locations in Mendocino County for multiple bird species and is a perfect area for tundra swans and other migrating birds to nest and feed.

If Stornetta is included as part of the California Coastal National Monument, it would be the first onshore land to be included in the National Monument. A monument expansion would also make the area part of our National Conservation Lands.

Learn more about their project.