The Dynamic Nature and Natural Diversity of Riparian Areas
learning from the past, looking at the present, and planning for the future
A riparian workshop will
be held at The Lodge at Cliff Castle in Camp Verde, AZ. It
will start on Thursday, November 8th, at 10:00 a.m.
and end on Friday, November 9th, at 11:30 am.
This workshop is intended to give participants an
understanding on what factors drive riparian areas to remain
static or change through time, how riparian areas differ and how
they can be classified. Speakers include riparian,
watershed and hydrology specialists from the University of
Arizona Cooperative Extension, USDA Agricultural Research
Service, and Arizona State University, U.S. Geologic Survey,
Rocky Mountain Research Station, Pacific Southwest Research
Station, Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Natural
Resources Conservation Service, The Nature Conservancy, and a
private consultant and rancher. For an agenda and
registration information look at the attachment, or contact
George Zaimes at 520-621-9389 or at zaimes@ag.arizona.edu.
A workshop fee of $40 includes lunch and handouts. The
registration deadline is October 30th. The
workshop is sponsored by the University of Arizona Cooperative
Extension.
Alaska Petroleum EIS Meeting Slated -- September 27, 2007
Arizona Chapter to Meet on November 1st -- September 27, 2007
The Fall 2007 meeting of the Arizona Chapter of the Public Lands Foundation on Thursday, November 1, 2007. The meeting will be held at the BLM National Training Center, Idaho Room, from 10:00 a.m. until noon (or shortly thereafter). The TrainingCenter is located at 9828 N. 31st Avenue (west side of Metro Center Mall) in Phoenix Following the meeting we will have lunch at the Old Country Buffet, which is across the street. The Agenda includes remarks from Helen Hankins, Arizona BLM’s new Associate State Director, a report on the PLF Annual Meeting being held in Santa Fe, New Mexico, October 23-27, an update on Arizona border issues by the U.S. Border Patrol, and discussion items as indicated on the attached Meeting Agenda. Beau
BLM Announces Live Broadcast on Oil and Gas Development -- August 22, 2007
Bureau of Land Management -- Contact: Tom Gorey For immediate release: Wednesday, Aug. 22, 2007 - (202-452-5137) - MEDIA ADVISORY Re: BLM Hosts Live Broadcast on Preparation of Documents Relating to Oil and Gas Development WHAT: The Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service are hosting an interactive satellite broadcast for those parties involved in preparing documents related to oil and gas development on Federal public lands. WHEN: 9:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m., Mountain Time, Thursday, September 13, 2007 WHERE: BLM State and Field Offices BACKGROUND: The Bureau of Land Management, an agency of the Interior Department, and the Forest Service, an agency of the Agriculture Department, are hosting a live satellite broadcast to inform any and all interested parties about recent revisions to a set of regulations collectively known as Onshore Oil and Gas Order No. 1. Those responsible for preparing related documentation, such as Applications for Permits to Drill (APDs), will find the broadcast most useful; however, all members of the public are invited to attend. Information on new APD processing timelines, off-lease access, and geospatial databases – as well as information on how BLM and Forest Service rights-of-way work – will also be covered during the broadcast, which will include an interactive question-and-answer session.
PLF Helps Boise with Squirrel Inventory --April 21, 2007
The squirrel hunt when famously! We didn't find many squirrels (the Southern Idaho Ground Spuirrel, a Candidate Species) but everyone had a great day in the field and we connected with with the Boise District wildlife biologists (Carrigan and Hollaway) and the Defenders rep. Jesse Timberlake. Six PLFers attended: Ferry, Spang, K. Hagerman, A. Logosz, L. Hanlon, and myself. Our job was to take visual observations and count the number of squirrels present. We were looking at only a small portion of the over-all squirrel habitat area but we found only seven squirrels. This would indicate that there is a problem and it is doubtful that the population we counted will survive with such a low number. We did see numerous squirrels in other parts of the habitat area. The squirrels survival depends, of course, on adequate habitat. Their habitat is being threatened by the constant encroachment of medusahead, which is spreading rapidly in this area by increasingly frequent fires. USFWS and BLM have entered into a number of Candidate Species Agreements with local landowners, which specifies that they will do nothing to harm the squirrels and their habitat, in return for which those landowners will be exempt from "blame" if the squirrels continue to decline and perhaps become a listed Endangered Species. We had a grand day and, I think, made some new friends. I should mention that there was a group of about 10-15 elementary school kids along on the tour with their science teacher. They were from a school in Emmett (about 20 miles NW of Boise). They seemed to be having a good time and no doubt absorbed something new. Gardner took the two pictures below. Deane Z.
The names of the people in the PLF picture (left picture) are from left to right: Al Logosz, Ed Spang, Ken Egerman, Larry Hanlon, Gardner Ferry, Deane Zeller, Tim Carrigan (BLM Wildlife Biologist).
Yaquina Lighthouse Restoration Celebration -- April 6, 2007
Yaquina Head Lighthouse Restoration Celebration Planned SALEM ”The public is invited to come celebrate the completed restoration of Yaquina Head Lighthouse on Saturday, April 21, 2007. Admission to Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area will be free. Saturday's activities include: · 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM: Yaquina Lighthouse restoration displays. · Artist Paul A. Lanquist will be on hand to sign his new Yaquina Head poster. · 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM: Rangers and docents, in authentic 1880’s clothing, will lead lighthouse tours. For the first time in many decades, the freshly restored “Keepers Workroom,†located at the base of the tower, will be open to the public. · 10:30 AM and 2:00 PM: Nationally renown metal craftsman, Alex Klahm will give presentations on historic metal restoration. -Media Opportunity- On Friday, April 20, 2007, at 2:00 PM, the Bureau of Land Management and the Friends of Yaquina Lighthouses will celebrate this major restoration in a special ceremony. National Landscape Conservation Director Elena Daly, Oregon/Washington BLM State Director Ed Shepard and other dignitaries will be on hand to cut the ceremonial ribbon, unveil a new Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area poster and to celebrate a successful partnership between the BLM, Friends of Yaquina Lighthouses, the Coast Guard, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and numerous other partners. Beginning in December 2005, Yaquina Head Lighthouse has undergone major restoration and refurbishment. Workers erected scaffolding around the 134 year old historic landmark. The original, 9 foot-tall, first order Fresnel lens was wrapped in protective foam and plywood and the entire lighthouse was “shrink-wrapped†so that the restoration could proceed regardless of the weather. Eroded or missing iron and bronze parts at the top of the tower were restored or replaced, a new lightning protection system was installed, and all metal, brick, and wood surfaces were stripped of layer after layer of paint and coated with a fresh new coat of mold and mildew-resistant paint. The original 1873 lighthouse colors were restored. The Bureau of Land Management's non-profit partner, Friends of Yaquina Lighthouses, funded the installation of new, historically accurate windows in the oil house. All major restoration has been completed and the lighthouse has been reopened for public tours.
PLF Members Needed to Help Boise District-- March 28, 2007
just heard back from Idaho and the date of April
20th will be OK. Our contact and project leader is
Tim Carrigan, BLM Boise District Wildlife Biologist Meeting
location and time: The group will leave on
4/20 at 8:00 am from
the BLM Distinct Office at 3948 Development Ave, Boise,
which is near the airport. Skills needed
None, just an interest in helping BLM monitor the ground
squirrels and their habitat following a wild fire in 2006. The
area was rehabilitated last fall by planting grasses and
forbs Project location The ground squirrel's
habitat is a small area about 5 acres, north and west of Boise
about 100 miles near the town of Sweet, Idaho. The
squirrel is a candidate species. Transportation to the
site Depending how many volunteers there will be, BLM
will provide two cars and may be necessary to use volunteer's
cars. Plan on an all-day trip. Miscellaneous
It will depend upon the weather on the 20th but will need
strong walking shoes/boots, long pants, jacket, hat, etc.
There is a short walk for the end of the road to the
site. Field glasses and spotting scopes would be good to
have. Bag lunch will be needed. This is the
basic information needed to proceed to contact
volunteers. We should plan on having a firm number of
participants by April 13 so that plans can
be made accordingly. More later, George
George Lea, President
Public Lands Foundation
Transcript of Robbins Case -- March 21, 2007
To read the transcript of the subject case; click on the below link:
CBS News of Robbins Case -- March 19, 2007
If you will click on the following url you will get the CBS News Tape of interviews involving the Robbins Case: http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/i_video/main500251.shtml?id=2582328n If the site doesn't come up go to Videos and when that comes up there is a search block which you can type in Wyoming and the video will appear. It is titled Don't Tread on Me.
Robbins' Supreme Court Case Background Materials -- March 18, 2007
If you have been reading our news letter, The Public Lands Monitor, or visiting our web site, www.publicland.org, you are aware of this legal dispute between a rancher Harvey Robbins and 6 BLM employees at Worland, WY, and our concern that the case could have substantial impacts on BLM’s ability to manage the public lands. The case has moved its way forward and will be heard by the US Supreme Court on this coming Monday in Washington DC. To refresh your memory about this case: Robbins owns a private ranch, and uses federal public lands under grazing permits and a special recreation permit, outside of Thermopolis, Wyoming. Since purchasing the ranch in 1994, Robbins has clashed with the BLM over access issues, road maintenance, and numerous trespass violations. A controversial 2003 settlement resolving many of the BLM's trespass claims against Robbins was cancelled after Robbins continued to provoke additional claims of willful livestock trespass. Robbins filed the instant case, a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) action against six individual BLM employees, alleging that the defendants unlawfully violated RICO and the Fifth Amendment, specifically by (a) retaliating against him for the exercise of his right to exclude the BLM from his private property, and (b) by unlawfully attempting to extort the right-of-way across his private lands. The key concern here is that if employees of the BLM and other land management agencies may be subject to personal RICO liability based on the exercise of lawful regulatory authority, based solely on the allegation that their conduct was motivated by a desire to obtain a right-of-way or other benefit for the government, agency employees may be deterred from exercising their proper, lawful regulatory authority. In other words, BLM employees facing a discretionary decision whether or not to take administrative action against a grazing permittee for repeated livestock trespass or permit violations may be deterred from taking such action by the threat of personal (and substantial) RICO liability. PLF has filed a joint Amicus brief with the National Wildlife Federation and the Wyoming Wildlife Federation supporting the BLM employees thanks to the pro bono council help at Weil, Gotshal and the National Wildlife Federation attorney. The US Attorney General is representing the BLM employees involved. There is nothing more PLF can do at this point but to hope the court rules in favor of the BLM employees. The main purpose of this email is to alert you to the case and that the CBS is to air news articles this evening, Sunday March 18. The LA Times is working on a story and there may be others, George Lea, President
Supreme Court to Hear Wilkie v Robbins on Monday, March 19, 2007 --March 16, 2007
The Supreme Court case, Wilkie v. Robbins,
involving BLM employees at the Worland, WY Office and the
RICO charges brought against them by rancher Robbins will be
heard by the US Supreme Court on Monday March 19 at 11:00am at
the Supreme Court Building in Washington DC. I am going to
try to get in to the hearing by standing in line. PLF
and the National Wildlife Federation and the Wyoming Wildlife
Federation have filed a joint Amicus brief thanks to the pro bono
council help at Weil, Gotshal and the National Wildlife
Federation attorney. The US Attorney General is
representing the 6 BLM employees involved. CBS is airing an
article about the case on Sunday evening so be watching
your TV schedules. The LA Times has also been working on a
story and so there may be other news items about the case.
Let hope this comes out right in favor of and protecting
the BLM employees from further action George Lea, President
Public Lands Foundation
Director Hughes on the Healthy Lands Initiative -- March 5, 2007
As you already know, the Healthy Lands Initiative (HLI) is a highlights of the 2008 Budget Request for the BLM and the entire Interior Department. The Initiative's landscape-level approach represents the future of multiple-use management and will help keep the BLM at the forefront of land management in the 21st century. When Secretary Kempthorne visited the Carlsbad Field Office last week, he saw first-hand how this approach is already working. He went to southeastern New Mexico specifically to see restoration of old energy sites underway on BLM lands. After hearing BLM employees talk about their successes in bringing disturbed lands back to health, the Secretary reports that the Initiative will work because he has seen it happening in Carlsbad. The Secretary also noted that in New Mexico, the BLM is ahead of the game in the other key aspect of HLI “ fostering the partnerships with stakeholders, including oil and gas developers and stockgrowers, that will enable us not only to leverage additional funding, but also further increase the number of acres and the pace of restoration and reclamation in project areas. Deputy Director Bisson and I have also been engaging with stakeholders. At the annual Wild Turkey Federation convention and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation gathering, we found great interest and excitement about the HLI. These groups’ long history of interest in conserving wildlife, habitats, and watersheds folds into the Initiative's appreciation that healthy lands are important for local economies that are based on fish, wildlife and watersheds. As Secretary Kempthorne said in New Mexico, the BLM already has the enthusiasm and dedication of its employees. The Healthy Lands Initiative is intended to give you the tools to achieve even broader success. The Carlsbad model shows how the HLI can reinvigorate the multiple use mission Bureau-wide by providing the means to maintain important balances in the face of increasing pressures on the public lands.
PLF's DVD is now Available -- December 1, 2006
PLF has developed a 10-minute DVD which explains what PLF is all about. For your copy of this DVD please send your request and $10 per DVD to Beau McClure, Director of Operations, Public Lands Foundation, 35855 N. 3rd Street, Desert Hills, Arizona 85086