Yosemite National Park (CA) Body Of Missing Woman Found

The search for a missing woman ended on Tuesday, August 14th, when her body was located in the Echo Creek drainage, a rugged wilderness area southwest of Tuolumne Meadows. Ottorina Bonaventura, 80, was reported missing by friends when she failed to return to the Vogelsang High Sierra Camp after a day-hike on July 30th. Over [...]

Weeds, Anyone? Pancho Villa State Park Invites Public to Sample Tasty, Healthy Desert Plants Aug 25th

COLUMBUS, NM - Pancho Villa State Park is cooking up an unusual event, providing visitors a chance to sample three of the edible plants of the Chihuahuan Desert which are not only tasty but surprisingly have a significant amount of dietary value. The “Desert Foods at Your Fingertips” workshop will be held at [...]

Public Invited to Review BLM OHV Grant Applications

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is inviting public comments on its draft grant applications being proposed to the California Department of Parks and Recreation, Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division (OHMVR).  The draft BLM applications encompass approximately 90 projects, ranging from facility developments to restoration work proposed throughout BLM’s 16 field offices in the state.BLM’s [...]

Carrizo Monument Tour Furthers Planning Efforts - Public Meeting Scheduled for Sept. 22nd

Carrizo Plain National Monument managers, Monument Advisory Council members and members of the public received an on-the-ground view of the resource issues to be addressed in the Resource Management Plan being developed for the national monument.About 30 people participated in the August 11 tour that included presentations by the Carrizo’s managing partners — the BLM, [...]

Burro Ambassador Visits Patients

Just a few days after he was adopted, “Pockets” the burro was a hit at last year’s Lake Isabella Christmas Parade. A few months later, he made a splash at the annual Whiskey Flats Parade in Kernville.“Pockets loves to see the horse trailer stop in front of his stall,” says adopted “mom,” Nadia Lane. [...]

BLM Auction of Geothermal Lease Options Brings Highest Per-Acre Bid in History

BLM Geothermal Lease Auction Signals New Trend in Renewable Energy - Competitive Leasing Implements Clean Energy Goals in Energy Policy ActA competitive auction of lease parcels for geothermal energy resources on federal public lands in Nevada and California held in Reno August 14th brought nearly $20 million in bids, including the highest per-acre bid in [...]

All New Mexico State Parks Now Fitted with AEDs to Help Save Lives

SANTA FE, NM - New Mexico State Parks announced today that all 34 state parks across the state are now equipped with at least one Automated External Defibrillator (AED).  An AED is a portable electronic device that automatically diagnoses life-threatening heart related issues by applying electrical therapy which stops cardiac arrhythmias, allowing the heart to [...]

Killer Bees in New York

Where I live is not the desert, but we have plenty of sand. Regardless, I’m pretty sure I have a Killer Bee Attack story. I have lived in New York all my life and have had my share of run ins with bees in my 44 years, but never anything like what I’m about to [...]

Carson-Tahoe Region Nevada State Park Upcoming Events

Dangberg Historic Home Ranch -Stargaze Party- August 18th, 7:00 p.m-10:00p.m.Join the Astronomical Society of Nevada (www.astronomynv.org) and Park Rangers for an evening of star and planet gazing. TheAstronomical Society will have high powered telescopes available to view the moons of Jupiter and many fascinating objects in ourMilky Way galaxy. Bring a jacket as evenings can [...]

Congressman Introduces Tumacacori Highlands Wilderness Legislation

Washington, D.C. — Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva has introduced legislation that will protect and preserve over 80,000 acres of National Forest as Wilderness near Nogales, known as the Tumacacori Highlands.Wilderness designation is the highest level of protection for federal public land available in the United States.This will be the first wilderness area protected by Congress [...]

Joshua Tree Ranger Programs through Aug 31st

Daily11 a.m. to 3 p.m. - Joshua Tree National Park (30 minutes) A video tour of some of the most beautiful scenery on earth. Meet at the Oasis Visitor Center.Saturday8:30 p.m. - Evening Campground Program (1 hour) Trees in Trouble at Jumbo Rocks Campground amphitheater.Next Star Party - September 8 at 7:20 p.m Source: NPS

Fee Changes at Colorado State Parks Begin Sept. 1st

Colorado State Parks Board announced fee changes for annual passes, daily passes and vehicle registrations, which will be implemented between Sept. 1, 2007 and April 1, 2008. The board also approved the annual pass be changed from the January to December calendar year to a rolling annual pass, allowing passes to be valid for 12 [...]

Saguaro National Park Fire Management Plan Approved

Superintendent Sarah Craighead announced August 8th the completion of a revised Fire Management Plan for Saguaro National Park. The new plan brings fire management in line with changes in national policy and includes new biological information. The plan covers both the Rincon Mountain and Tucson Mountain Districts of the Park, which covers 91,327 acres, 78% [...]

National Fire Activity - Preparedness Level 5 - Aug 15th Report

National Preparedness Level 5 (On a scale from 1 to 5)August 15, 2007Large fire activity continues to increase, especially in Montana and Idaho, where 31 large fires are burning more than 939,000 acres. Fire managers are concerned about sustained winds of 15-20 miles per hour throughout the Great Basin and Northern Rockies.Weather Discussion: Winds decreasing [...]

Modoc-Washoe Stewardship Steering Committee Meets August 23

Members of the Modoc-Washoe Experimental Stewardship Steering Committee will discuss a wide range of natural resource conservation topics, when they meet Thursday, Aug. 23, at 10 a.m. at the Cedarville Community Church Hall in Cedarville.The meeting, open to the public, could be continued on Friday, Aug. 24, if additional time is needed.Committee members will hear [...]

Spring Mountain Ranch SP, NV Summer and Fall Upcoming Events

*August 12, Sun New Moon Sandstone Canyon Hike-Call 875-4141 for details. 8pm-10pm TourGate@7:45pmAugust 18, Sat Summer Cool Off-enjoy free ice cream and ice cold lemonade (first come, first serve basis) and a talk by park staff about Spring Mountain Ranch history.10am-1pm Ranch House Garage*August 25, Sat Docent Held Activity-To be announced on a later date. [...]

Wild Horse Trainers Compete for $25,000 Prize

Reno, Nev. - One hundred horse trainers across the nation took up the Extreme Mustang Makeover challenge to take a wild Nevada mustang, gentle and train the animal for 100 days, then compete for a $25,000 top prize in September at the Will Rogers Equestrian Center-Watt Arena in Fort Worth, Tex.Trainers were matched with their [...]

Dakota Hill Fire Shows Some Activity

As of Friday, Aug.10, the Dakota Hill Fire is showing some fire activity inside the perimeter of the “East” Fire, located in the North Fork area. Fire activity may include isolated torching trees possible smoke columns rising several hundred feet above ground level. As temperatures increase and humidity lowers, fire activity is expected to increase [...]

Yosemite National Park Welcomes Ford Transportation Interns

Tomoko Tamagawa, 23, and Kelley Sterle, 22, are spending three months in Yosemite National Park as interns this summer, teaching visitors about the history of transportation in Yosemite and the use of alternative technology in transportation as well as about the natural, cultural, and historical resources in Yosemite National Park. They are participating in the [...]

Fire Weather Forecast

Hot, dry and unstable conditions will remain over the West through Wednesday. Moisture will increase from the south today creating isolated thunderstorms with limited moisture in Nevada, and possibly the central and southern Sierras. Thunderstorms will also develop in Montana, Wyoming and Idaho. Gusty winds may continue at times over portions of northern California, southeast [...]