Posted by: Sandy Steinman | June 21, 2023

Photos From Abbotts Lagoon, Pt. Reyes 3/17/23 – Pt. 1

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from ebird
Join the New York Times and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology on Thursday, June 22 at 1 PM Eastern for a free, live-streamed conversation with authors Christian Cooper and Amy Tan. Cooper and Tan will talk about the transcendent power of birding, as well as the challenges and rewards of navigating a predominantly white pastime as people of color. Plus, information about the New York Times summer birding project and how you can participate with eBird or Merlin.

Register now for this free, live-streamed event

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | June 21, 2023

Wildfire Myths Video

from Los Padres ForestWatch

Wildfire Myth Busting Video Series Part 1:   Fuelbreaks

Help stop the spread of wildfire myths by watching the first installment of our new “Wildfire Mythbusting” series! In this series we will cover many of the popular misunderstandings of the role of wildfire in public lands and the best ways communities can protect themselves.

Watch Video.

Mongabay reports

  • A new study suggests a way to stop seabirds from colliding with wind turbines: painting a black-and-white pattern on all three blades and the pylon to produce a flickering effect.
  • This strategy has yet to be tested or implemented, but experts believe it has promise and would create its desired effect.
  • However, getting approval for painting wind turbines can be difficult, and this mitigation strategy might generate the unintended effect of displacing seabirds, one expert says.
  • It’s estimated that wind turbines kill thousands of birds in the U.K. alone.

Read more at  What’s black and white and spins? Wind turbines that don’t kill birds

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | June 20, 2023

Calflora Photo Contest Winners

The winners of the Calflora photo contest at Photo Contest Winners

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | June 20, 2023

The crazy plan to explode a nuclear bomb on the Moon

BBC  reports

In the 1950s, with the USSR seemingly sprinting ahead in the space race, US scientists hatched a bizarre plan – nuking the surface of the Moon to frighten the Soviets.

Read story at  The crazy plan to explode a nuclear bomb on the Moon – BBC Future

Author of landmark UK review into the economic value of nature joins UN environment chief in calls for ‘action, not just words’ on biodiversity goals
— Read on www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/jun/20/nature-at-risk-of-breakdown-if-cop15-pledges-not-met-world-leaders-warned

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | June 19, 2023

Eastern Sierra Road Updates

Town of Mammoth Lakes will begin plowing Lake Mary Rd. on Monday June 19 and estimate it will take 1 week.
During this time public and administrative access will NOT be allowed in an effort to minimize any delays to the process.
Please be respectful and understand this closure is necessary for public safety.
***ROAD CLOSURE INFORMATION**
Be advised that later this week the following road closure will be in effect. Specific dates and details for the road closure will be posted in an additional post.

The Guardian reports on the negative impact of solar farms on the desert

Residents feel trapped and choked by dust, while experts warn environmental damage is ‘solving one problem by creating others’

Read more at  How solar farms took over the California desert: ‘An oasis has become a dead sea’ | California | The Guardian

NPR reports on Bee attacks, what causes them, how often they do they really occur and what to do if attached by bees at  2 people were hurt in a bee attack. What to do if it happens to you : NPR

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | June 17, 2023

Geology Fire Update 6/17

Firefighters have been working hard since the Geology Fire began last Saturday. We are glad to share that today the fire was 100% contained at 1,088 acres.
Crews will continue to patrol the area over the next several days, checking for remaining heat. Park staff will continue to repair damage from suppression activity and assess the need for rehabilitation of affected areas.

Read More…

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | June 17, 2023

Online Panel Discussion: The Superbloom Era – June 21

From Theodore Payne

2023 will go down in the history books as an incredible year for California wildflowers. ‘Superblooms’ germinated throughout the state, capturing the attention of the world while flower fanatics traveled far and wide to find the best blooms, guided by social media and articles from major news outlets. The vast displays of floral abundance inspired nature lovers, but also drew attention to the threats that California native plants face. Habitat loss, climate change, invasive species and massive, uncoordinated crowds at well-known wildflower hotspots tempered the beauty with a sense of worry about the future of these fragile ecosystems. We’ll hear about the panelists’ 2023 wildflower experiences, and dig into a complex and passionate conversation that is ongoing: how best to protect and conserve wildflowers in a time of great environmental change.

Join us for a panel discussion onlineon California’s extraordinary wildflowers, and how we can protect and conserve them.

To register go to The Superbloom Era

Audubon reports

Grasslands are disappearing at an alarming rate, and the primary drivers of this loss may surprise you. Land use conversion and tree cover expansion are increasing at the same rate – and that rate is beyond exponential. We have multiple tree species threatening the great plains grasslands: Eastern red cedar, Rocky Mountain juniper, Russian olive, and Siberian elm.

Read more at The Threat to Our Grasslands That Isn’t Getting Enough Press: Trees | Audubon Great Plains

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | June 16, 2023

Geology Fire Update – Joshua Tree National Park

Today the Geology Fire remains at 1,088 acres and is 95% contained. Firefighters continue to monitor for heat, address remaining hot spots, and repair damage from suppression activity. Today crews built fencing along portions of the road to prevent further damage to natural areas.
Geology Tour Road and Berdoo Canyon Road remain closed to the public. Pinkham Canyon and Fried Liver Wash areas are closed to hiking. Backcountry wilderness camping is closed in the Lost Horse, Pleasant Valley, Twin Tanks, and Hexie Mountain zones. All other areas of the park remain open for visitor use, with the exception of seasonal closures listed on the park website: https://www.nps.gov/jotr/.

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | June 16, 2023

Upcoming CNPS Events

See the calendar of upcoming events of the California Native Plants Society at https://www.cnps.org/events

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | June 16, 2023

Pod of 30 orcas bring killer in Monterey Bay Last Sunday

The Guardian reports

Marine biologists were surprised at the display of playful behavior ‘like kids in the park’, which lasted more than eight hours

A crowd of 30 killer whales met for a party in California’s Monterey Bay on Sunday.

They did belly flops into the water, slapped the waves with their flukes and spewed water from their blowholes, surprising marine biologists who had never seen the animals engage in such playful behavior for so long.

See video and read full article at Whale of a time: pod of 30 orcas bring killer moves to a California bay

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | June 16, 2023

Two New Job Announcements

Two new job announcements from the CNPS Jobs site:

 Great Basin Seeds of Success Field Technician – Bishop/Mammoth Lakes area

Biologist, Michael Baker International, Inland Empire, California

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | June 16, 2023

Trees found growing at record altitudes up Scotland’s Munros

The BBC reports

Trees have been found growing at record-breaking heights in Scotland’s mountains, according to new research by the University of Stirling.

The highest was a rowan 1,150m (3,773ft) near the top of Sgurr nan Ceathreamhnan, a Munro in West Affric.

On Braeriach, Britain’s third highest mountain, a sitka spruce was found at 1,125m (3,691ft).

The trees could be a sign of how hilltop woodlands lost over thousands of years might be restored.

Read more at Trees found growing at record altitudes up Scotland’s Munros

Is this also another message about climate change?

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | June 16, 2023

El Niño planet-warming weather phase has begun

The BBC  reports

A natural weather event known as El Niño has begun in the Pacific Ocean, likely adding heat to a planet already warming under climate change.

US scientists confirmed that El Niño had started. Experts say it will likely make 2024 the world’s hottest year.

They fear it will help push the world past a key 1.5C warming milestone.

It will also affect world weather, potentially bringing drought to Australia, more rain to the southern US, and weakening India’s monsoon.

The event will likely last until next spring, after which its impacts will recede.

Read more at El Niño planet-warming weather phase has begun

 
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | June 15, 2023

INYO NATIONAL FOREST ISSUES NEW ROAD CLOSURES

If you are planning to go be in Inyo National Forest this summer please check this out before you go as many roads are closed  throughout the summer. 
INYO NATIONAL FOREST ISSUES NEW ROAD CLOSURES –
June 15, 2023
Well folks, it’s not what you want to hear but it might be what you need: we have to close more roads for repair on the forest. Heres the news release:
Inyo National Forest renewed a Forest Closure Order today including the closure of nine additional roads due to severe storm damage and prediction of spring snowmelt runoff impacting them further. The forest asks the public to heed these closures for your own safety and for the protection of resources. The Closure Order will be lifted as soon as road conditions allow for safe travel.
The following roads will be closed via Forest Closure Order from June 15 – September 30, 2023:
White Mountain Ranger District:
🚧 Forest Road 6S02 (Silver Canyon Road, closed at Forest boundary)
🚧Forest Road 6S01 (Wyman Canyon Road, closed at Forest boundary)
🚧Forest Road 7S10 (Coyote Flat/Valley Road from Bishop, closed just past kiosk)
🚧Forest Road 9S19 (Coyote Flat from Big Pine)
🚧Forest Roads 32E311, 32E303, 32E307, 32E302, 32E303 (area west of Warren Bench, accessible from Sugarloaf or Glacier Lodge Roads)
🚧Forest Road 7S01/7S15 (Buttermilk Loop is closed at Horton Lakes Trailhead junction at 7S01A and 7S01, and at Highway 168 and 7S15)
🚧Forest Road 4S01 (White Mountain Road, closed where road turns to dirt just past Schulman Grove Visitor Center)

Read More…

CDFW news release

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has implemented a new policy recognizing the ecological benefits of beavers while mitigating conflict over damage to land and property (depredation). CDFW’s new policy builds upon its existing beaver management policies and lays the groundwork for projects that harness beavers’ natural ability to help protect biodiversity, restore habitat and build wildfire-resilient landscapes. This includes a process that enables beaver relocation as a restoration tool and a new non-lethal option. The policy also outlines a process to mitigate beaver depredation conflict, prioritizes the use of nonlethal deterrents whenever possible and ensures that lethal removal of depredation beavers is done in a humane manner.

Read more at New CDFW Policy Recognizes Ecological Value Of Beavers In California

Center for Biological Diversity News Release

Rare Forest Carnivore Threatened by Logging, Poison, Climate Change

SAN FRANCISCO— In a legal victory, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today agreed to reconsider whether West Coast fishers in northern California and southern Oregon warrant protection under the Endangered Species Act.

Fishers are relatives of mink, otters and wolverines, and live in old-growth forests. The Service has until Aug. 21, 2025, to decide whether to protect them.

Read more at Legal Agreement Gives West Coast Fishers New Shot At Crucial Protections

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | June 15, 2023

Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks Campground Closures

Dorst Creek Campground will not open for the 2023 season.
Although there are fourteen campgrounds in the parks, most remain closed due to impacts from this winter’s storms. Azalea is currently the only open campground in Kings Canyon National Park. Lodgepole and Potwisha are the only campgrounds currently open in Sequoia National Park.
All campgrounds require advance res

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | June 15, 2023

Joshua Tree: Geology Fire Update

On Saturday, June 10, 2023 the Geology Fire ignited in the Geology Tour Road area of Joshua Tree National Park. Currently the fire is 1,088 acres and 75% contained. Firefighters are working towards full suppression and today they will continue strengthening containment lines.
There are a few fire related closures. Geology Tour Road and Berdoo Canyon Road remain closed to the public. Pinkham Canyon and Fried Liver Wash areas are closed to hiking. The closed backcountry wilderness camp

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | June 15, 2023

Whitney Portal Road Has Reopened

From Inyo County Sheriff Office

Road update for 06.14.23. Note that Whitney Portal Road is now OPEN again.
This update covers only roads that are in the County of Inyo’s maintained mileage.
Updates on state and U.S. highways can be found at https://quickmap.dot.ca.gov/
Updates on road conditions within the Forest Service system can be found at https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/…/cainf-inyo-national…

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | June 14, 2023

These National Parks Are Welcoming Stargazers This Summer 

The New York Times reports on what parks to visit to go to stargazing

Several national parks have been designated so-called dark-sky sites, which means they have exceptionally high-quality night conditions to see the stars without the glare from nearby cities. The designation, given by the International Dark-Sky Association, a nonprofit group in Tucson, Ariz., is meant to support the protection of those optimal sky-viewing conditions.

Read more at These National Parks Are Welcoming Stargazers This Summer

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | June 14, 2023

Photos from the Regional Parks Botanic Garden 6/12 &13/23

Photos from 6/12 and 13/23 at the East Bay Regional Parks Botanic Garden in Tilden Park in Berkeley, CA. It is a botanic garden of California Native Plants

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | June 14, 2023

Inyo County Road Closures

From Inyo County Sheriff’s Office

Manzanar Reward Road is also now closed.
Whitney Portal Road is closed between Tuttle Creek Road and Movie Road due to a sinkhole developing over the culvert crossing. Whitney Portal is still accessible via Tuttle Creek Road and Lubken Canyon Road.

 

 

ABC News

Climate change ‘s hotter temperatures and society’s diversion of water have been shrinking the world’s lakes by trillions of gallons of water a year since the early 1990s, a new study finds.

A close examination of nearly 2,000 of the world’s largest lakes found they are losing about 5.7 trillion gallons (21.5 trillion liters) a year. That means from 1992 to 2020, the world lost the equivalent of 17 Lake Meads, America’s largest reservoir, in Nevada. It’s also roughly equal to how much water the United States used in an entire year in 2015.

Read more at  Incredible shrinking lakes: Humans, climate change, diversion costs trillions of gallons annually – ABC News

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | June 13, 2023

Biologist, Michael Baker International, Inland Empire, California

Michael Baker is seeking a highly motivated candidate with the ability to complete biological tasks for various types of projects in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. The ideal candidate would have a strong working knowledge of survey and reporting standards, compliance regulations, land use planning, and regulatory permitting. Experience conducting and managing the following tasks through completion is required: general biological resource field surveys, vegetation community mapping, focused botanical and wildlife surveys, aquatic resources delineations, and construction monitoring. Additionally, the position requires coordination and preparation of environmental review documents, coordination with agency staff and clients, preparation of proposals, critical thinking and solution-oriented approaches to problems, daily planning of assignments and tasks, and additional duties as assigned.

Read full job description and how to apply at  Biologist, Michael Baker International, Inland Empire, California – CNPS Forums

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