Join the ride this Saturday June 11 through the southern Pioneer Mountains on all dirt road. The ride starts at 9am in Carey at the fairgrounds with two different ride options (see map below): a 38 mile loop climbing up Road Canyon and descending the South Fork of Muldoon Creek or a 5-15 mile out and back exploring Little Wood River Valley. Both rides will get you out there exploring new territory.
The latest press release on SGI from the NRCS:
Farmers and ranchers wanting to improve rangeland conditions while protecting sage-grouse populations and habitat in Idaho can apply for funding from the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s Sage-Grouse Initiative. Applications received before April 15 will be ranked for funding in fiscal year 2011.
The Sage-Grouse Initiative (SGI) helps pay for putting specific conservation practices in place that will improve sage-grouse habitat or reduce threats to bird survival. Many of these practices can also make rangeland conditions better for livestock. Idaho received just over $3 million for the initiative this year. Landowners in the historic range for sage-grouse are eligible to apply for the initiative.
“The Sage-grouse Initiative supports both sustainable ranching and healthy sage-grouse populations by focusing on improving rangeland conditions,” said Jeff Burwell, Idaho NRCS State Conservationist. “Some of the practices used to improve sage-grouse habitat are the same practices required to maintain healthy grazing land for livestock.”
NRCS spent over $1 million in 2010, the first year for the Sage-grouse Initiative. Producers across southern Idaho used the initiative to help fund projects that enhanced sage-grouse habitat and also improved range condition such as:
Declining sage-grouse populations and habitat across the west generated interest in helping the species so that it will not need protection under the Endangered Species Act. The species depends on sagebrush for cover and food and are found at elevations ranging from 4,000 to over 9,000 feet.
For more information on the initiative, contact your local NRCS office or visit our Web site http://www.id.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/sage_grouse/index.html.
On Tuesday, the 29th, the Pioneers Alliance held a meeting to discuss the upcoming BLM travel plan. Here is a summary of what members of the community learned during the presentation by the BLM:
The planning area includes all lands north of Highway 20 from Hill City on the west to the just past Fish Creek on the east and includes over 230,00 acres of BLM-managed public land and 660 miles of existing roads and trails. The last (and only) travel plan was developed in 1981, and so five years ago, the Blaine County Commissioners requested that the BLM initiate travel planning. They gave the BLM a travel plan with their recommendations for lands between the Little Wood to the western county boundary. Blaine County recommended that all BLM lands be designated as closed to cross-country travel except for on existing designated roads and trails.
Except for several Seasonal Closure Areas (closed Dec 1 – April 30 annually) the entire planning area is currently designated “Open”, which means off-highway vehicles (OHVs) can travel cross-country anywhere. The planning area will be evaluated to consider and identify areas as ‘‘Open,’’ ‘‘Limited to Designated Routes,’’ or ‘‘Closed’’ to OHV use. A‘‘Limited to Designated Routes’’ designation would result in motorized and possibly mechanized vehicles being limited to designated roads and trails, while a ‘‘Closed’’ designation precludes OHV travel altogether.
There are 3 types of routes that will be designated: “Roads” (there are very few of these in the planning area; these are generally constructed and maintained by BLM), “primitive roads” (these are not constructed and usually driven-in and not maintained; most of the roads in the planning area are primitive), and “trails” (can be motorized, non-motorized, or non-mechanized (foot and horse only)).
The Plan will inform where the community can access public land and prioritize where the BLM may want to acquire easements over private land to ensure public access.
The BLM is currently planning to host four public meetings, likely in late May 2011, in Fairfield, Hailey, Carey and Twin Falls. The entire effort will take about 18 months, including scoping, developing alternatives, and both a draft EIS and the final EIS. We’ll keep you updated on when and where these meetings will take place as they are announced.
Check out the latest Newsletter from the Pioneers Alliance.
You can read the newsletter here.
On March 15, Ben Alexander, of Headwaters Economics, presented the initial findings for Ideas for Economic Recovery: Carey, Idaho, to the Carey City Council and interested public. This study has been conducted by Ben and Carey community members and was supported through the Pioneers Alliance. The study included a review of recent economic trends and issues facing the community, and was largely based on interviews with community leaders, local business people and local residents.
The interviews and discussion sessions helped identify several major economic challenges such as “old guard mentality”; unaccommodating attitude toward business; bedroom community characteristics; lack of opportunities and services; and an uninviting main street. The opportunities identified by the project included the potential for creating a positive and problem solving atmosphere; being more business friendly; town beautification; capitalization on location and much more.
Those at the meeting were eager to continue to work to create a strategic plan and specific goals. A meeting to continue the discussion is scheduled on March 29th at 7:45 p.m. following the BLM Travel Plan meeting at Carey City Hall.
The Shoshone Field Office of the BLM has announced they intend to prepare a new Travel Management Plan for lands north of Highway 20 outside of Carey and has begun a public scoping process soliciting comments from the public on the process. The planning area consists of over 230,00 acres of BLM-managed public land, including 660 miles of existing roads and trails lying north of Highway 20. Boundaries include Chimney Creek on the west and Craters of the Moon National Monument and Fish Creek on the east.
The current plan designates the majority of the planning area as ‘‘Open” to off-highway vehicles (OHV), meaning OHVs can travel cross-country. The planning area will be evaluated to consider and identify areas as ‘‘Open,’’ ‘‘Limited to Designated Routes,’’ or ‘‘Closed’’ to OHV use. A ‘‘Limited to Designated Routes’’ designation would result in motorized and possibly mechanized vehicles being limited to designated roads and trails, while a ‘‘Closed’’ designation precludes OHV travel altogether.
The travel management plan will also make decisions regarding future facilities, such as parking areas and trailheads and future trail construction corridors on public land. If you are interested in any of these issues, please attend the informational meeting at 7 p.m. on March 29, 2011 at the Carey City Hall to learn more from the Shoshone BLM about the process.
The latest newsletter on MSTI reveals that the proposed route of a new Northwestern Energy 500 kilovolt electronic transmission line through the Pioneers-Craters landscape has officially been taken off the table. Northwestern Energy’s proposal was a warning shot to all of us who care about maintaining large wildlife populations, working farms and ranches, a diversity of ecosystems, and access for hunting and recreation in this area.
This decision was reached thanks in no small part to the grassroots efforts of the Pioneers Alliance, who in 2008, organized public meetings, contacted state and federal agencies, as well as elected officials and submitted comments on the proposal.
Read the MSTI Newsletter here.
Cobb, Hyndman, and Old Hyndman jutting into the horizon are a memorable welcome to the Wood River Valley from the south. These peaks are also a large part of what makes the view from Baldy spectacular.
The Pioneers are, of course, much more than three impressive peaks. At 12,000 feet, they nourish a network of high mountain lakes and streams. Out of sight from our favorite vantage points are the rolling hills that give way to productive farmland, punctuated to the south by lava beds.
The Pioneers are part of a remarkably pristine landscape that supports thriving wildlife populations, working farms and ranches, diverse ecosystems, and hunting and recreation opportunities.
On February 16, Mike Stevens of Pioneer Mountain Group and Lava Lake Land & Livestock will highlight the natural and cultural heritage of the Pioneers. Mike has spent considerable time working and recreating in this area. He has a wealth of knowledge on the recent pronghorn studies, sheep ranching, land management, the area’s geography and history, and current conservation efforts with the Pioneers Alliance.
Come enjoy a slide show and learn more about the land that lies directly east of the Wood River Valley.
Wednesday, February 16, 12-1pm
At the Community Library in Ketchum
Free Idaho Conservation League Brown Bag Lunch
The Blaine County Land Advisory Board (LAB) is now accepting pre-applications for its Blaine County Land Water and Wildlife Program. Landowners can review the program guide here, which provides background information on the LAB, the Land, Water and Wildlife Program, as well as information on how the LAB will make funding decisions. The LAB is looking for landowners interested in finding funding for projects that fulfill its mission “to protect lands and water quality in the Big Wood and Little Wood River valleys, protect wildlife habitat throughout the county, and protect working farms and ranches in the county.”
After reviewing this information, landowners can complete a pre-application here. The LAB accepts pre-applications at any time and will evaluate them every month. After the LAB reviews a pre-application, they can recommend that the project complete a full application. The Blaine County LAB website has full information on the entire application and funding process, along with all necessary documents here.
The NRCS recently announced that there will be an increase in funding available this year to help Idaho’s farmers and ranchers protect sage-grouse habitat. This is part of the Sage-grouse initiative, which helps farmers and ranchers implement specific conservation practices that will improve sage-grouse habitat and may also improve rangeland conditions.
Producers can signup now and those applications received before April 15 will be ranked in fiscal year 2011.
“The Sage-grouse Initiative supports both sustainable ranching and healthy sage-grouse populations by focusing on improving rangeland conditions,” said Jeff Burwell, Idaho NRCS State Conservationist. “Some of the practices used to improve sage-grouse habitat are the same practices required to maintain healthy grazing land for livestock.”
Last year, NRCS helped to fund projects such as:
For more information on the initiative visit the NRCS website. To apply for funding, contact Kevin Davidson in the Shoshone field office.