911 EMERGENCY FOR SONGBIRDS!!!
| (not just in
the desert either) Ash throated fly-catchers, cactus wrens, rock wrens and whiptail lizards are succumbing to mining claim markers in the desert. Larry LaPre, professional biologist, Desert Protective Council and San Bernardino Valley Audubon leader made a frightening discovery 4" PVC perforated drain line commonly used to mark the corners of mining claims is a certain death trap to small birds. He recently found 80 dead birds in only 30 pipes in one small area--pipes in place for less than 3 years. Larry thinks that the pipe markers may have totally wiped out the population of ash-throated fly catchers in the area he visited, since the density in the pipes exceeded the known density of nesting pairs. Afton Canyon Management Plan Despite cries of outrage by off road vehicle users in the Afton Canyon area, BLM issued its final management plan with a severe reduction in the number of routes which may be used by vehicles in this sensitve canyon. ORV groups have now appealed the decision on the managernent plan, and have just completed filing their official statements of reasons to the Interior Board of Land Appeals. The Sierra Club is considering submitting material in support of the BLM plan. Final Dumont Dunes Plan Due The Dumont Dufles Open Area Plan is in the final stages of decision by BLM. Resource Area Manager Alden Sievórs met with Elden Hughes, Jim Dodson and Judy Anderson last fall for a field review of the proposals. Expect the open area to be expanded to include currently used areas. Propose new National Scenic Area in the Santa Rosa Mtns BLM Staff in the Indio Resource area recently published the results of their study of the feasibility of establishing a National Scenic area in the Santa Rosa Mountains south of Palm Springs. For info, contact the BLM lndio office. |
Immediate help
is needed!!! Birdwatchers, and desert wildlife lovers are asked to take tape with them when they visit the desert and tape or cap the top of open pipe and tape over perforations near the ground to keep out the lizards. (It is illegal to remove the markers.) Contact the mining claimant and ask him to permanently change the marker to a solid post or 1" pipe because the tape will deteriorate faster than the pipe. Let Larry know the area where you taped over pipe, and that you have appealed to the claimant. Third, spread the word to agencies, organizations and groups so that we can stop the decimation of songbird populations. Larry believes that other cavity nesting species of similar size may be suffering a similar fate throughout the western lands open to mining claims -- both forest and BLM lands. Keynot Mine back on the Table A new application for a mining plan of operation in the Inyo Mountains, including an "ATV" trail has been denied by BLM at least until the miner pays for the abandoned barrels of cyanide on his previously abandoned operation on Keynot claim. BLM Newsbeat features "good" news on cyanide Desert activists Elden Hughes and Lu Haas, among others have complained and asked for a retraction on a guest article in the State BLM publication Newsbeat which glossed over the problems of cyanide poinsoning. The article was written by a geologist rather than a health professional or wildlife biologist. Castle Mountain BLM has just issued a supplemental ELS on the Castle Mountain Mine in the East Mojave. The comment deadline is March 14. We are continuing to negotiate on a series of mitigation issues including water, wildlife and recreation. For more information, contact Jim Dodson. |