Natural resource conservation topics affecting northeast California’s Warner Mountains and northwest Nevada’s high desert are on the agenda for a meeting of the Modoc-Washoe Experimental Stewardship Steering Committee, Thursday, April 23rd, at 9:00a.m., at the Bureau of Land Management Surprise Field Station, 602 Cressler Street in Cedarville. The public is welcome.
Agenda items include reports from member agencies, discussion about a recent sage-steppe workshop, a report from the Lassen 15 technical review team, an update on sage-grouse conservation activities and a report on drought impacts. Also on the agenda are a retired worker report, an update on Natural Resource Conservation Service programs and a report on wild horse management on public lands.
Time for public comment has been reserved for 3:00p.m. Those unable to attend can participate via teleconference. The call-in number is (888) 395-5718; the passcode is 31217.
The Modoc-Washoe group is part of the national Experimental Stewardship Program, created by Congress in the Public Rangelands Improvement Act of 1978. The program encourages rangeland management innovation and incentives for improving conditions on public rangelands. The Modoc-Washoe group advises the BLM’s Applegate (formerly Surprise) Field Office and the Modoc National Forest’s Warner Mountain Ranger District.
The committee has diverse membership including livestock grazing permit holders, representatives from the BLM and Forest Service, and the California and Nevada Departments of Fish and Wildlife. Other interests represented include the timber industry, invasive weed control interests, resource conservation districts, NRCS, environmental and sporting interests from California and Nevada and local government.
