Membership seats are open on the Modoc-Washoe Experimental Stewardship Program Steering Committee, a citizen group that advises on ways to improve management of public rangelands in far northeast California and far northwest Nevada.
Seats representing wild horse and burro management, Nevada environmental interests, resource conservation districts and the timber industry are open for two-year appointments. Anyone interested should send an interest letter to Jeff Fontana, public affairs officer for the Bureau of Land Management Northern California District, 2550 Riverside Dr., Susanville, CA 96130. Letters can be emailed to [email protected]. The deadline is Friday, January 17th.
“Our committee will review applications and make appointment recommendations to the BLM field manager and Modoc National Forest district ranger, as provided in our bylaws,” said Committee Chairman Sean Curtis. “Appointments are for two-year terms.”
Curtis said candidates should have good knowledge of the topic areas they wish to represent, especially for public lands and National Forest lands in the ESP’s area of interest. Residency of the area is not required, but ability to attend quarterly meetings in Cedarville is an important appointment consideration. Service on the committee is voluntary; there is no reimbursement for mileage or other expenses.
The Modoc-Washoe steering committee 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.
It focuses on public lands managed by the BLM’s Applegate Field Office (east of the Warner Mountains crest) and Modoc National Forest lands managed by the Warner Mountain Ranger District.
The committee has diverse membership including livestock grazing permit holders, representatives from the BLM, Forest Service, National Resource Conservation Service, and the California and Nevada Departments of Fish and Wildlife. Additional interests represented include the timber industry, invasive weed control interests, resource conservation districts, environmental and sporting interests from California and Nevada, and local government. There are also seats designed for cooperative extension specialists from the University of California and the University of Nevada.
