The confessions of an off-road-vehicle outlaw – Salt Lake Tribune By Garrett Veneklasen

I love ATV riding, but the truth is that my ATV and the millions like it have made severe and cumulative impacts on our public lands and wildlife. The impacts of off-road vehicles are probably even more profound and far-reaching than we think they are. It’s sad but true that future generations — including my 3-year-old daughter’s — will find our public lands roaded and devalued beyond repair if this problem is not addressed.

When I told my fellow ORV riders of my change of heart, most replied that I was "nuts." They said that even if I decided to alter my behavior, most other ATV riders would not.

Luckily, that has not been the case. My transformation into an advocate for responsible off-road vehicle riding has led other riders I know to rethink how they behave in the national forest. And as more of us set examples of prudent off-road use, we can become a powerful force to protect our key national forest lands.

It couldn’t happen at a better time. Forest managers across the country are drafting long-term plans that will change how off-road vehicles are dealt with for decades to come.

Now is the time to urge our land managers and lawmakers to set aside large segments of America’s national forests, preserving them for clean water, wildlife habitat and the vast majority of us who visit the backcountry seeking peace and quiet. This means accepting fair and reasonable restrictions on ORV use. After all, everyone has a right to enjoy our forests, but no one has the right to abuse them.

The confessions of an off-road-vehicle outlaw – Salt Lake Tribune

[hattip to Southern Rockies Nature Blog]

Wildlife migration corridors between New Mexico and Colorado will be identified and protected as part of an initiative announced Friday by the governors of both states.

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson and Gov. Bill Ritter of Colorado finalized a memorandum of understanding pledging to protect corridors used by elk, deer, pronghorn, bighorn sheep and other species.

“A rich wildlife heritage is one of the great treasures our states share, and it must be protected," Richardson said. Ritter said the effort “should be part of our legacy."

The agreement stems from an initiative by the Western Governors Association to identify and protect wildlife corridors across the West.

The WGA has said the issue is complicated because decision-makers must deal with unprecedented population growth, energy development and associated land-use impacts while working across federal, state, tribal and private lands.

Durango Herald News, Initiative to study wildlife corridors along Colorado, New Mexico border

New Mexico Mining and Minerals has announced the public meeting and comment period on the proposed Beryllium exploration permit near the Monticello Box and Warm Springs.

[See mjh's slides: the Monticello Box in New Mexico]

The question at hand is whether to allow drilling of more bore holes above the beautiful Monticello Box, to a depth of 2000 ft in order to further establish the extent of the Beryllium containing deposit.

What is at stake is the unacceptable risk to the abundant perennial Alamosa River and geothermal warm springs. As we know, impact to the water could devastate wildlife including the federally endangered Alamosa Springsnail which occurs no where else on earth and the federally threatened Chiricahua Leopard Frog. Two others species, the Ovate Vertigo snail and Wright’s Marsh Thistle are critically imperiled. Knowing the extent of the ore deposit only serves to strengthen the sense of entitlement the mining corporation will have to open a full bore mine which will change forever the character of this area. The farming community downstream, the riparian corridor the stream supports and the vibrant and diverse wildlife that depend on it could all be lost to say nothing of the breathtaking beauty.

Please mark your calendar and show with your presence this place is too special to degrade for the sake of profit. We need to fill the room!

Hearing Date: December 1, 2009

Place: Civic Center, 400 W. 4^th Street, Truth or Consequences, NM

Time: 6PM

Written comments are also needed by December 1, 2009. Please edit the letter below to add your personal stories and send by US Mail to:

Bill Brancard, Director
Mining and Minerals Division
NM Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department
1220 south St. Francis Drive
Santa Fe, NM 87505

Or by e-mail to:

joe.vinson@state.nm.us Remember to include your name and physical address.

Deadline for written comments is also December 1, 2009

For the Box,
Mary Katherine Ray
Wildlife Chair
Rio Grande Chapter Sierra Club

Sample letter:

Dear Mr. Brancard,

I am opposed to the drilling of additional test holes to search for Beryllium adjacent to Monticello Box, the Alamosa River and the historic Warm Springs. Questions regarding the appropriateness of any mining activity in this location are profound and serious. Even exploratory holes to the depths indicated in the application threaten the functioning of the springs. The hydrology of the area is not well-understood and placing it at risk is foolhardy. The vibrant riparian habitat supports a diverse wildlife community which all depends on the water in what is otherwise very a dry surrounding. Moreover, the federally endangered Alamosa Springsnail is perfectly adapted to the water temperature and chemistry of the Warm Springs which could be altered by drilling. It occurs nowhere else on earth and it imperiled status reflects how easily it could be lost. Evidence of human occupation goes back over a millennium.

The Monticello box and warm springs complex are treasures for their beauty, abundant water and natural and cultural uniqueness. Please don’t allow them to be despoiled. Put a stop to beryllium exploration.

Sincerely,

Don’t forget to include your name and address.

More evidence on top predators and overall health of the land, this time from Isle Royal National Park. Research at Yellowstone NP showed similar conclusions.
More broadly, losing top predators means more "meso-predators," which different, more negative effects on the ecosystem.
Some findings:

• Primary or apex predators can actually benefit prey populations by suppressing smaller predators, and failure to consider this mechanism has triggered collapses of entire ecosystems.
• Cascading negative effects of surging mesopredator populations have been documented for birds, sea turtles, lizards, rodents, marsupials, rabbits, fish, scallops, insects and ungulates. 
• The economic cost of controlling mesopredators may be very high, and sometimes could be accomplished more effectively at less cost by returning apex predators to the ecosystem.

Posted by Chas S. Clifton at 11:17 AM

Southern Rockies Nature Blog: The Ecological Value of Top Predators

I go to Chaco Canyon every year (except for this one). In 2008, I also traveled to a couple of outliers west of Chaco. The road into Kin Bineola (“where the wind whirls,” Navajo) crosses a dirt dam. I had never seen any water on either side of that dam before, but on this trip in May, there was a small pond near the dam, well below the road. I saw something circle over the pond. I stopped on the dam to consider taking a picture. The two adult avocets were cute enough – and seemed out of place enough – to warrant a photo. I just got lucky that the babies flew in just as I clicked. I respect photographic skill, experience, and equipment, but lucky timing is the most valuable asset a photographer can’t buy. I never expected to photograph shorebirds in the desert.

www.flickr.com More of mjhinton’s stuff tagged with chacocanyon

I watched this robin gather grass for nesting material in our small sideyard a few years ago. It was a windy day and the robin kept dropping what it already had in its beak as it tried for more. (Called to mind Aesop.) After numerous attempts, the robin gathered up a good bundle. It took off from the grass and paused just long enough in a gap in the fence. Click. Thank you. With all the wind, I didn’t expect this photo to be in focus.

Robins love to bathe, perhaps moreso than any other birds I’ve seen in our yard.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mjhinton/tags/robins

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mjhinton/tags/birds

[From the Photo Archive is an irregular series of photos I’ve taken some time ago but want to revisit.]

www.flickr.com mjhinton’s Birds (Random) photoset

Oct. 14, 2009 — There is more evidence that living near parks, woods, or other green spaces may improve your mental and physical health.

Close proximity to green spaces was associated with less depression, anxiety, and other health problems in a newly published study. The relationship was strongest for children and people with low incomes.

The research is not the first to suggest that green spaces help keep people healthy, but it is the first to assess their impact on specific health conditions.

Investigators in the Netherlands examined patient health records from medical practices throughout the country. Using postal codes, they were also able to determine the percentage of green space existing within about 2 miles of each patient’s home.

"The strongest associations we saw between green space and health occurred within a 1 kilometer [0.6 mile] radius of the home," study researcher Jolanda Maas, PhD, of Amsterdam’s VU University tells WebMD. …

Parks, Green Spaces Protect Your Health

The catastrophic decline around the world of "apex" predators such as wolves, cougars, lions or sharks has led to a huge increase in smaller "mesopredators" that are causing major economic and ecological disruptions, a new study concludes.

The findings, published October 1 in the journal Bioscience, found that in North America all of the largest terrestrial predators have been in decline during the past 200 years while the ranges of 60 percent of mesopredators have expanded. The problem is global, growing and severe, scientists say, with few solutions in sight.

Loss Of Top Predators Causing Surge In Smaller Predators, Ecosystem Collapse

The Ultimate Resource for Women Who Love Hiking and the Outdoors!

Are you new to hiking?  Are you an expert?  There is always more to learn!  

The goal of HikingLady.com is to be a comprehensive resource for all of us who love the outdoors, whether your idea of a hike is a walk on a trail close to home, a serene day hike in a beautiful National Park like Yosemite, or a backpacking adventure to the peak of  a “14ner”! 

Come explore, learn the secrets that will make you a trail pro, and share your own hiking tips and tricks with the Hiking Lady!

• Did you know that women naturally are colder than men, so really need a women’s specific sleeping bag?  
• Did you know that there are easy ways to prevent getting blisters?  
• Did you know that the best way to get a backpack that fits you is to have your spine measured, something that you can have done at a reputable outdoors store?
• Did you know that you really can be comfortable on a backpacking trip… if you remember to take your Down Booties and pack a stuff sack with a fleece lining that can be used as a pillow?    

Explore HikingLady.com, and get prepared for adventure!

Hiking Lady

Good info for men, too.

The National Parks: America’s Best Idea: Download Wallpapers | PBS