Category Archives: Wildlife

California, History, Public Lands and Access, Public Lands Policy & Management, Wildlife

The Grizzly Bear Bill Is Dead. Here’s How California Lost the Real Thing

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

Senate Bill 1305 would have required the state to study the feasibility of reintroducing grizzlies. It never got a vote – and the fight isn’t over.

California has a grizzly bear on its flag, on its state seal, and on the jerseys of two university mascots. It has not had a wild grizzly bear inside its borders in more than a hundred years. On August 13, a bill that would have taken the first real step toward changing that died in an Assembly committee room without a single public word said about it.

Continue reading →

Bureau of Land Management, California, Wildlife

Bear Aware: Tips for a Safe Season on California’s Public Lands

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

Spring and summer are prime time for getting out into California’s backcountry — and they’re also prime time for bears to be on the move. The Bureau of Land Management recently put out a reminder for public lands visitors to brush up on bear safety, and given how much time I spend out exploring (and how much time I hope you do too), it seemed worth passing along and bookmarking for the season.

As bears come out of winter dens, they’re searching for food, moving through new habitat, and in some cases protecting cubs — all of which can increase the odds of a surprise encounter on the trail. As BLM’s Acting Director Bill Groffy put it, “Public lands managed by the BLM are wild places, and wildlife safety is visitor safety.” Simple precautions go a long way toward keeping both you and the bears safe. Continue reading →

California, Fishing, News, Outdoors, Wildlife

MAPWaters Act: Digitizing Access to America’s Public Waters

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

The MAPWaters Act has cleared Congress and is headed to the President’s desk.

For people who boat, fish, hunt, or paddle on federally managed waters, this is a practical fix: the law directs agencies to digitize and publish recreational access information so users can find clear, up-to-date rules on phones and chartplotters, rather than digging through scattered paperwork.

Continue reading →

California, Conservation, National Forests, Outdoors, Wildlife

Burke Creek Gets Its Natural Course Back

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

Forest Service restoration work begins on Burke Creek and Rabe Meadow near South Lake Tahoe

 
The Forest Service has started restoration work on Burke Creek and Rabe Meadow near South Lake Tahoe. The Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, working with the Nevada Tahoe Conservation District, finalized the decision back in April – the project restores the creek’s natural function and improves water quality, meadow vegetation, and habitat for the wildlife that depends on it.

Continue reading →

California, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Wildlife

California Department of Fish and Wildlife Awards $10.7M in Grants for Fisheries

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has announced 27 projects that will receive a total of $10.7 million in grants through the Fisheries Restoration Grant Project for fiscal year 2021. The projects are focused on restoring, enhancing, and protecting anadromous salmonid habitat in California watersheds.

Continue reading →