Category Archives: California

National Park Service Draft Wildland Fire Strategic Plan

The National Park Service has released the Draft Wildland Fire Strategic Plan, which describes what wildland fire management leaders consider the best course of action to meet the NPS mission, and how it can be effectively implemented.

The strategic goals and objectives contained in this plan articulate NPS’s best judgment of where to spend our time and attention to assure success. All levels of the NPS Wildland Fire Program will be involved in developing and maintaining a detailed implementation plan addressing the specific strategies and tactics to achieve the goals and objectives. Many components of this plan are multifaceted and complex. Therefore, prioritization of goals and objectives as well as the development of implementation strategies will require additional planning and commitment.

You can get a copy of the Draft Wildland Fire Strategic Plan HERE.

Johnson Valley Access Preserved!

Press Release:

Hammerking Productions, the founders of The Griffin King of The Hammers Presented by Nitto Tire, are pleased to announce that the week-long off road festival held annually in Johnson Valley, CA will be able to continue in its current location for the foreseeable future. After six years of negotiations between the United States Marine Corps, the federal government and the Off Highway Vehicle(OHV) Community, a deal has been reached to preserve the majority of the land in Johnson Valley for OHV use.

Congressman Paul Cook spearheaded the deal which allows nearly 100,000 acres of land to remain open to the public and managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The Marines will have access to approximately 55,000 acres of shared use land for 60 days a year to meet their training objectives, but will not retain ownership of the land the remaining 305 days a year.  The proposed legislation is expected to pass  the House later this week and the Senate next week before the holiday recess.

Continue reading

USFS plans to eliminate Day/Year Adventure Pass fees from some National Forest Areas

Yep, that means that you can visit some forest areas free of the $5 daily or $30 yearly Adventure Pass fees!  Hikers and off-roaders rejoice!

Or that may be just what they’re expecting us to do.

I will always look a gift horse in the mouth – especially if that gift horse is coming from a governmental agency.  The plan is called the “Federal Lands Recration Enhancement Act” – or REA.  When you walk around it and kick the tires, it seems like a good idea.  But when you look under the hood, there’s some hinky.  There’s ALWAYS some hinky.  Here’s a portion of what the REA says in their summary:

Continue reading

2 men plead guilty to cultivating pot in Sequoia forest

I firmly believe that cannabis has been unfairly demonized by those who seek to control it.  I also believe that the plant should be legalized and regulated, and that this is just an other example of what happens when criminals – rather than farmers – grow this crop.  our national forests get destroyed.

Cannabis is legal in California.  It should be grown legally.  One of the shining examples of how to grow and regulate the crop was Mendocino County’s zip-tie program.  No forest lands were destroyed or poisoned when that plan was implemented.

Continue reading

A Snow-filled Setting Served as Stunning Background for the Trek to the Tree Ceremony at Kings Canyon National Park

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, CA – With a snow-filled setting as a stunning background, a total of 213 people participated in the Trek to the Nation’s Christmas Tree ceremony at Kings Canyon National Park on Sunday, December 8, 2013, from 2:30-3:30 p.m. The event, which was sponsored by the Sanger District Chamber of Commerce in cooperation with the National Park Service, included the Jubilation Singers, Sanger High School Choir, and a non-denominational holiday message. During the ceremony, Acting Superintendent Colleen Bathe spoke about the General Grant Tree’s role as a national shrine in memory of the men and women of the Armed Forces who have served, fought, and died to keep America free. A memorial wreath was placed at the base of the General Grant Tree during the ceremony.

To plan for a future visit to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, visit www.nps.gov/seki or call 559-565-3341.