Category Archives: Conservation

Conservation, News

$84M removal of San Clemente Dam on Carmel River set to begin in July

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

California’s largest-ever dam removal is set to begin in July.  Officials are calling this the state’s largest dam removal project ever.  Dismantling the 106-foot-tall concrete dam and reroute half a mile of the river is schedules to take three years.

From Wikipedia:

The San Clemente Dam, built in 1921, is located 18 miles upstream from the ocean, and once provided drinking water throughout the Monterey Peninsula. It had an original capacity of 1,450 acre·ft (1,790,000 m3), but as of 2002, the capacity had fallen to less than 150 acre feet (190,000 m3). It is no longer used to store water and is now 90 percent silted up. State regulators declared in 1991 that it was in danger of collapsing in an earthquake and spilling the 40 million US gallons (150,000 m3) of water trapped behind its crumbling walls. In January, 2010 an agreement was reached with the California American Water Company to dig a new half-mile channel to bypass and strand the sediment behind the dam at a cost of $84 million, beginning in 2013. This will open up a 7 miles stretch of historic steelhead rainbow trout habitat on the river.

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Conservation, National Parks

National Park Service removes trash cans from parks in an effort to shut down public lands

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

It’s already started back in D.C.

The National Park Service is REMOVING trash cans from national parks under a new “Trash Free Park” program that’s being instituted in some parks outside of California. According to the Question/Answer sheet found HERE, this is the idea behind the program:

“…Visitors are responsible for removing all refuse they generate in the park when they leave the park. Trash must be picked up and the area left in a clean condition before departure. Visitors are encouraged to come prepared when visiting the park. If they plan to picnic, barbecue, or in any way generate waste, they should plan ahead to provide the means to organize materials needed, and correctly package items and refuse, in order to efficiently remove it with them by the means in which they came -by walking, metro, bicycle, car, etc.. The park encourages visitors to consider how they package items. Using materials that can be recycled or composted when they return home is a positive way to help the environment…”

I don’t know about you, but my questions in no reflect the rainbows and unicorns questions dreamed up but the NPS flunky who wrote that sheet up.  My only question is this:

What fucking moron came up with this idiotic plan?

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Activities, Conservation, National Forests

Lassen National Forest Celebrating Wildflowers

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

With the spring bloom of wildflowers filling the forests with color, the Lassen National Forest will be hosting a “Celebrating Wildflowers” program during National Wildflower Week from May 20th through the 24.

“Celebrating Wildflowers” is a U.S. Forest Service program that promotes the “enjoyment of the thousands of wildflowers growing on our national forests and grasslands,” and helps to educate the public about the virtues and values of native plants.

From the Lassen National Forest press release: Continue reading →

Conservation, National Forests, National Parks, State Parks

U.S. Forest Service Keeping Its Logo!

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

When the United States Department of Agriculture released its Visual Standards Guide back in January, it contained the ominous phrase ‘agency logos are being phased out and replaced with a standardized signature model to be adopted by all USDA agencies.’

This reminded me of the Borg’s ‘you will be assimilated’ phrase from Star Trek the Next Generation.  And, given that the USDA is the same department that oversees things like the homogenization of milk, it makes absolute sense that they’d want to make sure that their employees, vehicles, websites, uniforms, etc. would all be … ‘assimilated.’

But here’s the thing.  The U.S. FOREST Service is all about forests and forestry.  The USDA’s logo is described – by the USDA themselves – as “a graphic representation of the land — the foundation of all agriculture — and the Department’s initials. The symbol’s colors — dark green and dark blue — represent the essential elements of earth, air, and water. Together these elements comprise the symbol.”

Falling back on my Southern California roots and lingo: “Dude.  Really?“

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Conservation, Offroading - General, State Parks

Rep. Paul Cook Offers Alternative Plan to Twentynine Palms Base Expansion

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

This just in!  Representative Paul Cook (R-Yucca Valley) has issued a statement regarding the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center’s planned expansion in Twentynine Palms, California:

“The training of the U.S. Marine Corps is vital to the safety of the American people, and the exercises taking place on the Twentynine Palms base enable our Marine forces to defend our nation and its allies throughout the world. However, I can’t support the expansion plan offered by the Marine Corps, which would hand them ownership of Johnson Valley. Marine Corps ownership would prevent many public-space activities, including big public off-highway events like King of the Hammers, from taking place. Offroaders and other users of Johnson Valley make huge contributions to the economic well-being of the Morongo Valley, and losing that revenue during slow economic times would be devastating.

“Protecting the Marine Corps’ budget is extremely important to me, and I believe the funds set aside for purchasing this land for the Marine Corps could be put to better use.

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