Volunteer Birch Tree Planting Project for Sharp-tailed Grouse Winter Habitat When: October 23, 2021, 9:00 AM – 2:30 PM Where: Telford Management Area, BLM Public Lands in Lincoln County, WA. *RSVP requested by Oct. 15. Volunteers are needed to: 1) Lay out and stake down weed mat on ground, 2) Use motorized hand augers to drill planting holes, 3) Plant 90 water birch trees, 4) Construct enclosures around the trees using t-posts and hog panels. Light refreshments will be provided. The project will improve riparian habitat for sharp-tailed grouse, migratory songbirds, and mule deer. Water birch (Betula occendentalis) provides critical winter habitat for sharp-tailed grouse, a state-threatened species. The project is coordinated with the Swanson Lakes Wildlife Area and will support an existing population of approximately 50 sharp-tailed grouse. The project is located on Lake Creek alongside wetlands that were restored by Ducks Unlimited in 2009. Birch trees planted in 2010 are thriving on-site, and we will add 90 more!
Fire Updates The 2020 fire season started with a vengeance, with over 330,000 acres of land burning in a single day. Public lands commissioner Hilary Franz called it a, “historic fire event,” with “58 new wildfire starts and nine large fires on the landscape, compounded by hurricane-level winds.” Many of these fires are still burning throughout the state and the fire danger remains high especially in Eastern Washington. Closures As a result of the fires, our area has seen the following closures: *The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has closed all of the public lands that they manage East of the Cascade Mountains through September 17th, though that closure could be extended if weather conditions do not improve. *DNR reopened their lands on September 18, 2020 visit dnr.wa.gov for current information. *Hancock Natural Resource Group, a partner with our disabled access program, has closed their lands to all recreation at this time (you can find updates Hancock here). This includes the Huckleberry and Blanchard hump disabled access areas. We will continue to update our disabled access program participants as we receive more information. *Access to Hancock property will reopen on October 6, 2020. *At the commission meeting on Friday, September 11th, it was announced that WDFW would be employing an education campaign instead of closing WDFW lands as hunting seasons are opening. Below is their informational sheet (more in-depth WDFW fire updates can be found here) Before you go outdoors *Check the conditions in the area that you will be visiting. The greater Spokane area is circled by fires at varying levels of containment, please make sure an area is safe before heading out. *Be aware of the air quality. As of Saturday, September 12th the air quality in Spokane was listed at hazardous and considered unsafe for for the entire population. *Pack smart for the back country – Officials are advising a cold camp so skip the Mountain Home and coffee over a propane stove and instead pack food/beverage options that do not need to be heated. Stay safe and recreate with caution during this time!
