A team of Forest Service experts and scientists completed a rapid assessment that evaluates how different management activities on national forest lands in California might affect forest growth and disturbance and determine the changes in carbon storage and loss over the next 100 years.

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U.S. Forest Service Pacific Southwest Regional Silviculturist Mike Landram will be presented with the prestigious John R. McGuire Award on Sept. 9 during the National Forest Service Reunion at the Hilton Garden Inn in Missoula, Mont.

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In this episode of "Forest Focus", John Heil of the Pacific Southwest Region Public Affairs Staff investigates the issue of marijuana cultivation and eradication on the National Forests in California by interviewing experts in the field from various agencies.

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Three of this year's prestigious national awards for volunteerism in the Forest Service went to Pacific Southwest Region awardees. "Winning the Chief's awards is a significant honor that highlights the important work accomplished by volunteers around the region," said Randy Moore, Regional Forester.

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The Director of the White House's Office of National Drug Control Policy Gil Kerlikowske joined heads from the Fresno County Sheriff's Office, California National Guard, U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service and other law enforcement and land management agencies on July 22 to announce Operation S.O.S. (Save our Sierra).

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On July 24, the Pacific Southwest Region of the Forest Service officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the California Deer Association (CDA), an organization that is dedicated to improving habitats for deer and other wildlife species throughout the state

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Sequoia National Forest officials are proud to announce the addition of almost 600 acres of land to the Western Divide Ranger District on the Sequoia National Forest, Giant Sequoia National Monument.

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The U.S. Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region has just released a report statistically detailing the effects of pre-fire forest fuel treatments on fire severity in the wildland-urban interface areas burned by the Angora Fire in 2007.

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Condor Recovery in California

A California condor chick’s online debut this spring may have looked wobbly
a 35-second video from Hopper Mountain National Wildlife Refuge showed an
unsteady grey fur ball with a yellow head. (www.fws.gov/cno/press) But to
refuge biologists, the week-old condor and four fellow hatchlings represent
real progress in recovery efforts for the federally endangered species.

The biologists are able to use spotting scopes to confirm egg hatchings in
two of Hopper Mountain Refuge’s five nests. But to see inside the other
nests and view any hatchlings, the biologists have to ascend sandstone
cliffs and rappel down by rope. According to Michael Woodbridge, refuge
information and education specialist, if an egg hadn’t hatched after about
60 days, biologists would have replaced it with one from a partner zoo. So
far, 30-day checkups with blood tests show the chicks doing well.

Six months ago, the condor population reached a milestone. There are more
birds in the wild than in captivity for the first time since captive
breeding of the majestic birds began in 1987. At that time, the world
population of condors had fallen to a mere 23 birds. In 1992, the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service began re-releasing captive-bred condors into the wild,
while working with partners including the Los Angeles Zoo, San Diego Zoo,
Santa Barbara Zoo, Oregon Zoo and the World Center for Birds of Prey to
monitor the birds and ensure genetic diversity.

Today, there are 337 condors worldwide ? 183 of them in the wilds of
Arizona and California.

Condors, which can live up to 40 years in captivity, begin breeding at
about six years of age. They reproduce every other year and lay only one
egg per nest; chicks stay with their parents for eight months.

“It’s a great thing to see,” said Woodbridge of the recovery milestone. “It
lets people know, hey, we’re on the right track. We’re making progress.
We’re not out of the woods yet ? but we’re getting there.”

Source: Fish and Wildlife Service

On June 25, at 9:30 am, four national organizations -- the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the National Wildlife Federation, and the Children & Nature Network -- will announce their partnership with the Get to Know Program in the Audubon Center at Debs Park, Los Angeles, CA.

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The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) actively collaborates with government and non-government partners across the Middle East to address natural resource management challenges. The USFS is focused on strengthening this network and building the capacity of non-governmental organizations, communities, and land managers to take part and engage in migratory bird conservation and environmental education activities.

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On June 25, the Highway 89 Stewardship Team's first mitigation project for California Route 89 is being dedicated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Kyburz Flat, California. The stretch of Highway 89 from Truckee to Sierraville on the Tahoe National Forest is the only 'Experimental Highway' for environmental issues in the world.

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On June 24, a Student Conservation Association (SCA) trail crew comprised of nine students enrolled in the Forestry Program at Reedley Community College will begin a 60-day trail maintenance project on the Sierra National Forest. The team is funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and has been organized by the Student Conservation Association in partnership with the Sierra National Forest.

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In the second episode of Forest Focus, John Heil and John Miller of Pacific Southwest Region Public Affairs explore the subject of fire on the National Forests in California. Regional Forester Randy Moore, Director for Fire and Aviation Management Ed Hollenshead, San Bernardino National Forest -- Forest Fuels Officer Dan Felix and Assistant Fire Chief and Fire Marshall for San Bernardino County Peter Brierty offer a variety of perspectives.

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Forests in the Sierra Nevada have evolved through fire. With the population increasing in the foothills and the mountains, there is a need to learn how to live compatibly with nature in this fire-adapted environment. Research on home ignitions has taught us that we should first focus on the "little things" to prepare our homes for fire season.

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On June 11th, Kathleen Merrigan announced 30 projects in 14 states, funded at $57 million. The projects will promote the development of biofuels from wood and help private sector businesses to establish renewable energy infrastructure and accelerate availability in the marketplace.

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On June 11th, Kathleen Merrigan announced 30 projects in 14 states, funded at $57 million. The projects will promote the development of biofuels from wood and help private sector businesses to establish renewable energy infrastructure and accelerate availability in the marketplace.

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The Forest Service is proud to partner with world reknowned artist Robert Bateman's "Get to Know" (Your Wild Neighbors) program and calendar contest. This is the first year the program will be introduced in the United States, with its California launch on National Get Outdoors Day, June 13, 2009.

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The U.S. Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region will host a workshop at the McClellan Wildland Fire Training Center in Sacramento on July 1 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. to kick off the process of revising land management plans for the national forests of California. All are encouraged to attend.

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Public Services staff hosted two members of the Chico Mendes Institute of Biodiversity May 26-30. The members will meet with Region 6 Recreation staff June 1-7. The Brazilians will learn how the United States engages in concession development and administration, eco–tourism, and public–private partnerships in Federal protected areas.

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The Forest Service and the American Recreation Coalition are sponsoring the 2nd annual National Get Outdoors Day at 70 sites throughout the nation (30 of them are Forest Service sites) on Saturday, June 13, 2009.

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Region 5 was one of two recipients of PRBO's 2009 Conservation Partner Award. PRBO is a California based wildlife conservation and research non-profit organization. Accepting the award were Forest Service employees Diana Craig and Mark Williams.

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Conservation biologists from PRBO Conservation Science and Forest Service International Programs will host conservation leaders from seven Middle Eastern and African countries at Palomarin Field Station in Bolinas, California on Thursday June 4, 2009.

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Region 5 Public Services staff and Region 6 Recreation Staff of the U.S. Forest Service are hosting two members of the Chico Mendes Institute of Biodiversity (Brazil National Park Service) May 26-June 7.

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The BLM and partnering agencies of the California Fire Alliance will hold a press conference in the community of Talmadge in San Diego to launch the "Take Responsibility" campaign, to raise awareness among homeowners who live in the wildland-urban interface about the importance of creating and maintaining defensible space around their homes.

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Tuolumne Superior Court Judge Douglas Boyack has found probable cause for Gregory William Livingston to stand trial on three counts of arson. Livingston is charged with deliberately setting a series of fires on the Stanislaus National Forest on September 6, 2008.

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Forest Focus is an audio program about the National Forests in California. Episodes focus on issues such as ecological restoration, fire, recreation, law enforcement, tribal relations and much more. The subject of ecological restoration is explored in this inaugural episode of Forest Focus.

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The Plumas recently completed planting more than 1.5 million trees on over 11,000 acres of land damaged by wildfire. This amounts to 2.3 times more planting than any other year in the history of the forest and more than half the Region's total tree planting efforts this year. Hat's off to all involved!

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The Rim of the World High School Singing Scots Choir of Lake Arrowhead, CA sponsored a free Arbor Day Concert. The choir was also complimented by poetry readings and dances about nature that were performed by students.

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As the summer approaches, the marijuana cultivation season will begin and it is especially important to be aware of your surroundings on national forests. Here are some clues that you may have come across a site.

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