 Stay safe when you recreate. Follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state and local government health and safety orders. During these challenging times, people are comforted by the peace, serenity and freedom the outdoors offer. However, it is important to remain vigilant on social distancing guidelines and preventing exposure to yourself, your family, your neighbors and the communities surrounding National Forest System lands. Many national forests and grasslands are open and available for public use. The Forest Service is making every effort to increase access while following the guidance by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state and local government health and safety orders for residents. We need everyone's help to keep the outdoors safe for everyone. Please ask yourselves these questions before you head outdoors. Have you considered the impacts on the surrounding communities that you are recreating near? Could your activity impact limited resources such as hospitals, search and rescue, or food, water and fuel supplies? Are you able to maintain your hygiene and clean up your own garbage? Are you contributing to overuse, not following parking rules or blocking access for emergency vehicles? Are you using muddy trails and adding impacts to repair and maintenance? Are you prepared for emergencies? Are you able to maintain social distancing? While you are enjoying your public lands, take care to stay within your limits. Be mindful of the route you take, stay on well-established trails, tell someone your plan for the day and stick to it--and don't go out alone. As states lift their shelter-at-home orders, we are revisiting our decisions. Together with our state and local partners, we are determining the best path forward for safely reopening sites that were closed in response to the pandemic. Continuing our service to the public is very important during this time. We are doing everything possible to ensure connection and service to the public and are committed to providing customer service and advancing recreation opportunities in a flexible manner, while monitoring health data and state orders. For frequently asked questions, visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/about-agency/covid19-updates. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published its "Visiting Parks and Recreational Faculties: Protect Yourself and Others from COVID-19." The key is to know before you go and to follow safety and health guidelines from reputable sources.  The Bear Creek Stream Restoration Project was signed by Lost River District Ranger Allison Jackson last month. The project seeks to resolve problems on a section of the Copper Basin Road, known locally as the Antelope Pass Road (#40135) that is perpetually impacted by flooding. The restoration project will reroute a section of the road from riparian areas to an adjacent upland. The project includes construction of a 1.1 mile section of road along the east side of Bear Creek. Read more. https://go.usa.gov/xvuKK   The Pine Flats 10 sale was completed successfully through the efforts of the operator and consistent communication between heritage and timber staff. There were no adverse effects to the cultural resources within the campground. No features or artifacts were impacted during operations. Boise National Forest staff facilitating this work includes: Virginia Clifton (NZ Archeologist), Joe Bergstrom (Assistant Forest Archeologist), Marcos Garcia (Harvest Inspector), Kory Cromer (SZ TMA), Carol Ross (FS Representative). Collaboration between the timber and heritage staff for hazard tree felling within the Pine Flats campground began in roughly 2009 when the Forest proposed to remove ponderosa pine trees that had been killed by a western pine beetle infestation. The trees have experienced annual mortality which is a hazard to users of the popular recreation area. It is necessary to fell dead trees on an annual basis to both lessen and mitigate any hazards to the public as well as reduce tree mortality. The thinning of dense, 70 to 80 year old saw timber stands is an effective silvicultural method for managers of both small and large holdings. Reducing the basal area to 80-100 square feet per acre is very effective to relieve the competitive stress among the remaining trees, improve their vigor, and make them less prone to successful bark beetle attack. Within and surrounding the campground is a significant cultural resource site. The Pine Flat terrace is as popular today as it was historically for Native and Euro American groups. The most prominent historical evidence of previous use is of the Civilian Conservation Corps structural remains in the form of stone foundations and walls. Secondarily, large placer mining tailings piles can be observed below the terrace near the river. Since the project began over a decade ago, the timber and heritage staff groups have worked together to avoid adverse effects to cultural resources. This is accomplished through directional hand felling, use of designated skid trails, use of smaller equipment, mechanically lifting and carrying timber or slash, and operating over snow. The light 2020 snow fall and subsequent increased winter temperatures resulted in very little snow. In fact, it was the least amount of snow coverage for operations. As such, extra precautions were taken to protect the cultural resources. The operator used a rubber tread which significantly lessened the ground disturbance and equipment tracking through the campground left a minimal footprint because the ground was still frozen.  Operator is using rubber tread to lessen the ground disturbance and protecting cultural resources in Lowman Ranger District. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service today announced it will award $4 million to fund 10 community forest projects across seven states to support the creation, expansion and enhancement of community spaces. The Forest Service will deliver the funding in the form of grants to local governments, tribes and qualified nonprofit organizations through its Community Forest Program. These funds will support working forests through sustainable management and timber and non-timber production. "The program offers a unique opportunity for communities to increase public access, recreational opportunities, and other multiple uses," said Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen. "These investments will also help protect vital water supplies and wildlife habitat, serve as demonstration sites for private forest landowners and provide economic benefits from timber and non-timber products." Read more at https://www.fs.usda.gov/news/releases/usda-forest-service-invest-millions-support-community-forest-projects. Bats at Minnetonka Cave Lead by Idaho Department of Fish and Game and "zoned" biologist Chris Colt from the Westside District, biologists were able to test various bats in Minnetonka Cave for white-nose syndrome. Minnetonka Cave is an important refuge to seven different species of bats. The annual event helps biologists track bat populations as part of the North American Bat Monitoring Program and allows them to test for white-nose syndrome, a devastating, fatal disease for bats. Chris documented the trip via photos and videos, which was later turned into a YouTube Video to help educate the public on White-nose syndrome and important aspects of Forest Service work. Visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3X-DNl6qGY to view the video.  Seven bat species use Minnetonka Cave as a hibernaculum. Biologists test bats for white-nose syndrome which is fatal to bats. Stanley Lake Inlet Beach collapses as a result of the March 31 Earthquake With the melting of winter snowpack and ice at lakes in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area, several observers noted something was different at the Stanley Lake inlet. Initial reports noted that this former boat launch, beach, and popular fishing area were flooded with deep water and had seemingly disappeared. Geologists with Idaho Geological Survey reviewed photos and pre- and post-earthquake satellite imagery of the inlet and linked the flooding with geologic processes associated with the March 31, 2020 magnitude 6.5 earthquake. "The most probable cause for the 'disappearing' of the inlet delta is a combination of liquefaction and compaction of saturated sediments and some possible sliding and lateral spreading on the delta toward the deeper part of the lake as a result of the March 31 earthquake or the associated aftershocks," said Claudio Berti, Director and State Geologist, Idaho Geological Survey. Read more at https://go.usa.gov/xvJUc.  Disappearing inlet delta on Stanley lake is most likely associated with 6.5 magnitude earthquake on March 31, 2020. Forest uses sheep to reduce hazardous fuels As part of the Carson Ranger District's Hazardous Fuels Reduction Program, the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest has partnered with Carson City's Open Space Properties to have sheep released to graze on the West Carson Fuels Project. These sheep help remove cheatgrass and other non-native vegetation from both Carson City and National Forest System (NFS) lands."Cheatgrass is an aggressive non-native species outcompeting our native vegetation," said Fuels Specialist Steve Howell. "It eventually pushes out our native grasses and shrubs from their natural habitat. Cheatgrass plants also create an exceptional fuel bed for wildfire spread and can be a threat to the surrounding Carson City communities." Read more at https://go.usa.gov/xvu3w.  Carson Ranger District uses sheep for hazardous fuels reduction program. We've got the makings of some amazing Junior Rangers! Swan Valley Elementary School is in a unique situation. Almost surrounded by public lands, youth in this location have immediate access to the Caribou-Targhee National Forest. As part of the K-2 curriculum, Becky Vordermann took her students to the Palisades Creek Trailhead weekly to learn about nature. As part of this nature learning experience, the students decided to create an informational display of the area. The school graciously donated their work to the Forest Service to display. Recently, a few of the students headed out with our Palisades Recreation Planner to install the displays. Next time you head up to this popular outdoor spot, take some time to review some of the amazing artwork and essays created by these nature-loving 5-8 year-olds.  Palisades Recreation Planner and students install displays created by the students at the Palisades Creek Trailhead. I grew up in Utah and camped with my family on the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest every summer. Some of my earliest memories are hiking and fishing with my dad on the Heber Ranger District. I appreciated the opportunities public lands gave my family and as I pursued an education in anthropology, the career path I hoped to be afforded was to work for the Forest Service. In 2008, I was lucky enough to start my Forest Service career on the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest through the Student Career Experience Program (SCEP). This program allowed me to complete my graduate degree and work as an archaeologist part-time. Upon my graduation, I was able to transition into a full-time position on the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest. I enjoy being able to help manage a multiple-use forest, with the goal of providing protection over the cultural resources it contains. I work with the greatest group of people and enjoy working in interdisciplinary teams where I can learn from my colleagues. The highlight of my career has been focused on working with volunteer groups using our Passport-in-Time program in the preservation of historic guard stations and the curation of artifact collections. One of the best parts of working for the Forest Service is now seeing my son's growing interest in public lands and hearing him teach other kids Smokey Bear's "Only You Can Prevent Wildfires" message. https://usfs.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=c0264f14843947b28896aa705f3dfc5a  Rachelle Handley featured for the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest Employee Highlight  Click image for PDF version of the USDA Forest Service Volunteer Guide The online guide for volunteerism and service opportunities with the USDA Forest Service is up, live, and available! Check it out here. How did you spend your winter on Public Lands? #ItsAllYours Links: Back to Top | 
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