This picture was from our recent Gold Butte Weekend BBQ with the theme – “Don’t Gamble on Gold Butte”. While enjoying the great food, beer, and company, we took a few minutes to discuss a recent report from Campaign for America’s Wilderness that highlights Gold Butte as one of the most threatened areas in the country. Large postcards were signed to the Nevada Congressional Delegation saying – Don’t Gamble on Gold Butte – Let’s Protect it Together. The following day we had a wonderful hike in the Whitney Pockets area of Gold Butte. We enjoyed the blooming wildflowers, petroglyph clusters on the sandstone rocks, and the nice spring weather. Picture from the hike below.
Right now there is another opportunity to voice your concerns on behalf of Gold Butte in regards to the latest release from the BLM on the Roads Designation process. Deadline is this Friday, April 25th.
Take Action …
The BLM has released a new alternative to the Route Designation of Selected Area’s of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) located in Gold Butte and nearby vicinity. Alternative D removes the “Interim” from the Environmental Assessment (EA). The permanence of the EA removes the three year review of the designation, but the monitoring portion of this process stays in place. “Any future change to these route designations would be through a new environmental analysis, public scoping and new decision record.”
More info at: http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/lvfo/blm_information/nepa/acec_ea.html
In response to these changes, comments should continue to address the routes designated open that are threatening critical habitat and cultural resources:
Below are the sample comments, please submit to NV_LVFO_Planning@blm.gov
- The first loop route on the north side of Saint Thomas Gap road (AZ 113) on Map E4 should be closed. This route travels directly through a Native American midden and habitation site. Furthermore, the route leads to a honey mesquite woodland, a traditional Native American food source. It is identified in the Mesquite/Acacia Conservation Management Strategy. Closure of this route will protect cultural resources, sensitive habitat identified in the Clark County Multi Species Habitat Conservation Plan (MSHCP), and simplifies law enforcement issues in the area.
- The route EE1 on Map E3 should be closed from the beginning. This route continues to lengthen and leads to a “free play” area. Cultural resources may be found in the area. Closure will reduce fragmentation of habitat, spread of noxious weeds, destruction of shrubs and watershed, protects cultural resources, and enhances wilderness quality in the proposed Virgin Mountain Wilderness. Furthermore, it accesses last year fire damage. Hill climbs are forming over the severely burned ground impairing natural restoration and promoting erosion and the proliferation of invasive species.
- M1, the wash route east of Whitney Pockets should be closed entirely to prevent further damage to this valley. It has been pushed through the shrub community to meet with route EE1. This is cairned for use at EE1 where the new route began. Hundreds of shrubs are crushed and are no longer viable. This effects approximately two miles of habitat. Much of this type of habitat has also recently been lost through wildfire. “Mojave Mid-Elevation Mixed Desert Scrub is important forage for Nelson bighorn sheep.”[2]
- The second loop route on the north side of Saint Thomas Gap road (AZ 113) on Map E4 should be closed entirely. This loop route is not well defined. It is located in a sand dune, badland area. The Nevada Division of Wildlife identifies OHV misuse as a significant risk to this type of ecosystem. Closure of this route will reduce proliferation of invasive species, reduce fragmentation and enhance the wilderness quality of the proposed Billy Goat Peak Wilderness.
- Map E1 west of the Arizona state line and south of the Virgin River, with A2 as the last route counted west there are 68 designated routes. Of these 68 routes, 19 travel east to west, and 49 travel north to south. Using the provided map, these routes extend from approximately a 12 mile distance. Most of the route clusters end closely to Cabin Canyon or the Key West Mine. Route density and reduction of fragmentation for the desert tortoise is not reflected in this alternative.
Additionally…..
*Alternative D does not address duplicate routes to reduce fragmentation of critical tortoise habitat.
*Management must have the flexibility to swiftly implement protective measures on the ground to prevent continued damage to the resources.
*The BLM through monitoring of OHV traffic and desert tortoise populations should apply necessary adaptive management practices in the field with out delay.
* Management should reserve the right to “emergency close” areas that are continually damaged from ATV free play. Areas identified through public comment prior to designation as being problematic and in sensitive areas must be closely monitored; necessary actions to prevent further damage to the resources should be implemented promptly.
OHV Damage in Gold Butte
