Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument expansion upheld, again

Wednesday, July 19, 2023

Hyatt Lake and Mount McLoughlin, Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument, Bureau of Land Management Oregon and Washington

On Tuesday the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected a challenge to the Obama-era expansion of Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument in southern Oregon and northern California. The American Forest Resource Council, a timber industry group, had partnered with a coalition of 15 Oregon counties to challenge the expansion, arguing that when then-President Barack Obama exercised his authority under the 1906 Antiquities Act to expand the monument, which was originally designated in 2000 by then-President Bill Clinton, he violated the Oregon and California Lands Act (O&C Act).

However, the D.C. Circuit ruled that the O&C Act, which requires "sustainable yield" timber production on 2 million acres of federal land, does not preclude the designation or expansion of a national monument, nor does it require the government to use O&C lands only for timber production. This is the second time the monument expansion has been upheld at the D.C. Circuit; an earlier challenge by Murphy Co., a timber harvester, was also rejected in April 2023.

How the Farm Bill can advance conservation on private and public lands

In a new blog post, Center for Western Priorities Outreach and Campaigns Associate Sterling Homard describes the ways in which the Farm Bill can bridge the gap between public and private land by allowing public resources to incentivize conservation efforts on private property. Along with providing incentives for farmers to conserve private agricultural landscapes, the voluntary programs provided by the Farm Bill can ensure long-term agricultural productivity, conserve water in the West, and support migratory species on public and private lands. As the September 30 expiration of the current Farm Bill approaches, legislators and community members alike must recognize the impact that the far-reaching legislation has to bolster conservation and strengthen public lands in the process, protecting the wildlife and people that depend on them.

                            Quick hits
                        

                            Quote of the day
                        

The more you look at this, the crazier it seems. If it were up to me, we wouldn’t issue these guys a fishing permit, much less a mining permit.”

—Philip Ramsey, MPG Ranch, Montana Free Press

                            Picture this
                        

@dinosaurnps

"I don't like sand. It's coarse, rough, and irritating, and it gets everywhere."

Fortunately for Dinosaur's Woodhouse's Toads (Anaxyrus woodhousii), here everything is soft and smooth. During the heat of the day, amphibians like the Woodhouse's Toad, will burrow down into the sand. Underneath the surface, they will bide there time. Patiently awaiting nocturnal hours when they can emerge and hunt insects and other invertebrates. During the breeding season after spring and summer rains, males will release a trill that sounds like "Wa-a-a-ah!" for a couple seconds in hopes of attracting a female.

Toads show us that burying your head in the sand isn't always a bad thing! Sometimes you're just patiently waiting for the opportune moment.

Image Description: A warty, brown toad contemplating its toady existence while immersed in sand.
Image Credit: NPS Photo