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The Center for Western Priorities is thrilled to share our Postcard about the Greater Hart-Sheldon region in Southern Oregon and Northern Nevada.
The latest film in our Postcards series focuses on a critical sagebrush-steppe ecosystem between the Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge in Oregon and the Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge in Nevada. The area that comprises the Greater Hart-Sheldon region is one of the most remote and ecologically intact regions of the lower 48 and is home to an array of plant and animal species, including pronghorn. Scientific research has revealed a critical pronghorn migration corridor between the two refuges.
Watch the short 3-minute film to hear from Gail Collins, a retired supervisory wildlife biologist at the refuges, Aaron Collins, a former park ranger for the Hart and Sheldon wildlife refuges, and Julie Weikel, a large animal veterinarian and board member of Friends of Hart Mountain talk about what makes this region so special and unique, and the importance of maintaining a healthy ecosystem between the two refuges for the survival of the pronghorn and other wildlife.
As the Biden administration and communities all around the country work to meet the ambitious goal of conserving 30% of America by 2030, the Center for Western Priorities launched Road to 30: Postcards—a series of short films, podcasts, and stories that highlight people working to protect the places they care about. Check out all the stories by visiting www.RoadTo30.org/postcards. More stories are on the way in 2022, so stay tuned!
The Bureau of Land Management returns to Washington
Yesterday, the Bureau of Land Management announced details of the agency’s return to its Washington, D.C. headquarters. BLM Director Tracy Stone-Manning will be based in Washington, along with the agency’s deputy directors and other key leadership. Additionally, the agency will fill approximately 30 vacant positions in Washington, while establishing a Western headquarters in Grand Junction, Colorado.
Center for Western Priorities Executive Director Jennifer Rokala praised the move, saying the announcement "marks the end of an error." Rokala said, "Our nation’s public lands need strong leadership at the table in Washington, so there’s not a minute to waste rebuilding the Bureau of Land Management at Interior headquarters. America’s public lands are at the center of the fight to slow climate change and the biodiversity crisis. Protecting our lands for future generations will take a concerted and coordinated effort across the entire government, which is why the Bureau of Land Management’s leadership must be located in our nation’s capital.”
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The Greater Hart-Sheldon is unique because it's some of the last best remaining sagebrush-steppe that we have in the United States."
