Two non-profits and the BLM complete second stewardship project in the Red Desert
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CHEYENNE., Wyo. – For the second year in a row, the Bureau of Land Management, the Wyoming Conservation Corps and the Wyoming Wilderness Association partnered to conserve important areas in the Red Desert. This summer, the WCC crew improved trails, reclaimed roads and repaired fences in the Northern Red Desert, an area managed by the BLM’s Rock Springs Field Office. They also placed signs around two BLM Wilderness Study Areas. Last year, the crew placed signs around five WSAs in the same area.
“The crew focused their work in the Northern Red Desert, a place that is important to the public and essential for wildlife,” said Shaleas Harrison, organizer for WWA.
At the White Mountain Petroglyphs, the WCC crew rehabilitated a mile of highly eroded trail. Nearby, they reclaimed several routes that encroached on the hillside of the Boar’s Tusk, a dormant volcano that offers outstanding views and recreation opportunities and serves as a landmark for the area. The crew also placed signs marking the boundaries of the Sand Dunes and Buffalo Hump WSAs and repaired a buck and rail fence circling the historic Crookston Ranch.
WWA sponsored the crew and worked as a liaison between the BLM and the WCC. BLM recreational planner Georgia Foster prepared the details of the project and worked with the crew in the field, while the WCC organized a crew of eight university students, who worked on the project from May 28 to June 6.
“This is one of the most rewarding parts of my job, and projects and partnerships like this tremendously help us restore and conserve public lands,” said Foster.
WWA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting Wyoming’s wild lands. Its work includes educating the public about wild places and working with federal agencies to protect wilderness quality lands. The WCC is a nonprofit housed within the University of Wyoming that receives support from AmeriCorps. The WCC coordinates projects including habitat restoration, trail building and fence removal throughout the state.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.