News Release

For Release: May 7, 2008
Contact: Jeff Fontana (BLM) (530) 252-5332       
CA-N-08-51

Modoc-Washoe Stewardship Group Meets May 29 in Cedarville

Members of the Modoc-Washoe Experimental Stewardship Steering Committee will discuss a variety of natural resource conservation topics when they meet Thursday and Friday, May 29-30, at the Cedarville Community Church Hall, corner of Center and Bonner Streets, Cedarville.
 
Thursday’s session runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; the Friday meeting convenes at 8 a.m. and adjourns at 11.  The meeting is open to the public.
 
Thursday’s agenda items include status reports from steering committee members, and agency updates from the Bureau of Land Management and Modoc National Forest.  Members will discuss a sheep symposium, hear a report from a technical review team working on fen meadow conservation and discuss Forest Service boundary fences.  Presentation of a movie, "Many Changes on the Range," is planned for 12:45 p.m., and a discussion titled, "From the Ground Up – Bighorn Sheep, Public Lands, Domestic Sheep and Rural Communities," is tentatively scheduled for 2:15 p.m.
 
On Friday, the committee will discuss the grazing plan in the multi-agency Sage-Steppe Restoration Strategy, hear a report on management of the Calcutta Grazing Allotment, discuss conservation easements and begin planning the 2000 national ESP meeting.
 
The steering committee advises the BLM’s Surprise Field Office and the Modoc National Forest’s Warner Mountain Ranger District on natural resource issues and livestock grazing management on public lands.  One of three such committees established by Congress, the group works on a full consensus basis to promote innovate range management approaches and to provide incentives for excellence.
 
Members represent a wide range of interests, including livestock grazing permit holders, California and Nevada state wildlife agencies, BLM, Forest Service, resource conservation districts, timber interests, environmental groups, sporting groups and local government.

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