BLM's Blackwell Island Recreation Site 
to Close for Season

COEUR D’ALENE, ID - The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM’s) Blackwell Island boat launch and recreation area will close for the season at 11 p.m. on Monday, October 8, 2012.  The main gate will be locked at this time and restroom facilities winterized.  The annual drawdown of Lake Coeur d’Alene necessitates the closure as low water levels make launching difficult.  Blackwell Island recreation site traditionally opens just before Memorial Day depending upon lake water levels.  Read full article:  http://www.blm.gov/id/st/en/info/newsroom/2012/october/blm_s_blackwell_island.html

If you build it, they will come!

If you build it, they will come. That wasn't really the intent of repairing an aging, defunct culvert at the BLM-ID Coeur d'Alene Field Office's Mica Bay Recreation Site, but it turned out to be a great idea. Several years ago, after having problems with drainage at the Mica Bay site, the Field Office set out to find the problem. The culprit for all the drainage issues was a broken, rusting specimen that was doing more damage than good.

Hydrologist Mike Stevenson determined that a culvert really wasn't necessary for the area and instead saw an opportunity to restore the location to a more natural state. The culvert was pulled and the construction area gently sloped. Large river rocks were put into the basin, and the slopes were seeded and planted with native species. Then it was time to let Mother Nature do her thing.

Jump ahead to 2012 and one would never know the creek had only been in existence for a handful of years. Small insects and other organisms are alive and well in this unnamed, manmade creek. The vegetation is flourishing. Wildlife makes good use of the cool running water. And the creek is a perfect venue for children to learn about aquatic habitat.

For the past several summers, BLM co-sponsored youth camps have spent time at the site learning all about the creatures and plant life that benefit from the stream. The BLM, in cooperation with Idaho Fish and Game (IDFG), held three camps this summer, targeting children ages 7 through 13. While the camps could only accommodate up to twenty kids per session, it was a great opportunity for area youth to get out and learn about nature.

 
Natural Resource Specialist Doug Evans of the Field Office donates his afternoon to help campers learn about aquatic organisms in the creek.

During the weeklong camps, kids spend time learning about wildlife habitat, how to recognize animal tracks, how to distinguish trees found in the forests of northern Idaho and more. The Coeur d'Alene Field Office staff also lends a hand with the camps, sharing their professional knowledge with the eager minds.

Who knew that remediating a rotting old culvert could lead to such an educational opportunity for the youth in the Coeur d'Alene area!  (Contact:  Suzanne Endsley, 208-769-5004)