Author: Friends of Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument

The BLM Medford District Office released the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument Draft Transportation Management Plan (TMP) and Environmental Assessment (EA) for a 45-day comment on March 25th. The draft TMP/EA describes and analyzes four alternatives for future management of the monument transportation system. The final decision will be made only after consideration of the comments received. The decision maker may choose one of the alternatives or can select an alternative that blends components of one or more of the alternatives. 
     The planning process will address motorized/mechanized uses of the transportation system including off-highway vehicles, snowmobiles, bicycles, and non-motorized/non-mechanized uses including hiking and Nordic skiing. 
     According to Joel Brumm, Assistant Monument Manager, “Through this process we will try to find the right combination of road and trail systems to protect the monument features, accommodate resource management, and provide access for community and recreational uses.”

For additional information, contact
Joel at (541) 618-2256 or jbrumm@blm.gov

The public is encouraged to review the Draft TMP/EA and provide comments. To help people understand the alternatives, the BLM prepared a summary or Reader’s Guide. Both documents are available on BLM’s ePlanning website.
     An informational open house for the CSNM Draft Transportation Management Plan will be held at the

Bellview Grange
1050 Tolman Road, Ashland, OR
Wednesday, April 6, 2016, from 6 to 8 p.m.

At the open house, the public will be able to discuss the proposed alternatives, talk to BLM resource specialists, and provide written input.

Assistant Monument Manager Responds to Closing Roads Inquiry

Dear Joel Brumm,
     Someone just told me that they heard on the TV News that the BLM is closing all of its roads in the Monument because it cannot afford to maintain them.
     What do you know????
                                        — Barbara Ann

Dear Barbra Ann,

Well, like most good rumors, there is a kernel of truth buried deep there. We are in the midst of a transportation planning process for the Monument, and we are continuing with work that we identified in the 2008 Resource Management Plan as needing to be completed. Kathy Minor, myself, and several others went before the Jackson County Commissioners in early February to discuss this plan in advance of the draft Environmental Assessment that will be released for public comment on March 25, 2016.
     The BLM is NOT planning on closing all the roads in the Monument. We have one alternative, the one that proposes closing the most roads would close 164 miles of the 412 miles of roads currently in the Monument. As you can see, even this alternative leaves approximately 3/4 of the current Monument roads open. These are largely old logging network roads that are not needed under our Monument designation because we are no longer commercially harvesting timber. Major arterial roads such as Soda Mountain, Emigrant Creek, Jenny Creek, etc. will not be affected. We also are proposing, under one alternative, to close the gate on Skookum Road past the Soda Mountain Lookout road, which would hopefully help address the OHV (Off-Highway Vehicle) trespass in the corridor between the power lines going down towards Agate Flats.
     We have very limited funding for road maintenance in the Monument, and that is one factor driving this process. We would prefer to use our limited road maintenance funds for important roads and not to maintain the maze of old logging roads, particularly north of Hwy 66. If left unmaintained, these roads will deteriorate, culverts will clog, roads will eventually wash out, and sediment will end up in the Monument aquatic systems causing significant deleterious impacts. 
     There was a news article about the briefing we had with the Jackson County Commissioners that generated a lot of interest. On March 25, we will release the draft Environmental Assessment followed by a public comment period of at least 45 days. I encourage anyone to comment on the plan.
     In summary, the BLM has no plans to close all the roads, but we also suspect the current transportation system is in excess of our needs going forwards as a National Monument. 
     Please let me know if you have any additional questions.

–Joel Brumm, Assistant Monument Manager
Bureau of Land Management
Medford, OR 97504
jbrumm@blm.gov

Our public lands are a place to commune not just with nature but with each other.
     My son and daughter and I have been hiking together since they were old enough to sit in a pack, and backpacking together since they were in their early teens. 
     Because there is a Cascade Siskiyou National Monument, my son and I were able to celebrate the solstice season by snowshoeing around to the south side of Pilot Rock from Old Highway 99.
     The sunlight was filtering through clouds and fog, creating an ever-changing light show on the pristine new snow. Camera in hand, I waited for the clouds to drift into alignment to create this dramatic spotlight on the snow-covered peak.
     I had seen Pilot Rock many times from other vantage points and in other seasons, but never with this grandeur. It was a special treat to be able to share this “peak experience” with my son, and it redoubled our commitment to help protect and expand these sorts of opportunities for more people in America and around the world.

                             Photographer Matt Witt, has contributed photographs of the monument to publish in our Friends of CSNM newsletter, website, and blog during the Cascade Siskiyou National Monument’s 15th anniversary year.

How are rocks and music related to three university students during the Monument’s 15th anniversary? These faculty-supervised research were funded by the Friends Research Fund. The projects enhance an understanding, appreciation, preservation, or protection of the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument. The 2016 Friends Research Fund application is now available.
     Megan Mortimer-Lamb and Spencer Jones, both University of Oregon undergraduate students of geology were supervised by SOU Emeritus Professor of Geology Dr. Jad D’Allura. Megan and Spencer each received $600 for their research investigating general geologic rock unit distribution and geochemistry, fault and fracture distribution, surface and groundwater characteristics, permeability of different rocks and soils, and landslide hazards within the Monument. Both Megan and Spencer plan to present the results of their research at the 2016 FCSNM Research Forum hosted on the SOU campus on March 3, 2016.
     Colin Malloy, an SOU graduate student of music was supervised by SOU Professor of Music, Dr. Terry Longshore. He received $300 for his proposal to compose a percussion score that is produced and performed live as an interpretation of the Monument’s visual landscape. A 3-channel musical soundscape made of natural sounds recorded in the Monument will accompany the live performance. Each channel in the score represents each of the three ranges – Cascade, Siskiyou, and Klamath Mountains – that occur in the Monument. Colin plans to showcase the premiere performance of his composition at the SOU Southern Oregon Arts and Research symposium in May 2016.

March 15, 2016 is the deadline for 2016 Friends Research Fund. Undergraduate and graduate students are invited to apply. Individual grant awards range from $250 – $1500. Download the application.

For additional information:
Peter Schroeder, Chair, Friends Research Fund
pschroeder@sou.edu
Tel. (541) 552-6871

You can donate to make possible these educational programs about the Cascade Siskiyou National Monument!

Although the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge was established by Teddy Roosevelt in 1908, The occupation of Malheur teaches us some valuable lessons. As Friends groups who support our local public lands, we need to expand community knowledge and engagement broadly. This heritage of public lands requires all of us—to work together.

Here are two ways you can give to make a difference. 
     Support the Conservation Lands Foundation’s Crowdrise campaign that invites donations “to support veterans, youth, and Native Americans who want to work as conservation stewards on BLM’s National Conservation Lands. The Conservation Lands Foundation also provides support to the Friends Grassroots Network, a group of 58 Friends organizations, like us, who champion our local public lands. 
     If you prefer to help strengthen your local Friends of Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument, you can renew your membership or make a donation.  Please contact us about volunteering your talents and skills with us!
     Help us educate, advocate and protect the Cascade Siskiyou National Monument. For 2016 we are in the process to show the:
•    Need and ways to advocate, protect, and conserve our public lands. 
•    Scientific and cultural benefits of our public lands, including biodiversity, clean air, water, and land.
      

Thank you for your continued support!  

Giving Tuesday is a day dedicated to giving to support the organizations you care about. We invite you to give local–our Friends of the Cascade Siskiyou National Monument, a non-profit dedicated to spreading awareness and educating the public about the biodiversity in the region.
     Launching on Tuesday December 1st, our season of giving is kicking off, and we need your help to reach our goal of $3,000!
     Our thanks go to an anonymous donor for matching all donations that are over $30. We are honored to have your support, and the opportunity to make every dollar go twice as far in our mission to educate, research, and spread awareness about our local National Monument. 
     Cascade—Siskiyou National Monument is located at the crossroads of the Siskiyou, Klamath, and Cascade Mountain ranges in Southern Oregon. The convergence brings together the different rock strata, plant, and animal communities of each region creating an incredibly varied and diverse landscape.

Your donation supports our education, research, and conservation efforts for the Monument. 
     Education: providing learning opportunities for all ages so we can understand the importance of Biodiversity. Education programs include seasonal Hike & Learns for the community, as well as bus funds for Fall in the Field, which focuses on getting local school students between 2nd and 8th grade to explore the Monument.
     Research: expanding our knowledge of sciences, arts, and humanities about the benefits of our monument. Funding supports the Student Research Fund, providing small grants for students to gather data, explore, and learn more about the monument.
     Conservation & Preservation: encouraging awareness and learning about the history and continued evolution of the Monument in relation to climate change, and cultural significance.
     Exploration and Discovery: exploring and appreciating the monument as a citizen scientist to become better stewards of our public lands.  

Give Green! Giving Tuesday, Giving Grateful! 
The Friends of Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument is a 501-C3 organization,
and your donation is tax deductible.

   Spencer Jones and Megan Mortimer-Lamb, undergraduate geology students at the University of Oregon, were awarded $1200 from the Friends of the Cascade Siskiyou National Monument Fund for undergraduate research in May 2015. They report about their field work in the Jenny Creek area. 
 
     “Greetings to all! This summer we had the incredible opportunity to work alongside Dr. Jad D’Allura in the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument. We were fortunate to have been awarded grants from the Friends Research Fund. That gracious support allowed us to purchase equipment for our field study, travel to and from the Monument, and have samples sent to a lab for geochemical analysis. 
     Our research objective was to determine the characteristics and importance of the 22 million year old Western Cascade and much younger High Cascade volcanic rocks. Analysis included field mapping, microscopic examination of thin slices of rock, and pulverizing selected rock samples for geochemical analysis. We worked alongside Dr. D’Allura for over a month to complete geologic mapping and data collection in the northeastern part of the Monument.  
     We learned new field techniques in challenging terrain! Megan enjoyed learning a new skill as she prepared thin sections for analysis—techniques not usually taught to undergraduates. Spencer enjoyed traversing steep hillsides through dense forest to suddenly break through the trees to a steep cliff of sheer rock, often representing a boundary between two very different rock units.
     Thanks are given to Professor D’Allura for his unwavering support and patience and to the Friends for enabling us to develop our own research projects in such an incredible place. Our research has contributed to the knowledge of how the geology affects the diverse topography, soils, and hydrology of this part of this geo-and bio-diverse Monument. We look forward to speaking to and sharing with the Friends during the research symposium in 2016.  

     All 2015 Images courtesy of Spencer Jones and Meagan Mortimer.

       “…it will slow you down and cause an increase in your powers of observation, so you get a connection with nature, a deeper understanding of it.”  Sarah F. Burns, Daily Tidings interview.

Sarah F. Burns, local artist and art teacher, led the program beginning with a lecture on Friday night. She spoke to an audience of over 25 community members on the importance of capturing landscapes in art and why so many famous artists do. Through a slide show featuring art from both historic and present-day artists, Sarah took the audience on a tour of different techniques that could be used in situ the following day in the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument. 
     After talking about why artists draw landscapes, Sarah introduced the concept of Blind Contour – a technique where the artist sketches a shape without looking at the paper. Sarah explained that many children draw in symbols instead of drawing what they actually see, for example to draw a table a child will draw a sort of bracket to represent a table. “If you ever find yourself drawing in symbols instead of visually recording what you see, blind contouring will help you switch over to recording what is actually there.”
     Other topics covered included scale, proportion, scope, tonal qualities, light effect, perspective, and atmospheric perspective. The lecture, while only an hour long, showcased many stunning pieces of art. 
     The next morning, Sarah Burns led a hike through Hobart Bluff in the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument. The smoke did not deter the 15 community members who joined her to sketch the beautiful landscapes seen along the Hobart Bluff trail. Sarah began the day by doing a demonstration. She chose an intricately twisted tree and set up her easel commenting on the strong winds that had shaped the tree but would also influence her sketch. 
      By the end of the hike, every community member had created his or her own sketch as a souvenir of the morning’s hike and awe-inspiring beauty of Hobart Bluff. See some of the sketches on our Facebook page.
                                                                              –Rosetta Shaw, Friends of CSNM Board Member

Read John Darling’s article at the Daily Tidings.  Sarah Burns teaches art classes in Ashland and you can learn more at Sarahfburns.com.