JUNE 29, 2011

Scottsdale’s McDowell Sonoran Preserve to close early July 3-4

Fire danger prompts restrictions and increased patrols

Scottsdale’s McDowell Sonoran Preserve will close at 3 p.m. on Sunday and Monday, July 3-4, to reduce the threat of wild fires during the Independence Day weekend.

All trailheads into the 16,000-acre preserve will have “closed” signs posted. Scottsdale police, staff and volunteer stewards will patrol the area to advise visitors about the closure and fire threat. Violating the closure is a Class 2 Misdemeanor punishable by up to four months in jail and a $750 fine.

Summer temperatures dry out vegetation and create an extreme fire threat that can endanger lives, property and the Valley’s fragile desert. The availability and popularity of fireworks during the Fourth of July holiday increases that threat.

The use of fireworks is prohibited in Scottsdale, but sales are permitted. Fireworks should not be used in Scottsdale – or anywhere near a natural desert environment.

“The McDowell Sonoran Preserve is one of the most scenic areas in the Valley,” said Scottsdale Fire Chief Garret Olson. “Everyone needs to work together to protect this community treasure. Respect the closure and never, ever bring fireworks into the preserve or any natural desert area.

“The risk is too great.”

The dangerous mix of desert vegetation and fireworks has already threatened one Scottsdale landmark. Last week, a visitor to Pinnacle Peak Park lit fireworks along the trail that ignited brush. Fortunately, the blaze was extinguished before spreading to the hillsides of the popular hiking spot.

Scottsdale’s McDowell Sonoran Preserve encompasses large areas of the McDowell Mountains and surrounding Sonoran Desert north of the Central Arizona Project Canal.
The preserve is home to stunning geography, lush cacti forests and diverse wildlife. It features award-winning trails and facilities. Scottsdale has acquired or ensured preservation of about 16,000 of the roughly 36,000 acres identified in the recommended preserve boundary.

To learn more about wild fire prevention, holiday safety tips and Scottsdale’s fireworks ordinance, visit: http://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/fire

To learn more about Scottsdale’s McDowell Sonoran Preserve, visit: http://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/preserve

To learn more about the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy, the non-profit group that champions the completion and sustainability of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve, visit: http://www.mcdowellsonoran.org

BLM Announces Wild Horse and Burro Gather Schedule for Summer 2011

The Bureau of Land Management announced today its tentative summer schedule for gathering wild horses and burros from overpopulated herds on Western public rangelands.  The gathers are needed to bring herd sizes into balance with other rangeland resources and uses, as required by Federal law and approved land-use plans.

“With the new gather season starting in July, we must carry out these gathers in a fully transparent manner,” said BLM Director Bob Abbey.  “That includes taking full ownership of what we do and by sharing both thepositive and negative news with our various publics, whatever criticism may come our way.”

Abbey added, “Our work on a forthcoming new strategy for managing wild horses and burros is part of our commitment to a ‘new normal’ of doing business.  Among other things, the strategy calls for greater reliance onpopulation-suppression techniques, including increased application of the fertility-control vaccine known as PZP.”

The goal will be to treat more than 1,200 mares per year (over the current level of about 900 in FY 2011) through implementation of “catch, treat, and release” gathers.  These gathers will be principally aimed at applying the fertility-control vaccine porcine zona pellucida (PZP) to mares.  In some herds, the BLM will adjust sex ratios in favor of males to reduce the number of on-the-range pregnancies or potentially manage non-reproducing herds (such as geldings) in some Herd Management Areas.

The public and media are invited to observe the gathers.  Observation points will be determined by the BLM in a manner that recognizes the need for good viewing sites, along with the need to ensure viewer and animal safety.

The BLM manages more land – over 245 million acres – than any other Federal agency.  This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska.  The Bureau, with a budget of about $1 billion, also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation.  The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.  The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.