AP picked up the story. This ran in the
Reno Gazette-Journal: http://www.rgj.com/news/stories/html/2003/...&sp3=Local+News
Las Vegas Sun: http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/.../050610011.html
KRNV TV: http://www.krnv.com/Global/story.asp?S=126...04&nav=8faOFf6p

Environmentalists want to bar vehicles from part of Sand Mountain

Associated Press

5/6/2003 11:20 am


Environmentalists want to draw a line on Sand Mountain by closing 1,000 acres to vehicles to protect a blue butterfly.

That would eliminate 25 percent the area east of here enjoyed by off-road vehicle enthusiasts, who question just how rare the butterfly is.

Immediate closure of the tract to off-highway vehicles was recommended by an ecologist with the Bureau of Land Management, the Fallon Paiute-Shoshone tribe and the Nature Conservancy during an April 30 meeting of the BLM's Resource Advisory Council in Fallon.

According to Nature Conservancy representatives, vehicles pose a"critical threat to the viability of Sand Mountain and its unique suite of plants and invertebrates,"the Nevada Appeal reported.

The problem, they say, is loss of vegetative cover because vehicles harm Kearney buckwheat, a food source for the Sand Mountain blue butterfly.

Its status is listed as"sensitive"by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Lahontan Valley News and Fallon Eagle Standard reported.

BLM plant ecologist Dean Kinerson told the Appeal that as far as is known, the butterfly lives nowhere else and depends on the buckwheat.

Off-highway vehicle enthusiasts like Jon Crowley, president of the nonprofit group Friends of Sand Mountain, acknowledge the species is sensitive, but are not ready to close the dunes.

"As far as we know, it doesn't live anywhere else, but we'd like to see them verify that,"he said.

He said there are about 30 sand dune areas in Nevada, and claimed Kearney buckwheat lives in other areas. He would like to see those areas checked for the butterfly before parts of Sand Mountain are closed.

The Resource Advisory Council created a subgroup to advise the bureau. It will include off-road vehicle users, environmentalists, biologists and representatives from the tribe. Crowley has applied to be a part of the group.

During the meeting in Fallon, the Friends of Sand Mountain urged the BLM to exhaust other means of stopping vegetation loss before limiting the use of off-highway vehicles at Sand Mountain.

Crowley's group regularly cleans up Sand Mountain. They also distribute fliers and organize programs teaching off-roaders how to tread lightly.

"We'd like to see the BLM be a partner in that as well,"Crowley said.
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Latest News closure news at: www.SandMountain-NV.org

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During the meeting in Fallon, the Friends of Sand Mountain urged the BLM to exhaust other means of stopping vegetation loss before limiting the use of off-highway vehicles at Sand Mountain.

what else could be impacting the vegetation?

I know some thing that I would like to impact! >:< :hit: :hit: :hit: :hit: :hit:

Bluesky, YOU have never been to Sand Mountain, NV, YOU have no idea what you are talking about, so SHUT THE HELL UP, IDIOT! >:<

Now now, KG remember that no matter how bad **** sky is. >:< We always have the "weather" to look forward to!

Bluesky, you wackos really don't care about saving species like you say you do. The Desert Tortoise is one example. The Blue Butterfly is another.

I urged the BLM to do start a program to learn how to grow Kearney Buckwheat. If we know how to propagate the hostplant, we can help mitagate any habitat loss. I have been trying to move this project forward for the last year without anyone really giving a crap. At the meeting, I asked the representative from the Nature Conservancy if her organization would like to help with this type of project. Her response, after dancing around a bit was "The Nature Conservancy is more interested in natural habitat, sorry".

Translation: we are using these species as tool to shut you down. We don't really care about the long term survivability of the species.....

It was also BLM's job over the last 8 years to monitor the species and help mitagate habitat loss. Did they do anything to educate users? Not single thing until last Fall. They put up two little signs about the butterfly. Meanwhile, Friends of Sand Mountain has done everything in its' power to educate users.

Management by closure continues....

QUOTE

The Nature Conservancy is more interested in natural habitat,

is there any validity in this point of view?

QUOTE

is there any validity in this point of view?

In California, there are two blue butterflies that are endangered. In both instances, there are buckwheat revegetation programs.

I guess if we followed your logic, we should have let them go extinct rather than create "artificial" habitat for them. :roll:

QUOTE

QUOTE The Nature Conservancy is more interested in natural habitat, is there any validity in this point of view?

If it were true. Problem is the nature conservancy is just another extrmists organization wrapped up in a nice sounding name. They are anti access and anti private property rights, therefore they are anti American.

QUOTE

QUOTE During the meeting in Fallon, the Friends of Sand Mountain urged the BLM to exhaust other means of stopping vegetation loss before limiting the use of off-highway vehicles at Sand Mountain. what else could be impacting the vegetation?

Maybe that turtle that you have pictured there thats eating the vegetation. PROVE ME WRONG ON THAT!