October 2018 —Volume 13, Issue 4

Seasonal Photo Contest

Our mission is to protect and preserve Morongo’s natural resources, traditions, and tribal

sovereignty. We promote environmental awareness and environmentally considerate actions

by exemplifying environmental stewards, fostering collaborative relationships, expanding

education and outreach activities, and continuing to enrich and develop our programs.

October 2018 - Volume 13, Issue 4

Environmental Protection Department

Native Plant Gardening in the Fall

2

Outdoor Fire Pits 3

A Local Wildlife Spotlight on Burrowing Owls

4

Preventing Carbon Monoxide Poisoning in Your Home

5

Recycling Basics 6

2018 Summer Outreach

7

AQI Flags 8

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Congratulations to

Michael Pollack,

Water Dept.

for winning 1st place in the

Summer Seasonal Photo

Contest with the photo titled

“Stone irrigation ditch and

cattle”

Check out this amazing image from the Morongo Reservation.

Fall Entries

are due

December 1st

Submit your photos for a chance

to win a gift card to a local

retailer!

Submissions need to be original

photographs taken between

September 1, 2018 and November

30, 2018 within the Reservation or

the surrounding San Gorgonio Pass

and can be anything related to the

environment. Tribal members,

descendants, community members,

and employees are all welcome to

participate!

To submit your photo for the photo

contest, upload your pictures at:

www.morongonation.org/content/

environmental-seasonal-photo-contest

Or email photos and a description to:

environmental_department@morong

o-nsn.gov

If you need assistance uploading

your photo or you have any questions

about the photo contest, please

contact the Environmental

Department at 951-755-5128.

Thank you for recycling this newsletter when finished!

Congratulations to our 2nd

place photo by

Haile Skuza, Realty Dept.

“View from the top”

October 2018 —Volume 13, Issue 4 2

Many people think of gardening as a springtime activity. While

spring is the perfect time to plant many fruits/vegetables and is a

busy gardening season in most areas, that is not always true. In

Southern California, the late fall, winter, and early spring are the

best time to start most of our native plants. This helps plants take

advantage of natural rainfall and avoids the heat that comes all too

soon with spring and summer. Gardening with native plants in the

fall has many benefits for both the environment and the gardener.

Why Native Plants?

The insects and wildlife in our area have adapted to the native

plants that have always grown alongside them. Native plants

provide food and habitat for many animals that are facing pressures from developed areas and loss of

natural spaces. Nonnative plants may take the place of natives, but be unable to provide the same food

and habitat. An example of this are Monarch butterflies that can only feed on certain species of

milkweed. Nonnative flowers and other species of milkweed replace this food source and make migrating

much more of a challenge which many Monarchs do not survive.

Native plants are also much easier to care for than exotic plants

found in most nurseries. Once established, native plants can

generally rely on natural rainfall and need very little extra water.

Native plants are also lower maintenance, needing less pruning,

fertilizer, and pesticides. These benefits can save you time and

money.

Native plants sustain our local ecosystems. Adding

them to your garden will help link natural areas that are

becoming farther apart. Fertilizers can contribute excess

nutrients to aquatic ecosystems and pesticides can harm

non-target plants and animals. Since native plants use less

of these, it keeps these potentially harmful chemicals off of the ground and out of waterways.

Native plants also help reduce erosion and can help to filter pollutants that runoff from your

home.

What Plants Should I Use?

Plants that naturally grow in the area are the best

bet for a native plant garden. Be careful when you

pick out plants and pay attention to the specific

species; not all plants that are native to California or

are drought tolerant are appropriate to our local area.

There are many resources (see below) that can provide

plant lists for your specific area. Some easy and

attractive plants for the area surrounding Morongo

include lupine, sages, buckwheat, Ceanothus, and

manzanitas.

More information and resources:

Calscape.org, https://www.cnps.org/gardening, and https://californianativeplants.com/

Native Plant Gardening in the Fall Written by: Kimberly Miller, Environmental Specialist II

Chaparral whitethorn (Ceanothus leucodermis)

California buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum)

Meadow with Purple Owl’s Clover (Castilleja exserta)

October 2018 —Volume 13, Issue 4 3

Outdoor Fire Pits Written by: Jon Castillo, Environmental Technician

With temperatures cooling down and time change around the corner,

people will be lighting up outdoor fire pits. Fires can be warm and cozy, but

can also be a hazard. There are a few things to take into consideration

before lighting fires that can save lives, environment, and property.

Always make sure you use common sense when lighting fires. Do not

start outside fires on a windy day; embers from fires can travel in winds up

to a mile. Never have a fire under trees, heat rises and can start a tree fire

just by heating leaves and branches.

Use a proper fire pit with a screen on top of the pit prevents some

embers from flying into the air. If you are making a fire pit in the ground,

dig your hole at least 12 inches deep and surround your hole with good sized

rocks. This prevents your fire from spreading to surrounding brush and the

rocks help with a border for your fire.

Consider days when your county declares a “NO BURN DAY”. On these

days, the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) has a no

burn rule that prohibits burning wood as well as manufactured fire logs, such

as those made from wax or paper. This means that the air is heavy with smog

and using fire pits and fireplaces are not recommended. This is done to

reduce health hazards, such as high levels of particulate matter in the air.

Burning wood and releasing smoke into the air creates particulate matter

and will affect air quality. This can be bad for elders and small children who

have breathing issues such as asthma or bronchitis. Smoke inhalation is

also bad for these reasons. People who have breathing problems should not

be around fire pits or fireplaces. A link to additional information and an

interactive no-burn alert map is available at www.airalerts.org. For

recorded Check Before You Burn information, call (866) 966-3293.

If it is a good day to burn, fire pits should burn hot to minimize smoke. Do not use wet wood, since

wet wood will only smoke and not burn hot. Use only dry seasoned wood and buy wood in the area you

plan to burn it. Please do not bring wood into our canyons from wood suppliers outside of the area or

wood that has not been checked for pests and properly dried. Bark beetles and the Goldspotted Oak

Borer can spread into our trees from infested firewood. These pests damage our trees and are almost

impossible to get rid of once here.

Fire pit safety is necessary. Do not leave your fire pit unattended.

Firewood can drop and fall outside your pit, potentially setting fire to

nearby brush or wood. Do not leave your children unattended near fire pits;

the curiosity of children will draw them to the fire. Fire pits will be hot and

can cause burns when touched. Teach children the surrounding area is off

limits. When making hot dogs or marshmallows, use long tools so that they

are far from the heat. Always keep a fire extinguisher and first aid kit with

burn cream nearby. Keep your phone nearby and be ready to call 911 if

needed. Fire pits can be fun and relaxing when used properly, but you

should use them with caution.

Information obtained from: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/fire-pit-environmental-dangers/

October 2018 —Volume 13, Issue 4 4

While walking or driving through fields at Morongo and in other areas of

Southern California, you may have noticed a small bird peering at you from the

ground near a burrow. While it looks like an owl, it seems too small, too long-

legged, and too active in the day to actually be one. Despite all of these odd

traits, what you have spotted is likely a burrowing owl. Burrowing owls (Athene

cunicularia) are a fascinating species that is quite a bit different from the other

species of owls.

Burrowing owls range from 7 to 10 inches tall and can have a wingspan up

to 24 inches. They are brown with some white features, yellow eyes, and no

noticeable ears. Burrowing owls are most active at dusk and dawn, but can be

active during night and day. The burrows they live in are typically ones that

have been dug by other animals (like ground squirrels), but they can dig their own. Their food typically

consists of small mammals and large insects, but can also include lizards, frogs, and small birds.

Burrowing owls live in generally flat, open areas that are suitable to digging burrows and where prey

is easy to spot. The preferred habitat has short vegetation with a few taller shrubs, rocks, or mounds

that can provide a good hunting vantage point. This includes grasslands, agricultural areas, open fields,

and can even be in developed areas, such as roadsides or airports. At Morongo, we’ve even found one

that made a temporary burrow in a cleared lot under a pile of rocks. Burrowing owls are social and can

nest in colonies of many individuals. The combination of preferred habitat type, their ability to make

due with altered landscapes, and many owls living close together can create conflict between owls’ needs

and people’s desire to develop areas. When an “empty” field is graded or paved without a close look, owls

and nests can be quickly crushed. Although burrowing owls are widely distributed in North

America, the alteration of their habitat and conflict with human development have made them

a species of special concern in California.

Due to this status of concern and the frequent overlap with human development, the U.S.

Fish and Wildlife Service partnered with the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation

Research and serval other collaborators to conduct a burrowing owl study in Riverside, San

Bernardino, Imperial, and San Diego counties. The study seeks to see how habitat loss affects

owl behavior/movement and what are the best ways to deal with owls that need to be relocated

due to development and construction projects. The study tracks owls by placing GPS

transmitters on them (see picture to the right) and monitors how

their movement changes over time after being relocated compared

to a control group. Morongo agreed to allow two resident owls be

included as part of the study and the Morongo Environmental

Protection Department got to be a part of placing the transmitters

on the owls.

If you want to find more information on burrowing owls or other

bird species of concern, check out the Audubon field guide

(https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/burrowing-owl) or the

CA Department of Fish and Wildlife website

(https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/SSC/Birds). If you have

questions about the burrowing owl study, contact the Morongo

Environmental Protection Department.

Photos in article are credited to Jessica Southard

A Local Wildlife Spotlight on Burrowing Owls Written by: Kimberly Miller, Environmental Specialist

October 2018 —Volume 13, Issue 4 5

Preventing Carbon Monoxide Poisoning in Your Home Written by: Pamela Atcitty, Environmental Specialist II

What Is Carbon Monoxide?

Carbon monoxide (CO) is an invisible, odorless, tasteless, toxic gas that

everyone should be aware of. Because CO is very difficult for people to detect,

it can kill you and your loved ones within minutes. However, residents can

protect themselves against CO poisoning by learning its sources, detecting the

symptoms of CO poisoning, and knowing tips to reduce exposure.

Where Does Carbon Monoxide Come From?

Carbon Monoxide is the most toxic substance you will come into contact

with in your daily life; in your home, at work, garage, car, and boat. Carbon

monoxide is a gas created when fossil fuels (such as gasoline, wood, coal,

propane, oil, and methane) do not burn completely. When not properly ventilated, carbon monoxide

emitted by appliances or equipment can build up. The danger occurs when too much carbon monoxide

accumulates in a contained, poorly ventilated area. Some of the most common sources of CO in the home

are gas and wood stoves, kerosene and gas space heaters, leaking chimneys and furnaces, gas water

heaters, fireplaces, and tobacco smoke. Possible sources of CO at work or from attached garages can

come from generators and other gasoline powered equipment, auto, truck, or bus exhaust, and nearby

roads or parking areas can also cause serious problems.

What Are the Symptoms Associated with Carbon Monoxide Poisoning?

CO replaces oxygen in the bloodstream, eventually causing suffocation. Just how sick people get

from CO exposure varies greatly from person to person, depending on age, overall health, the

concentration of the exposure, and the length of exposure. At low concentrations, many have associated

the symptoms to those of flu-like conditions; dizziness, headaches, fatigue, confusion, nausea, and

shortness of breath. Higher concentrations are dangerous even for a short time. At higher

concentrations, symptoms include difficulty breathing, impaired vision and coordination, continued

headaches dizziness, confusion, nausea and unconsciousness. The most severe effects are due

to excessive carbon monoxide build up in the bloodstream, which reduces oxygen intake. At

higher concentrations, CO exposure can be deadly.

How Can You Protect Yourself from CO Poisoning?

The best defenses against CO poisoning are safe use of vehicles and proper installation,

ventilation, use, and maintenance of household cooking and heating equipment. Follow these

steps to reduce exposure to CO poisoning in your home.

Keep gas appliances properly adjusted. Install and use exhaust fans over gas stoves,

vented to the outdoors.

Do not idle your car inside attached garages, even if garage door is open.

Have a trained professional inspect, clean, and tune-up central heating systems

(furnaces, flues, and chimneys) annually. Repair any leaks promptly.

Open flues when fireplaces are in use.

Never use a charcoal burning grill to heat your home.

Do not use a gas oven to heat your home, even for a short time.

Never use a generator indoors or in poorly ventilated areas.

Use properly sized wood stoves that are certified to meet EPA emission standards.

Consider purchasing a vented space heater when replacing an unvented one.

Use proper fuel in kerosene space heaters.

Do not ignore symptoms, particularly if more than one person is feeling them. You

could lose consciousness and die if you do nothing.

It is also recommended that you install a CO detectors on every floor of your home, outside

all sleeping areas, but only as a backup. A CO detector is no substitute for following the safety

warnings above. Preventing CO from becoming a problem in your home is better than relying

on an alarm.

October 2018 —Volume 13, Issue 4 6

Recycling Basics Written by: Brandon Gutierrez, Environmental Specialist I

Recycling plays an important role for everyone generating waste in homes and businesses, as it

reduces the need for acquiring more landfills and natural resources such as trees, oil, and metals.

However, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the national recycling rate is about

26 % [1]. Increasing the US recycling rate to 60% could save the equivalent of 315 million barrels of oil

every year [2]. Although recycling may seem trivial, it is often misunderstood and poorly managed even

when good Samaritans recycle. These misunderstandings can be avoided by understanding the recycling

basics.

At Morongo, recyclables are commingled and collected in the blue recycle carts which are emptied by

Morongo Public Works and then delivered to a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) in Riverside,

California. At the MRF, materials are hand sorted and separated into groups of plastic, paper,

cardboard, metal, and glass. However, due to the nature of having a single stream of recyclables, there is

a possibility that some batches of commingled materials are contaminated by food, fluids, dirt, and other

non-recyclable materials. When recyclables are identified as contaminated, they have to be discarded as

trash and sent to the landfill. Thus, defeating the purpose of recycling and protecting the environment.

The following are 4 basic recycling rules to remember:

1. Make sure the materials are actually recyclable. At Morongo, these materials include,

mixed paper (newspaper, magazines, computer paper, junk mail, file folders, and cereal boxes),

all numbered hard plastics, plastic bottles, glass bottles/jars,

corrugated cardboard boxes, and aluminum cans. If it becomes too

difficult to determine whether or not an item is recyclable, check

for the 3 recycle arrows shown on the right.

2. Make sure all materials are clean and dry! When

recyclables are covered with oils, fluids from juice bottles or soda

cans, food, and other non-recyclable materials, they become

“contaminated”. Contamination means that the batch of

commingled recyclables now become trash and are sent to a

landfill.

3. No plastic bags, films, or wraps! Plastic bags do make it

convenient to hold all recyclables, but these thin plastics create a

hazardous and expensive environment at the MRF. Plastic bags

and film become stuck with other recyclables, and jam equipment

at the recycling facility. Rather than using a bag to keep all

recyclables together and placing that same bag into your blue

recycle cart, it is better to dump only the recyclables in that bag

into the blue recycle carts, instead. Keep all plastic bags and go to

Earth911.com to find a local grocery store to recycle all plastic

bags [3]!

4. If a recyclable is smaller than the palm of your hand, then it

cannot be recycled. Remember, these recyclables go through hand-

sorting at the recycling facilities. If the workers there cannot grab

the materials, then it is discarded as trash.

Recycling requires small amounts of effort, but also leads to

preserving more of the environment and reducing disposal costs.

Understanding what is recyclable and what is not, will result in

an increase of the national’s recycling rate.

Works cited:

[1] EPA. Advancing Sustainable Materials Management: 2015 Fact Sheet [Online]. Available: www.epa.gov (2018).

[2] Eartheasy. Recycling Basics [Online]. Available: https://learn.eartheasy.com/guides/recycling-basics-for-the-home (2018).

[3] Earth911. How to Find a Responsible Recycler [Online]. Available: https://earth911.com (2018).

October 2018 —Volume 13, Issue 4 7

2018 Summer Outreach Written by: Jessica Southard, Administrative Assistant

Summer High School Intern Program

Each summer we select up to two high school students to intern with our

department. They shadow our specialists and learn about the various

environmental programs Morongo has. This year’s interns were John-Wesley

Marcotte and Aiyana Necochea. On the right are two pictures of the interns

assisting with habitat assessment with the Tribal Water Program and

checking out equipment with the Tribal Air Program. At the end of their

internship, each intern selects a topic that they have an interest in, and give

a written report and oral presentation. John-Wesley was interested in the

topic of E. coli and its presence in our surface water. Aiyana

was passionate about the establishment of an off-road vehicle

track for recreation, but also to help preserve the environment.

We are proud of the work they did and hope to see more good

things from them in the community.

Declutter Event

Our annual Declutter Event held June 8 was a success.

We provided a day for the community to bring their

unwanted items, such as clothing/household donations,

shredding, e-waste/batteries, light bulbs, medication, etc.

TANF Summer Day Camp

We were honored to be asked to help teach an

environmental science week for the TANF summer day camp

program this year. The kids got to learn about recycling,

vermicomposting, water resources, the water cycle, greenhouse

gases, reading weather data, and native plants & animals. They ended their week with a visit

to the Bog for a trash pickup.

Cultural Days

At Cultural Day our float and booth this year

were themed around using renewable energy. We

made giant pinwheels to simulate wind power

generating energy to power a big light bulb. Visitors

at our booth got to make their own “wind” powered

pinwheel.

MCRS Wellness Event

The MCRS Wellness event for casino

employees was a lot of fun. We discussed the

casino’s recycling program, and reminded

visitors to keep all food waste out of the

recycle bins.

October 2018 —Volume 13, Issue 4 8

Environmental Protection Dept. 12700 Pumarra Road Banning, CA 92220

This newsletter was printed on 100% Post-Consumer Recycled Paper

Morongo School AQI Flag Program

If you would like to receive electronic versions of the Morongo Environmental Protection Department’s Quarterly

Newsletter and information on other Environmental Events, sign up at www.morongonation.org/content/environmental-

newsletter-email-signup or email epd@morongo-nsn.gov and request to be added to the list! Prefer a copy mailed to you,

no problem! You can sign up at www.morongonation.org/content/newsletter or email us at epd@morongo-nsn.gov

Great day to be active outside!

Good day to be active outside!

Sensitive students should take it easy.

OK to be outside for short activities.

Don’t forget to take breaks. Watch for

coughing or shortness of breath.

Consider moving activities indoors.

Any outdoor activities should be less

intensive with more breaks.

Move all activities indoors or

reschedule outside play to another day.

Air Quality Index What you should do: Have you seen the colored flags flying at

the Morongo schools and wondered what

they mean? The flags represent the

forecasted air quality index (AQI) for the

day. It is important to take note of the air

quality, especially when planning outdoor

activity. This summer Morongo had

several poor air quality days due to heat,

dust storms, fires, and more. The flags can

help you consider your health when

determining your activity levels.

You can also check the air quality

yourself by visiting www.airnow.gov or

downloading the AirNow app. If you would

like a magnet of the flag definitions for your

home, please contact the Environmental

Protection Dept. at 951-755-5128.