NorthwestPassageVolume3,Issue2Summer2011

Cover

NorthwestPassage

blm.gov/or

BLMOregon/Washington

TheBureauofLandManagementMagazineforOregonandWashington

Summer2011

OurAnnualRecreationIssue

WIFIWildlife

AHighTechTreasureHunt

OHVRidersConserveOregonForests

AtRiskYouthsLendaHandtoHelptheLand

ChattingwiththeSecretaryoftheInterior

[PhotoofaYouthHoldingaYellowSign]

BLMRecycles

[ImageofRecyclingSymbol]

[ImageofBLMLogo]

NorthwestPassageVolume3,Issue2Summer2011

Page23

OpEd

[PhotoofEdShepard,StateDirector,Oregon/WashingtonBureauofLandManagement]

[PhotoofSanJuanIslandSkyline]

PhotobyMattChristenson

Departments:2 OpEd4 ThisMonthsCover5 OurContributors16 Scenic&HistoricTrails18 DistrictRoundUp26 WiFiWildlife28 BridgingtheGap32 BackCountry

Features:

6 BLMOnFilmPartII:Itsthesummermovieseason,andwerebackwithasequeljustlikeHollywood.Ourprediction?BetterthanTheHangoverII.

8 InterviewwiththeSecretary:WestowawayaboardtheSecretaryoftheInteriorsairplanetochataboutrenewableenergy,youthemployment,andcellphonegreetings.

12 XMarkstheSpot:HightechgadgetsgetkidsoffthecouchandintoAmericasGreatOutdoors.Nextstop,jetpacks.

22 RestoringtheLand,RestoringtheHumanSpirit:TheBLMpartnerswithOregonsatriskyouthstorebuildtheenvironmentandtheirfuture.

youtube.com/blmoregonfacebook.com/blmoregontwitter.com/blmoregonflickr.com/photos/blmoregon

ExcellenceinInterpretation,2010SilverAward,NorthwestPassage

LetterfromEdwardW.Shepard,StateDirector,Oregon/Washington,BureauofLandManagement

SUMMERSUNMAYBESLOWINCOMING,BUTYOUDNEVERKNOWITINOREGONANDWASHINGTON.WeattheBLMarethrilledtoseesomanyfamiliesenjoyingvirtuallyeverytypeofrecreationinAmericasGreatOutdoorscomerainorshine.FromhikinglushforeststoridingOHVsonsustainabletrailstoraftingwildrivers,millionsoffolksinthePacificNorthwestlovegettingoutontheirpubliclands.

InsideoursummerrecreationissueofNorthwestPassage,werecoveringtwoactivitiesthathaveseenrecentrisesinpopularity.Thefirstisgeocaching,amoderndaytreasurehunt.Participantsusehightechtoolstopinpointahiddencache.Butthebiggestrewardisnotwhatshidden,itsintheexcitingjourneytofindit.Andbecauseusingthesetoolsislikebringingtheinternettotheoutdoors,geocachingisagreatwaytogetkidsoutofthehouse.Plusmostsmartphoneshaveafreeorlowcostapplication(app)thatwillallowyoutogetoutandjointhefunrightnow.

Theotheractivitywerespotlightingisoffhighwayvehicle(OHV)riding.AttheBLMsShotgunOHVTrailSystemnearEugene,Oregon,wevepartneredwiththelocalcommunitytodeveloppathsthataresogoodtheykeepridersonthepublictrailsandoffthenearbynaturallandscapeandprivateproperty.

Butrecreationisntallwereaboutthisissue.ThepubliclandsinOregonandWashingtonofferanotherexcitingresourcejobs.Overthepastdecade,wevepartneredwiththeOregonYouthAuthority,ourstatesjuvenilecrimepreventiontaskforce,toofferyoungpeopletheopportunitytoworkonenvironmentalrestorationprojects.Theseyouthsarehelpingnotonlytheircommunitiesbutalsothemselvesastheygetrealworldjobtrainingthathaspreparedanumberofthemforcareersuponcompletionoftheprogram.WhenyoureadourinterviewwithSecretaryoftheInteriorKenSalazaralsointhisissue,youllseewererightontrackwiththenationalefforttobringtogetheryouths,employment,andtheoutdoors.

ThenafteryouvereadaboutalltherecreationandopportunitiesonyourlocalBLMlands,Ihopewellseeyououttherethissummer.Nomatterwhatyourpassionis,wevegotyoucovered.Evenifwedontneedoursunscreenquiteyet.Thanksforreadingandseeyousoon.

EdwardW.ShepardStateDirectorOregon/WashingtonBureauofLandManagement

NorthwestPassageVolume3,Issue2Summer20112

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TakeitOutside!

Volume3,Issue2

WWW.BLM.GOV/OR

EdShepard/publisher

JodyWeil/editorialdirector

MattChristenson/editor/artdirector

TeddiDuling/copyeditor

ShellyYork/productiondesigner

Contributors:

MichaelCampbell,MattChristenson,JeffClark,MollyCobbs,ChrisKnauf,MeganHarper,KurtHeckeroth,ArielHiller,TrishHogervorst,ChristinaLilienthal,TaraMartinak,MichaelMascari,PamRobbins,CheyneRossbach,ScottStoffel,MariaThiMai,JimWhittington,MarkWilkening

Photographers:

MattChristenson,JeffClark,JohnCraig,MikeFieber,MichaelMascari,MikeMillay,MerrieRichardson,CheyneRossbach,ScottStoffel,MariaThiMai

Contact:

NorthwestPassageisapublicationofBureauofLandManagementOregonStateOffice333SW1stAve6thFloorPortland,OR97204503.808.6035or_northwest_passage@blm.gov

Mission:

TheBLMsmissionistosustainthehealth,diversity,andproductivityofthepubliclandsfortheuseandenjoymentofpresentandfuturegenerations.InOregonandWashington,theBLMprovidesinnovativeleadershipinmanagingnaturalresourcesofthePacificNorthwest.

ThisMonthsCover

[ReproductionofMagazineCoverPhoto]

[PhotoofaYouthHoldingaYellowSign]

Asakid,Ihatedtheoutdoors.Iknow,Iknow...ItsastrangethingtoadmitforsomeonewhoworksfortheBLM.ButIcouldntstandthefamilyfishingtripswheretheonlythingIwasguaranteedtocatchwasaboutofseasickness.Thenatsomepoint,somefriendsintroducedustothesportofmountainbiking.(Thoughatthetimeinthelate70s,wecalleditBMX.)Pedalingaruggedbikethroughtrails,upanddown(ohman,dontforgetdown)thehillsofMichiganwasthemostthrillingthingIdeverexperienced.Myfirstthoughtwastoask,IsthisthesameoutdoorsIusedtodread?ButIdidntbecauseIwasafraidsomeonewouldgetwiseandstickmebackonmydadsfishingboat.

WhileIwasdivebombingthoseMichiganhills,surreptitiouslygettingincredibleexercise,Icametorealizeeachbrandofoutdoorrecreationisntnecessarilyforeveryone.Andthatsokay.Infact,itsgreat.Ididntwantmytrailsgettingoverrunjustasmyparentswouldhavebeensadtoseetheirfavoritefishingspotsbecometoocrowded.

Inaway,thiszenfulattitudeistheperfectillustrationoftheBLMsmultipleusemission.WhetherwerecreatingsustainableOHVtrails(page28),introducingpeopletogeocaching(page12),orhighlightingourscenicandhistorictrails(page16),theBLMhasperhapsthemostdiverseselectionofactivitiestobefoundonanypubliclands.AndifnoneoftheonesIvementionedgrabyou,justcheckoutouronlinerecreationsearchengine.Itssupereasy.Itmapsoutalltherecreationhotspotsnearestyou:blm.gov/j35c.Giveitaspinandseewhatcomesup.

Seeyouonthepubliclandsthissummer!

MattChristenson

NorthwestPassageVolume3,Issue2Summer2011

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OurContributors

[SixPhotosofContributorsonImageofaCorkBoardKurtHeckeroth,ArielHiller,MichaelMascari,JeffClark,ScottStoffel,MattChristenson]

1:Agreenthumbleadstoasilverlining!ReturningNorthwestPassagecontributorandBLMbotanistKurtHeckerothhaslongworkedwithOregonsatriskyouthsonprojectstorestorethehabitataroundstreamsandforests.ThankstoKurtscareforboththelandaswellasthepeoplewholiveonit,theseyoungpeoplearenowfindingpositivenewcareeropportunitiestheyneverknewexisted.AndkeepaneyeonourYouTube(TM)pageforaseriesofvideoswhereyoucanmeetKurtinperson:youtube.com/blmoregon(Page22)

2:TheWizardofWriting.WhenwefirstheardArielHillerwastakingleavefromherpostascommunityplannerfortheBLMinRoseburg,Oregon,toworkwiththepublicaffairsteam,weatNorthwestPassageliterallybeggedhertosprinklehermagicdustonoursummerissue.ShegenerouslyworkedwithKurttogivehisprojectallthesparkleitrichlydeserves.Superstar!(Page22)

3:GoDucks?!Michaelreally,reallywantedustousethisphoto,butwerenotsurewhatitmeans.WethinkhispointisthathessuchamassiveOregonDucksfanhewaswillingtowearsomerandomcollegessweatshirtandtakeapublicbeatingfromasweatykidinabirdcostumethatsneverseentheinsideofawashingmachine.Thepowerofducks?(Mycollegemascotwasatree,sowhoamItojudge?Ed.)(Page28)

4:HesaTripleThreat!BackwithtwoarticlesthisissueisJeffClark.Director,photographer,writer:heliterallycandoitall.FirstJeffcontinueshisseriesaboutclassicfilmsshotonBLMlandswithrecentarthousehitMeeksCutoffproducedineasternOregon.(Page6)ThenJefftakesustothefutureoftreasurehuntingwithanarticleaboutgeocachingonpubliclands.(Page12)Apparentlyyouusesomenewfangledscifigizmothattrackseverymoveyoumake.WhichsoundskindoflikeFacebook(TM)butwithoutFarmVilleorthoserepeatedfriendrequestsfromyourmom.

5:Speakingofnewfangledtechnology...ScottStoffeldescribeshowtheBLMusesWiFitechnologytotracksagegrouseineasternOregon.Thisprojectproactivelystudiestheirbehaviorpatternsandhabitattocarefullyconservethespeciesinlightofoncomingrenewableenergyprojectssuchaswindturbinestobeinstalledinthehighdesert.(Page26)P.S.Sagegrousewantafasterinternetconnection,too.

6:Imliterallywritingaboutmyselfinthethirdperson.Anditaintpretty.Wanttoreadaboutsomeoneelse?Likemaybeyou?Pleasesubmitarticles,photos,orstoryideasforfutureissuesofNorthwestPassagetoor_northwest_passage@blm.gov.Thennextissuewellseeyourphotointhespotlight.Inthemeantime,Ihaveacoolvoicemailgreeting.503.808.6035checkitout.(Page8)

NorthwestPassageVolume3,Issue2Summer2011

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BLMonFilm

[StylizedimageofawomanpioneertravelingacrosseasternOregoninthe1800s.]

PioneersProgress

FilmedaroundBLMmanagedlandineasternOregon,MeeksCutoffdeliversarealisticportrayalofthepioneerjourneyontheOregonTrail.

BeforemovingtotheNorthwest,myknowledgeoftheOregonTrailwasmostlylimitedtodyingofcyberdysenteryintheclassiccomputergameofthesamenamewhileeatingfruitrollupsinmyparentsbasement.Iknewthose16bitgraphicsminimizedtheharshconditionsfacedbypioneerstryingtocrossOregon.Butrecently,anewfilmpromisestobringthosetrialstothebigscreeninarealisticway.

ThenewfilmiscalledMeeksCutoff,anditsinspiredbytheinfamoustruestoryofmountainmanStephenMeekwhowashiredin1845toleadawagontrainovertheCascadeMountains.Claimingtoknowashortcut,MeektookthegrouponanunmarkedpathacrosseasternOregonshighplainsdesertonlytobecometragicallylost.Isolatedandrunningoutofsupplies,thegroupfacedhunger,thirst,andagrowinglackoffaithineachotherandtheirguide.

MeeksCutoffwasprimarilyshotaroundHinesandBurns,Oregon,inHarneyCountywhichmeansBLMmanagedlandsfeatureprominentlyinafilmdescribedbytheVi