Klamath Siskiyou eNews #202                       Oct. 4, 2011

Botanical Areas need Your Help

If you could help stop vandals from destroying some of the earth's greatest landscapes, would you do it?

If you answered yes, now is your chance.

The Klamath-Siskiyou bioregion is celebrated as a host to some of the most diverse plant life on earth, including an array of wildflowers on display every spring and summer. Some of our crown jewels of botanical diversity are supposed to be protected in “Botanical Areas” within National Forests and “Areas of Critical Environmental Concern” on BLM lands.

These special areas provide strongholds for exceptionally rich and diverse botanical ecosystems rarely found in an undisturbed condition. Unfortunately, many of these areas suffer damage and harm by an assortment of threats, including mining, the illegal use of off-road vehicles and harmful grazing practices.

Destructive activities in Botanical Areas are ongoing due to poor oversight and enforcement. That’s where we come in – and where we need your help.

First, take a moment to learn about the Hinkle Lake Botanical Area and take action to defend it, then read about and consider joining our new “Adopt a Botanical Area” volunteer program.

Take Action: Help Defend Hinkle Lake from Illegal ORV Use

Hinkle Lake Botanical Area, west of Applegate Lake in Josephine County, consists of extensive wet meadows containing numerous high elevation serpentine species, including endemic species such as the Trifolium howellii (Canyon Clover).

While it is an easy and enjoyable walk into the botanical area, some people only value this special place as a spot to trash with their off-road vehicles. Hinkle Lake road has been formally closed to off-road vehicle use since 1980, but continuing illegal ORV use is tearing up the wetlands, and putting extremely rare plants at further risk. Unfortunately the closure has been unenforced and the damage intensifies with each passing year. A gate was installed a few years ago in an effort to limit ORVs, but it has not acted successfully to restrict access off-road vehicles for more than a month or two at a time, due to continued vandalism.

The Hinkle Lake area deserves to be protected, not only from illegal ORVs, but also from other threats, including grazing. Let the forest service know that you value this special area and ask them to enforce the law by adequately blocking off-road vehicles and officially designating the old road as a hiking trail for the enjoyment of all forest users. Take action for Hinkle Lake today.

Volunteer: Adopt a Botanical Area

Our new “Adopt a Botanical Area” program is a community watchdog program designed to mobilize volunteers to be KS Wild’s eyes an ears on the ground in designated Botanical Areas throughout the Klamath-Siskiyou region.

To participate, simply pick a Botanical Area you’d like to visit at least once a season, document what you see, and share the info with us. If you don’t know of a Botanical Area you’d like to adopt, we’d be happy to work with you to find an appropriate match.

KS Wild will provide you with a map and description of your chosen Botanical Area, as well as a plant list for the area, if available. We'll also provide observation forms and technical assistance - from filling out forms to help in identifying plants.

This is a great opportunity to get more familiar with some of our region’s spectacular botanical diversity – and help KS Wild with ongoing work to monitor, and protect Botanical Areas.

To learn more about this program, and to sign up, follow this link.