Livestock Removal Success: California Desert Conservation Area
| Name: | California Desert Conservation Area |
| State(s): | California |
| County(ies): | Imperial, San Diego, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, Kern, Inyo , Mono |
| Watershed(s): | Salton Sea, Imperial Reservoir, Mojave, Lower Mojave, Havasu-Mojave, Death Valley-Lower Amargosa, Panamint |
| Ecosystem Type: | Mojave desert, desert riparian, upper Mojave yucca-juniper woodland. |
| Species Benefited: | Twenty-four species including desert tortoise, Peninsular Ranges bighorn sheep, Coachella Valley fringe-toed lizard, Arroyo toad, Desert pupfish, Inyo California towhee, Ash Meadows gumplant, Cushenberry buckwheat, southwestern willow flycatcher and Least Bell's vireo |
| Federal Unit(s): | Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Department of Defense |
| Acreage: | Cancellation of grazing permits on 43,596 acres of desert tortoise habitat. Grazing restricted from year-long term to winter and summer seasons only on 285,381 acres of critical and 213,281 acres of essential tortoise habitat. Currently ungrazed 394,835 acres closed to future grazing permits. Round Mountain allotment (18,084 acres) closed until West Mojave Plan is completed. Exclusion of cattle from all areas within three miles of nesting southwestern willow flycatchers and least Bell's vireo. Additional riparian exclosures on Rattlesnake Canyon, Afton Canyon, Ash Meadows and Kelso Creek. |
| Method(s): | Litigation |
| Law(s) Invoked: | Endangered Species Act (ESA), California Desert Protection Act |
| Term of Removal: | Permanent |
| Prime Mover(s): | Center for Biological Diversity |
| Summary Explanation: |
Center for Biological Diversity was joined by Sierra Club and Public
Employees for Environmental Responsibility in a lawsuit against the BLM
filed in March 2000 over multiple failures to protect twenty-four species
listed under the ESA. In a series of settlement agreements, BLM agreed
to initiate ESA consultation, review impacts to threatened and endangered
species, close roads and off-road vehicle use areas, limit livestock and
mining, raptor-proof powerlines, limit use of toxins, educate trail users
about bighorn sheep conservation, conduct species surveys and monitoring,
and remove exotic species. |