Eastern Kern County Resource Conservation District

Wildflower seeds germinate in the soil. Walking off trail can damage the seedlings, compact the soil and prevent wildflowers from blooming. Please stay on desig...nated trails when visiting the Poppy Reserve so everyone can enjoy the beauty of nature and the wildflowers. #DontDoomTheBloom #PoppyReserve #CAStateParks #StayHealthyStaySafe

What wildlife do you look forward to seeing in Joshua Tree? Are birds high on the list? A new study found that over the past century, bird populations have decl...ined significantly in the Mojave Desert in response to warmer and drier conditions, while small mammal numbers have remained stable. Though all species face the same environmental conditions, the authors found that cooling coststhe amount of water they need to keep their body temperatures coolwere much higher for birds than mammals. In many cases, rodents burrow underground to stay cool, while birds are unable to do so. As climate change progresses, not all species will be affected in the same ways, but each is a key part of the Joshua Tree ecosystem as we know it today. (If you’d like to read the paper, it’s called Exposure to climate change drives stability or collapse of desert mammal and bird communities, by Riddell et al., published in Science.) #ScienceInParks Photo: NPS / Glauco Puig-Santana

Kern Medical/Valley Fever Institute Offers FREE State-Mandated Valley Fever Awareness Training **Of particular interest to special districts providing utilities and agriculture-oriented services. Effective May 2020, the state of California requires employers to provide Valley Fever awareness training for employees working in environments prone to the fungal spores responsible for causing the illness in humans. Susceptible environments include those where workers may disturb ...the soil, including, but not limited to, digging, grading, or other earth moving operations, or vehicle operation on dirt roads, or [in environments with] high winds. Employers in the counties of Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Merced, Monterey, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Tulare, and Ventura are specifically required to complete the AB 203-compliance training. The Valley Fever Institute (VFI) at Kern Medical was recently awarded a Susan Harwood Training Grant to provide training to construction employees in Kern County and the surrounding areas. Virtual trainings are available. VFI was established with the goal of educating the community, caring for patients, and curing Valley Fever. It provides treatment to more than 1,500 patients annually, many with severe forms of the disease. As no cure is currently available, awareness is key. Those who are aware of Valley Fever are often diagnosed sooner, which can lessen the severity, duration, and cost of the disease. The training session is a one-time training conducted in a one-hour time block. VFI recognizes that this is a commitment, the training is geared toward: Organizations who value positive changes in the way employees work and view their health. Organizations who value the reduction of missed work and long-term cost of disease. Organizations who are required to provide Valley Fever training per AB 203. Integrates with state-mandated COVID-19 training programs. A flyer on this program is available here. For more information and to sign up for this program, contact Rob Purdie, Patient & Program Development Coordinator at the Valley Fever Institute, at [email protected] or (661) 489-5244.

Rolling rolling rollingrolling rolling rolling Tumbleweeds are a symbol of the Old West. Movies set in the desert often feature a tumbleweed bouncing across t...he landscape. This can lead people to believe that tumbleweeds have always been here. However, the tumbleweed is not a desert native in fact, it’s a hitchhiker from the Ural Mountains in Russia that didn’t arrive here until the late 1800s! Now, unfortunately, Russian thistle (Salsola tragus) is widespread throughout the Mojave National Preserve. It prefers disturbed areas, so it is most commonly found on roadsides and in the shifting sands of the Devils Playground. What do we dislike most about Russian thistle? It’s hard to choose. Russian thistle does most of its growth in the hottest months of the year, July and August, which makes removal projects especially miserable. The weed’s wind-driven rolling seed dispersal allows the plant to colonize vast areas. Tumbleweeds tend to grow in areas where the native vegetation is low-growing and modest, and the plants take up more than their fair share of water and nutrient resources. When tumbleweeds grow in thick monocultures, they reduce biodiversity of native wildflower species. In some areas, the monocultures are thick enough they can even be a fire danger. If you’re interested in invasive species removal volunteer projects (or any other volunteer projects), email [email protected]. Pictures: A bushy green Russian thistle monoculture grows on the smooth beige sand at the Kelso Dunes, by D. Kaiser, NPS and many dried, prickly, light-brown Russian Thistles ready to roll, by B. Michel, NPS. #InvasiveSpeciesAwarenessWeek #InvasiveSpecies #FindYourPark #EncuentraTuParque

Two thirds of all songbirds migrate at night.

****Update now FREE**** Attention Photographers* $50 Or Best Offer, Buyer to Pick Up HP Designjet 24 Large-Format Printer/Plotter Fully assembled; includes stand, paper-catch tray, power cord, printed manual, paper roll. AS-IS, NOT working; needs rebuilt service station.... Cash only. Please email [email protected] to arrange pick-up in Ridgecrest, CA. See more

Attention Photographers* FREE HP Designjet 24 Large-Format Printer/Plotter Fully assembled; includes stand, paper-catch tray, power cord, printed manual, paper roll. AS-IS, NOT working; needs rebuilt service station. Please email [email protected] to arrange pick-up in Ridgecrest, CA.

Desert Seed Store Is OnlineDue to an abundance of caution and concerns about the transmission of COVID-19, the Eastern Kern County Resource Conservation District (EKCRCD) will not be holding its fall drought tolerant plant sale this year. However, EKCRCD is now offering desert seed mixes in its new online seed store: https://www.ekcrcd.org/seed-store Two seed mixes are currently available... ... Desert Native Seed Mix Desert Wildflower Seed Mix The (new) Desert Native Seed Mix contains forbs, goldfields (Lasthenia californica), owl's clover (Castilleja exerta), chia (Salvia columbariae); shrubs, California buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum var. foliolosum), apricot mallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua); and grasses, Indian ricegrass (Stipa hymenoides), and desert needlegrass (Stipa speciosa) that all grow in the Mojave desert and are suitable for feeding a desert tortoise (adopted from the BLM--taking them from the wild is illegal). The new Desert Native Seed Mix packets sell for $3.00 each, 2 for $5.00, or 5 for $10.00. TheDesert Wildflower Mix, which is currently on sale, contains owl's clover (Castilleja exerta), desert verbena (Abronia villosa), desert marigold (Baileya multiradata), California poppy (Eschscholzia californica), grape-soda lupine (Lupinus excubitus), showy penstemon (Penstemon spectabilis), bell-flowered phacelia (Phacelia campanularia), chia (Salvia columbariae), and apricot mallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua). Right now the Desert Wildflower Seed Mix is on sale. The packets are $2.00 each, 3 for $5.00, or 8 for $10.00. Although the seeds may be planted in the fall or spring (after the last hard frost), the best time to plant in the high desert might be right now, in the late fall before the winter rains come. Prepare your site for seeding by removing all existing growth. Choose a site with a minimum of 6 hours per day of sun. Soil may be lightly raked but not tilled. Tilling dredges up weed seeds. Mix seeds in the packet with to 1 cup horticulture sand to facilitate scattering. Do not use sandbox sand as it contains weed seeds. Scatter one packet of evenly over an area of about 7 square feet per packet. Walk directly on top of the planted area or tamp with a seed roller. Do not cover seeds with soil; they need sun. Fall planting does not require intensive watering; blooms should appear in spring or early summer. For more information on sowing seed, visit: https://www.ekcrcd.org/seed-store ...and scroll down to the bottom of the page.If you sow in the spring, seeds may be stored inside or outside, but make sure they are stored in a cool, dark place without large fluctuations in humidity. If stored outside, they need protection from rodents and insects. Seed should be kept in a paper bag or envelope. Never store seed in a plastic bag or air-tight container. Moisture trapped inside could cause the seed to mold and ruin the sample. The bag should always be kept in a dry place.

The National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) is currently offering free consultations and free plants to California farmers interested in planting hedgerows on their land. Whether you are looking to provide habitat for beneficial insects such as pollinators, predators, and parasites, establish a windbreak, or plant a vegetative buffer at the edge of your property, NCAT can help you select the most appropriate plants for your hedgerow and give you tips on hedgerow pl...anting and maintenance through both phone and on-site consultations. NCAT can also provide free plantsmostly native perennialsfor your hedgerow project. Interested growers should be prepared to provide irrigation (drip works fine) for the first two to three years to get the plants established. However, in most locations, once established, they won’t require irrigation. To learn more about this offer or to order plants, contact Rex Dufour at (530) 792-7338, or email [email protected] by November 6, 2020.

Bat Beauty Contest! Are you ready for BatWeek starting tomorrow? Boy oh boy we are! And we know just the way to celebrate these wonderful creatures Bat ...Beauty Contest anyone? We’ll kick off our #BatBeautyContest tomorrow man oh man do we have some cuties for you so you’ll want to make sure you check in everyday and VOTE, VOTE, VOTE -- same Bat Time, Same Bat Channel. We’re absolutely #batty about these critical pollinators and insect predators! Photo: Minden Pictures, Bat Conservation International. #BatWeek #SaveTheBats #BatHero #BatConservation #Bats #BatsofInstagram #Nature #ILovebats #NaturePhotography #Animals #CuteAnimals #AmazingEarth #Conservation #AnimalPhotography #naturelovers #wildlife #wildlifephotography #OctoberIsForBats

An oldie Halloween comic for spooktober. http://www.birdandmoon.com//happy-halloween-from-the-birds/

We've posted this a lot but it bears repeating. Share this on your page, your groups page, and teach your children. Print it and share it on the trails. This is that important. Share the trails and wear your helmets.

Two trees of the same age: the larger tree is from a managed forest. It benefited from less competition for sunlight, soil nutrients and water than the smaller tree in an overcrowded stand.

These hatchling tortoises are quite adorable. However, they were bred and born in captivity as pets, and add to an already burgeoning population of captive pet ...desert tortoises. A recent pet survey conducted among occupants of single-family homes in Las Vegas, Nevada, provided an estimate of over 100,000 captive pet desert tortoises. Based on the result of this survey, one can only imagine the number throughout the range of the desert tortoise. Unwanted pet tortoises might be dumped in the desert by folks who do not realize these pets could introduce diseases and genetic lineages that may be harmful to wild desert tortoises. How can you help? If you have more than one pet desert tortoise, do not allow them to breed! Separate adults or rehome your other tortoises and just keep one. Contact your local tortoise and turtle non-profit if you have unwanted tortoises, or if you would like to adopt a captive tortoise. Do not remove tortoises from the wild to take home as a pet, and don’t be a desert dumper. Photo: USFWS #DesertTortoiseWeek #YourPublicLands #CommunityInTheWild

It’s #DesertTortoiseWeek! The desert tortoise is designated California’s State reptile and is found in the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts of Southern California. On... Friday, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park will host an online zoom discussion on the genetic origins of the tortoise at the park. Make sure to tune in to learn about this iconic reptile. #DYK 95% of a tortoise’s life is spent underground. it can weigh between 8 and 15 lbs., and live to be 80-100 years old. #WildlifeWednesday #CAStateParks #AnzaBorregoDesertSP

Happy Day 3 of Desert Tortoise Week! Today's challenge is to take a photo from the perspective of a desert tortoise and post on social media. Be sure to keep a ...safe distance away if you find a desert tortoise. Nothing like changing your view on the desert from the eyes of a desert tortoise. #deserttortoiselife #deserttortoiseweek Photo: National Park Service

Due to high fire danger, fire restrictions were increased on BLM-managed public lands to prohibit use of all open flames, including campfires, BBQ’s and stoves ...in Northern and Central California, in addition to the statewide fire prevention order and local district fire and target shooting restrictions. For information about Southern California, see restrictions listed for California Desert District on our Fire Restrictions website: https://go.usa.gov/xGpn8 Seasonal target shooting restrictions are in effect for the Redding Field Office, portions of the California Desert District and all of Central California District. The target shooting restrictions do not apply to individuals with a valid State of California hunting license participating in hunting seasons in areas established by the state.

It’s #DesertTortoiseWeek! Did you know the desert tortoise is the official state reptile for #California? The Mojave desert tortoise, which is a threatened spe...cies, is easily frightened by human contact - sometimes a tortoise will become so scared that it urinates, which can result in the tortoise dying of dehydration. If you are lucky enough to see a tortoise in the wild, stay far enough away that the tortoise does not change its behavior - if the tortoise ducks into its shell, you're too close! You and the tortoise will both have a better interaction if you stay at least 20 feet away from it. To learn more, check out this video: The Heat is On: Desert Tortoises and Survival (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kimgkupAmTo) #desertortoiselife #Outdooredutcation Dana Wilson, BLM USFWS National Wildlife Refuge System Mojave Desert Land Trust Friends of the Desert MountainsCalifornia Department of Fish and Wildlife

It's Day 2 of Desert Tortoise Week! Trash pollution is a concern for every species, including the Desert Tortoise. Garbage such as Mylar balloons can potentiall...y entangle tortoises or be mistakenly consumed. Today's challenge is to pick up trash while hiking or exploring desert tortoise habitat to help keep our deserts clean. Post photos on social media and use the hashtag: #deserttortortoiseweek. Photo: National Park Service

SPECIAL VACANCY NOTICE (Pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 9314) NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT THE Board of Supervisors of the County of Kern, by resolution presented by the Board of Directors, shall appoint four (4) directors to the governing board of the Eastern Kern County Resource Conservation District as an alternative to election of the directors. The Board of Supervisors has the appointing power pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 9314.... The term of office of director is four years, commencing November 2020. In order to be considered for appointment, any applicant must be an owner of land or a designated agent of a landowner in the district, must reside in the district, and be a registered voter (Public Resources Code Section 9352). NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN THAT the Board of Supervisors may appoint persons to fill the positions up to 60 days after the expiration of the term. WITHIN FIFTEEN (15) WORKING DAYS FROM THE POSTING OF THIS NOTICE, ANY PERSON INTERESTED IN BEING CONSIDERED should file in writing with the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors, 1115 Truxtun Avenue, Fifth Floor, Bakersfield, California, an application identifying the particular Resource Conservation District Board on which he or she would like to serve, name, address, telephone number, resume of work and education experience demonstrating an interest in soil and water conservation, a brief statement of other qualifications, and a statement that he or she is a landowner or designated agent of a landowner and resides in the district. KATHLEEN KRAUSE CLERK OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ___________/s/ Kathleen Krause_____ Date of Posting: 10/5/2020 10/23/2020 First Floor Eastern Kern County RCD 1115 Truxtun Avenue via e-mail: [email protected] Bakersfield, CA 93301 and Beale Memorial Library 701 Truxtun Avenue Bakersfield, CA 93301