What's New November, 2005

Volunteers Needed in the Dunes

As you are aware, delisting the Peirson's milk vetch is a top priority in our fight to regain access to the temporarily closured areas.

The ASA would like to extend our sincerest thanks to the great volunteers that stepped forward this past weekend. They gave up a day of riding to make a difference. We all owe them a debt of gratitude.

We will again need volunteers December 16 through the 20th to help in the studies conducted by Art Phillips, PhD.

We all know the plant is not threatened and believe Dr. Phillip's studies will bear this out. It is our intent to use his research to help delist the plant.

Please step up and help us in that fight. If you have a buggy that can help transport Dr. Phillips and his associates and know you how to count, please see THIS PAGE for the days and times we need you. We can't do it without YOU.

It is an interesting day and you will come away with a new appreciation for what sand dunes are all about.

ASA November Newsletter

Learn all about Sand Sport activities. Did you get your copy via US MAIL? If not click on this link to see the electronic version posted on the ASA website

Fee Update by the Imperial County Sheriff

Unfortunately the ICSO program is not moving along as wells as had been anticipated. It is our understanding that the BLM and ICSO have recently met to identify the steps that can be taken to improve the availability of passes. Fee collection is up over last year, but there are a few unexpected delays. Click on this link to learn more. As additional info is available it will be provided. Call 760 339 6303 to order your pass.

ASA Goes to SEMA

Thanks to Board Member Mike Sommer, Media Affairs Chairman five ASA business sponsors were invited to join Sand Sports Magazine to display their sand cars at one of the most prestigious auto shows around. Click on this link to learn more

Arizona Sand Expo

Volunteers are needed to help man the ASA booth at the Expo December 9, 10 & 11 at the Arizona State Fair Grounds in Phoenix. Click on this link to learn more. http://www.arizonasandexpo.com/
Please contact Bob Mason at 602 818 1748 or rwmskm@cox.net to schedule your 4 hour shift and earn your ASA Bucks.

Tatum Give A Way Car Schedule

Shelly Sanuik and Kevin Ethington owners of KS Sand Flags have demonstrated their support for ASA in a big way. They have displayed the ASA give a way car at Buttercup on many holiday weekends. Their contribution will continue this season. Stop by their vending booth and thank them when you buy your tickets.

LITTER Education Program - TRASH will equal CLOSURE - Take your trash HOME

Dune closure is threatened if litter management is not improved. The dunes MUST be LITTER FREE. Ravens and coyotes are predators of the Desert Tortoise. The dumpsters are feeding grounds for ravens and coyotes. The Biological Opinion issued by the USFWS requires that BLM
provide dumpsters and they must be raven and coyote proof.

All trash on the ground must be immediately removed -- day and night.

Education efforts over the past summer by the ASA, UDG, and the BLM have helped but BLM continues to struggle to effectively manage the trash issues. They have received several comments and suggestions from the Dunes Technical Review Team (TRT) on how to improve the
situation. BLM has taken these comments and made several modifications to the trash contract. The limiting factor is funding.

Fees cover the cost of the trash service, now about $300,000 per season. Additional dumpsters have been delivered and additional service trips ordered. On Sunday of Veteran's Weekend, there were no overflowing trash dumpsters for the first time this season. If the trash bins are full or overflowing, please take your trash home.

Trash on the ground = dunes closed. More trash service = higher fees.

LEO THE LIZARD Says "Report Litter Bugs"

"Leo the Lizard" plans to get around visiting everyone!
You will see "Leo" everywhere!
Welcome "Leo" into your camp!

Leo the Lizard has a New Ride!

Keep your eye out for Leo. He may pull into your camp and offer you a litter bag. Thanks to the efforts of Tim Gantz of http://glamisweather.com/ and a Sunrise Ford Ranger donated by FUNCO Motorsports, Leo has become much more visible. Join Tim's "Dunes Outreach Team." Help Tim and Leo by hauling your trash HOME.

Leo Goes to Washington

BLM and ASA delivered a Leo Banner to BLM Director Kathleen Clarke in Washington, DC on November 1. Bill Woody, BLM Director of Law Enforcement and Security invited Stephen Razo, BLM CA Desert District External Affairs Director and ASA Chairman Bob Mason to speak at the Western States Sheriff's Summit about the Imperial Sand Dunes Public Awareness programs. Click on this link to learn more.

Where to Get Your Leo Litter Bags

Bags are available at the dunes at many locations. BLM ranger station, vendors, south dunes camp host, Glamis Beach Store, Pair A Dice and several UDG businesses. Get a bag and pack your trash HOME.

Judge Illston Remains Silent

At this point all we can say is no news is good news. We do not have a clue. It is her prerogative to delay the ruling. Our case is strong. BLM is preparing to implement the Recreation Area Management Plan if the Judge rules in our favor. ASA is prepared to take legal action if the Judge does not support the US Fish and Wildlife no jeopardy biological opinion. In any event, please continue to honor the closures until they are officially reopened.

United Desert Gateway Newspaper

UDG has published a Welcome newspaper. Ask for a copy at a business in El Centro, Brawley, Westmorland, or Yuma. Many dune vendors have it as well. The newsletters are also being stuffed in the "Duners Survival Checkered Bags" to be distributed by our members at the dunes. Pick up some bags at Mama Jeanne's Pizza Place above the Glamis Beach Store to pass out both in camp and around your campsite. Help Inform, Unite and Mobilize others.

Weekend Warrior Recognized

At their meeting in San Diego on 10/22/05 the ASA Board recognized the support of Weekend Warrior during the past two years. Click on this link to learn more.

OHMVR Audit

The results of some very aggressive efforts by the ASA, ORBA and SDORC that began over 1 year ago to have the California State Auditors Office audit the OHMVR Fund are finally here. After presenting the various facts and inconsistencies to, and with the help of, Sen. Bill Morrow, this audit was approved and initiated last August. The audit was released on 8/17/05 and, in essence, states that the fund was hijacked by people that weren't interested in OHV opportunities. Click on this link to learn more.

Clean Up News

The United Desert Gateway will team up with True Excitement and KD Cycle to coordinate the annual Martin Luther King Day weekend cleanup to be held in Glamis and Buttercup on January 14, 2006. The Glamis and Buttercup cleanups, although carried out on the same day, will each have their own staging area, T-shirts, barbecue and prize drawing, Anyone interested in sponsoring or assisting with the 2006 cleanup is encouraged to visit www.glamis-cleanupup.org. For specific information on the Glamis cleanup contact Kathy Godley at kdcycle@adelphia.net or for the south dunes email Jarrod Bullard at info@trueexcitement.com.

Mini Cleanup Schedule

The next mini cleanup is scheduled for OLDS on New Year's Eve.

Membership Drive

The Top Prize winner will receive a 4-Night Stay at Terrible's Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas that includes meals and 1 night on the town with a limo! Contest officially started on Sept. 19th. We are asking our members to sign up JUST ONE family member or a friend in the ASA, that will truly help. See page 13 of the November ASA newsletter for more info.

PMV Delisting Efforts

Art Phillip's studies are finalized for this season and are used extensively in our newest delisting petition and the addendum to it.

FWS has accepted our new PMV delisting for review. That means FWS recognizes it as a legitimate petition - not that they will grant a delisting. This also means we can drop our suit challenging the denial of the first delisting petition.

They have 90 days from receipt of the petition to issue a preliminary finding as to whether or not the petition warrants further investigation and review. If so warranted, they have another 9 months to complete the review and are required to give us a final decision on the delisting. Since the Petition was logged in on 7/13/05, the preliminary finding is due 10/13/05 and final ruling is due on 7/13/06.

Our attorney is doubtful that these deadlines will be met due to the workload of FWS caused by all the litigation FWS currently faces. No formal response as of 11/17/05.

Flat-tailed horned lizard back up for listing

Due to a judge's order, the flat-tailed horned lizard will be proposed for listing again,. If recreational users want to be a part of this Endangered Species Act process, they will need to stay on top of this and engage during this process. Fish and Wildlife Service is the responsible federal agency.

The flat-tailed horned lizard is present at the ISDRA. Its not great habitat for it, but it is habitat, so it could influence management of the dunes just as the desert tortoise brought the requirement of the new dumpsters.

It could also affect the management of surrounding areas; especially by dune buggy flats since the East Mesa Lizard Management area is nearby. The West Mesa area is also a lizard management area and so is the Yuha area. Superstition and Plaster City open areas are also considered habitat.

Additionally, Ocotillo Wells State OHV Park is the research area for the lizard. The management there could be impacted.

There is a conservation strategy for the lizard and it had been used to manage the land uses to prevent the lizard from being listed. For now, the conservation strategy guides management actions for the habitat. If the lizard is listed, we would have to obtain biological opinions, etc. as required under the Endangered Species Act for some of our activities.

The judge ordered the Federal Register notice to be complete by Nov 23, the day before Thanksgiving, or soon thereafter. However, FWS may be late in doing this since the order did not give them a lot of time to pull it together.

It is clear how this could affect our activities at the ISDRA. We will need to participate in the process instead of criticizing the decision after it is made and suffering the effects.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE JUDGMENT
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE ORDER

BLM Website is back up and Running

The BLM, Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area website has been updated and is on line. Please visit http://www.ca.blm.gov/elcentro/ImperialSandDunes/index.html

Motor Sports Mania

To get a real "on the ground" education about current issues and changes in policy at the ISDRA and how the recreating public is impacted watch Motorsports Mania on TV. ASA is currently working with producer Wally Cahill to provide a website link to his weekly show. Click here for more info. www.motorsportsmania.tv

Slappy's ADOPT-A-WASH Program

OUR MISSION STATEMENT

Dedicated duners united together to protect and insure the pristine beauty of Glamis.

Dedicated lovers of Mother Glamis, let us join together to protect and insure her pristine beauty for future generations. Our duty as a member requires us to carry bags in our backpacks for trash we see in the dunes; we go out of our way to grab a cigarette butt and place it in our pocket; we pick up cans and bottles and place them in our coolers until no more can be filled; we notice and take action of caution tape tied to a bush; We work hard to clean abandoned fire pits filled with metals and glass. We walk our wash, pad, or flat before we leave with bag in hand. We are the keepers of Mother Glamis, and she is counting on us.
Use this link to learn more and to signup.

Checkered Flag Program

The ASA Checkered Flag Program (CF) is slowly but surely beginning to regain its speed and popularity. 200 Flags were dropped off at Mama Jeannie's Pizza Parlor, where they can be purchased for 5 dollars. All new and renewed supporting memberships receive a flag in their welcome kit. We are starting to get some businesses in AZ and CA willing to stock the flags and sell them; however that seems to be going a bit slower than what we would like to see.

It has been discussed (and we want to emphasize on ONLY DISCUSSED) about a design change in the CF Flags in order to make them differentiate from that of the "other" CF Flags that you may see flying around. It was been talked about putting a ASA Logo and possibly working towards creating a flag that meets the BLM requirements for the amount of red/orange content. However a design change probably will not be entertained until we get more traction in the program, and lower the number of flags that we have in stock.

An updated/corrected article is supposed to print in the Jan/Feb Issue of Sand Addiction Magazine, and sometime in the near future we hope to have a article of a similar nature printed in the Sand Sports Magazine.

In conclusion, things are looking up for the CF Program.

Onan and Others Support Litter Education

Thank you.

The American Sand Association
Unite, Inform, and Mobilize