February 6, 2020  |   

Friends of Joshua Tree supports Friends of The Inyo in this latest development on the Sierra Eastside; a collaborative effort between outdoor recreation advocates and land managers (in this case BLM) to create a more sustainable framework for camping, climbing and hiking in the newly designated Alabama Hills National Scenic Area. 

After a decade long effort to gain protection for the Alabama Hills, Friends of the Inyo alongside the Alabama Hills Stewardship Group (AHSG) and countless other partners, helped pass the John D. Dingell Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act (The Dingell Act) which designated the Alabama Hills a National Scenic Area. With this victory comes the opportunity for the public to help decide the future of the Alabama Hills. The Dingell Act requires the Bishop BLM Field Office to build a management plan for the Alabama Hills that will “conserve, protect, and enhance the nationally significant scenic, cultural, geological, educational, biological, historical, recreational, cinematographic, and scientific resources of the Scenic Area.”

In Nov. 2019, Bishop BLM initiated the scoping process for the new implementation plan. This allowed the public to provide initial ideas on future activities in the Alabama Hills such as camping, toilets, OHV roads, climbing, and much more. Friends of the Inyo submitted scoping comments which can be read here. This comment period closed December 23rd.

In the Spring, Bishop BLM will release a draft implementation plan. This will provide a great opportunity for the public to review the draft plan and submit comments suggesting changes and/or supporting elements of the plan. This will be a 30-day comment period. Stay tuned for an action alert from Friends of the Inyo once the draft plan is released. Alternatively, you can track the release of the document at the BLM E-Planning site linked here. Please contact FOTI’s Desert Lands Organizer, Bryan Hatchell, with any questions you may have at bryan@friendsoftheinyo.org