July 23, 2001

Memorandum

To: California Desert Managers Group

California Desert Managers Group Interagency Working Group Team Leaders

From: Executive Coordinator, California Desert Managers Group

DOD Coordinator, California Desert Managers Group

Subject: June 20-21, 2001 California Desert Managers Group Meeting
Summary

Attached is a summary of the California Desert Managers Group meeting
conducted June 20-21, 2001 in Palm Springs, CA. All handouts referred to
in the meeting summary can be found on the DMG website at
[www.dmg.gov](http://www.dmg.gov/). Please review these items and
contact either John Hamill (760-255-8888) or Clarence Everly
(760-255-8896), if you have any changes.

Please follow through on any assignments or actions items for which you
are responsible.

cc DMG Interested Parties

Attachment

# 

# Desert Mangers Group Meeting

**June 20-21, 2001**

**Palm Springs, California**

1.  **Paleontological and Cultural Resources in the California desert.**

The Paleontology and Cultural Resources Work Group (PACRAT) sponsored a
discussion of paleontological and cultural resources in the California
desert. Dr. Kathleen Springer summarized paleontological research in the
California Desert and collections at the San Bernardino Museum. Amy
Gileath discussed rock art at China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station. Ted
Faye discussed a proposed documentary of the history of Death Valley.
Dr. Lowell Bean discussed the ethnohistory and ethnography of the
California Desert Indians. An overview of the history of Lake Cahuilla
and cultural resources in the area was provided by Dr. Jerry Schaefer.
These presentations concluded that the California desert is rich in
paleontological and cultural resources, but these resources are
threatened by neglect, vandalism, natural decay, and a lack of resources
needed for proper management.

2.  **Millenium Conference**.

> Over 250 people attended the Millenium conference in Barstow on May
> 9-12, 2001. The response to the conference was very positive and there
> have been 61 requests to hold a follow-up conference in the near
> future.

3.  **Managers Panel.**

> A panel of desert managers who attended the Millenium conference
> discussed management and protection of paleontological/cultural
> resources in the California deserts. Panel participants included Greg
> Thomsen (moderator), Molly Brady, Richard Wood, Jim Kenna and Art
> Gleason. Observations and recommendations of the panelists and the
> Managers included:

-   Cultural and paleo resources are non-renewable and rapidly
    disappearing. Action is needed quickly to preserve/protect what is
    left.

-   There is a reluctance to share cultural resource information.
    However, people only love and protect things they know about.
    Information of paleo/cultural resources needs to be shared in order
    to protect resources better.

-   Managers have a major obligation to tell the cultural resource
    story. Cultural/paleo resources should be managed for conservation,
    research, and public values.

-   Cultural resources need to be managed from a landscape perspective.
    There is a need to overcome jurisdictional and mission lines to be
    effective and tell the entire story.

-   Few people are aware of the ongoing research efforts and information
    available concerning paleo/cultural resources in the California
    desert. The Millenium conference should be held routinely. It may be
    advantageous to sponsor mini events and/or to conduct local
    workshops to identify the resources each jurisdiction manages.

-   Need to pursue a strategy for funding cultural/paleo resource
    management. Must look to develop alternative sources of funding to
    accomplish cultural resources goals, including developing
    partnerships and collaborating with non-profits.

-   Managers need to accelerate inventory and analysis, summarize the
    gray literature, and articulate a long-term strategy/protection plan
    for paleo/cultural resources (including the need for landscape
    scale, cross- jurisdictional management). It will be important to
    get the public and community leaders actively involved. (Note: These
    items are already a component of the DMG 5-Year Plan)

-   Many cultural resource experts will be retiring in the near future.
    Managers should place a priority on recruitment and replacement of
    cultural resource specialists currently working in the desert.

-   The Millenium conference proceedings should be put on the web and
    made available to the public.

-   Desert users who have a large impact on resources should be the
    target of interpretive programs.

-   Small exhibits should be placed in desert visitor centers.

-   Abandoned mines should be addressed from a regional perspective
    i.e., how do we manage them, what are their significance, are they
    safe, how do we protect sensitive species.

-   Effective videos should be developed to address education of the
    public.

-   The development of shared databases should be evaluated.

-   Need to address how to get Section110 work done and pass on the cost
    of Section 106 work to customers.

-   Heritage tourism should be oriented towards resource appreciation.
    This must be managed very carefully so we don't "love the resources
    to death."

-   The DMG should seek funding for a project to articulate the history
    of the military in the desert.

4.  **CHRIS GIS**. John Thomas provided the DMG with a demonstration of
    the California Historic Resource Information System GIS, which was
    piloted in the Mojave Desert. Clarence Everly discussed an Issue
    Paper related to implementation and support of the system (see
    www.dmg.gov).

## 

## DMG Update

-   The Managers agreed to consider making staff available to serve as
    Chair/Vice Chair of the DIRT, Science, and Overflight Work Groups.
    Clarence Everly offered to have his new GIS analyst serve as vice
    chair of the Data Management Work Group.

-   The DMG Dump and Restoration Coordinator Position was recently
    advertised and will be open until July 17, 2001.

-   A copy of the final spatial data standards was distributed (see
    www.dmg.gov). Clarence Everly also reminded the managers to provide
    a copy of five (5) corporate data sets to his office by July 20,
    2001.

-   Clarence agreed to check on the status of the Lancaster Visitor
    Center map.

5.  **FY 01 Project Review and Update**

-   The preliminary results of desert tortoise monitoring yielded low
    numbers in many areas. This will necessitate increasing the number
    of transects next year at a higher cost. Phil Medica will develop an
    FY 02 work plan for consideration by the DMG at the next meeting.

#### Phil Medica agreed to follow up with USGS reference completion of the Raven/Desert Tortoise Study status.

#### Phil Medica is planning to hold a MOGTAC meeting at the end of summer.

#### The FWS and DOD recommended establishing a management group to oversee the implementation of tortoise studies related to the Redlands Grant.

-   The Illegal Dump Clean up effort was on track albeit slightly
    delayed until ESA consultation is completed.

-   The FY 01 budget and Illegal Dump Prevention Plan was approved by
    the DMG (see www.dmg.gov).

-   The DMG approved hiring a seasonal employee to populate the dump
    database.

-   The Burro Management Program is on track (see www.dmg.gov).

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-   The proposed actions identified in the June 19, 2001 Issue Paper re:
    the CHRIS GIS were accepted by the DMG (see www.dmg.gov).

-   Due to a lack of funding and staff there was no field work planned
    re: the Desert Water Study.

-   BLM (Molly Brady) agreed to give MAGTFTC a full briefing on the
    Cadiz Project.

-   Knox Mellon indicated that funding for maintenance of the Mojave
    Desert Historic Resources GIS (MDHRGIS) for at least a two (2) year
    period is in the State's FY 01/02 budget.

6.  **Work Group Reports**

-   **Overflight Work Group** -- The overflight work group is addressing
    three issues: development of an overflight brochure, development of
    protocols for downed aircraft and a discussion of overflight issues
    related to Anza Borrego State Park and bighorn sheep (see
    www.dmg.gov). There will be reports on these items at the September
    meeting.

##### DIRT -- The DIRT's recommendations to enhance the DMG website were approved by the DMG (see www.dmg.gov). The DMG logo style guide will be finalized soon and made available on the DMG website. The DIRT agreed to go back and provide a more detailed presentation and recommendations on whether the DMG should trademark the DMG logo.

-   **Law Enforcement** -- The LE Group is meeting once again after a
    long hiatus and is refocusing on the tasks in the 5 year plan. There
    has been substantial progress on the tasks in the 5-Year Plan,
    working outside the DMG LE Group.

7.  **DMG/Cal Desert White Paper --** This item focused on the June 9,
    2001 DMG White Paper authored by John Hamill --copy available on the
    DMG Website at [www.dmg.gov](http://www.dmg.gov/).

-   DOD identified a variety of issues with the White Paper. DOD members
    of the DMG objected that the document cover included the DMG logo
    indicating that it was approved by the DMG (when, in fact, the DMG
    did not approve the document). DOD members have objections too
    material in the document. Hamill agreed not to put the DMG logo on
    documents until they are approved by the DMG.

-   MAGTFTC believes the white paper violates Principles A. and F. of
    the DMG Charter. DoD land management plans do not mandate
    conservation of endangered species -- the Sikes Act says DOD may not
    write plans that would impact the military's ability to conduct its
    mission. DOD members also stated they were not given sufficient time
    to properly staff and provide comments on the draft White Paper.

-   DOD members of the DMG believe the White Paper implies that land
    management and land use decisions would be made by the public or by
    committees.

### DOD members were unsure what the DMG could add to the current process for land management plan development.

### The DMG requested Phil Medica develop a list of actions that DMG agencies could take to recover the desert tortoise in a coordinated manner. 

### The DMG established an ad hoc group that, by the next DMG meeting, will assess the long and short term needs of the DMG and evaluate the concepts presented in the White Paper. The review should address specific near term, mid term, and long term tasks that can be accomplished by the DMG both collaboratively and as individual agencies. Members of the work group will include Mary Martin, John O'Gara, Ray Bransfield, Bob Williams, Tim Salt, Clarence Everly and John Hamill. 

# Improving the Effectiveness of the DMG \-- This item focused on the June 11, 2001 report "Improving the Effectiveness of the DMG." Copy available at [**www.dmg.gov**](http://www.dmg.gov/).

## The report generated a spirited discussion of the DOI coordinators and each agency's expectations for the DMG, staff and budget support for DMG activities, prioritization of DMG activities, the need for several of the work groups, and DMG work vs. agency work, among other topics.

-   The DMG agreed to have a professionally facilitated meeting in
    September to explore these issues in depth and develop
    recommendations for consideration by agency executives.

8.  **Next meetings**

-   The next DMG meeting will be September 19-20, 2001 in Riverside. The
    second day of the meeting will be the Annual Executive Coordination
    meeting. Tim Salt will coordinate the meeting.

-   The Winter DMG meeting will be 12-13 December 2001 at Death Valley.
    JT Reynolds will coordinate the meeting.