Come on,

there’s a whole

big world out there...

Take it Outside!

The New Carissa’s 

Last Stand

A Swan Song to Heavy Metal Oregon’s Weed Threat When Vegetation Attacks PLUS!Ed Shepard’s Favorite 

Ice Cream Flavor... FBMS Comes to the BLM

Revealed here for (Finally! Read Why...)

the very first time! Archaeologists “Step In” a Prehistoric Discovery Ancient Coprolite Secret?

THE BLM MEETS GIDDYUP, PA’DNER! BLM RETIREES CAUTION!

BIGFOOT – AND LET’S HEAD TO THE SET SAIL FOR A DON’T LET THIS 

HE’S FRIENDLY! DISTRICT ROUNDUP 3-HOUR TOUR! HAPPEN TO YOU!

PAGE 5 PAGE 10 PAGE 23 PAGE 24
2

Because I’m continually looking 

for ways to improve the effectiveness using feedback from the entire staff. 

of the BLM’s two-way communication Our Communications team even 

W

- whether it’s among our staff or with held a contest to name our magazine. 

elcome to our first issue the public we serve. I was absolutely thrilled to see over 

of Northwest Passage, And one idea seemed to rise up 60 outstanding submissions, any of 

the Bureau of Land repeatedly from across the entire which would have served us well.

Management Magazine for Oregon and BLM. We in the Northwest have our And after creating this high-gloss, 

Washington. own story to tell. A story in which newsstand-style magazine, we took 

Earlier this year, the Bureau of each of us plays an active role. our passion for sustainability one 

Land Management (BLM) came As the writers of our story, we’d step further. We will be publishing 

together to participate in a community like to share it, both with ourselves Northwest Passage using the latest in 

self-survey where we asked our staff and our many neighbors. online visual technology.

their opinion on a few questions. So with that I’m very pleased Who says the government can’t 

Well, a lot of questions. to introduce Northwest Passage, lead the pack sometimes?

We know working for the BLM a magazine by and for the people Well, that’s enough from me. 

is a life of public service and wanted who work, live, and travel on the We’ve got a number of interesting and 

to check in with our folks to see how majestic public lands of Oregon and funny articles, events, and profiles in 

they view their role within the BLM’s Washington. this issue. And the pictures - well, 

mission. And we got some feedback. This magazine tells our story in our they show us what’s to love about the 

Well, a lot of feedback. own words and with our own photos BLM in the Pacific Northwest.

Great feedback. illustrating how we care for the public 

We heard back on a number of lands each and every day. Let’s read.

topics that are as important to me as Just how did we put Northwest 

they are to our constituents in Oregon Passage together, you say?

and Washington. Well, in a spirit of sustainability, 

And one of the most frequent and our own staff developed the entire 

positive responses we heard was that magazine to guarantee that we will 

folks at the BLM are very interested maintain and publish it bimonthly Edward W. Shepard

in communication. going forward. State Director

This subject? We took the photos, wrote the Oregon/Washington 

It grabbed my attention. articles, and laid out the magazine Bureau of Land Management

O p - “ E d ”
Sep/Oct 3

2008

Features

The New Carissa’s Last Stand 14 

by Michael Campbell & Megan Harper

Noxious Weeds and Invasive Plants and Harmful Vegetation, Oh My! 16

by Maya Fuller

FBMS Comes to the BLM! 18

by Pam Robbins

Archeologists “Step In” an Ancient Discovery 20

by Matt Christenson

 Departments

 OP - “Ed” 2 Contributors 4 

 Byways 5 Public Lands Live 6 

 OurSpace 8 District RoundUp 10

BLM Pioneers 23 BackCountry 24

Contents
4

Take it Outside!

Vo l u m e 1 , Issue 1

WWW.BLM.GOV/OR

Ed Shepard / publisher

Jody Weil / editorial director

Matt Christenson / editor & designer

Teddi Duling / copy editor

contributors

Michael Campbell, Matt Christenson, 

Teddi Duling, Maya Fuller, David 

Garcia, Bob Hall, Megan Harper, Trish 

Hogervorst, Doug Huntington, Pam 

Robbins, Scott Stoffel, Maria Thi Mai, 

Chuck Wassinger, Mark Wilkening

photographers

Michael Campbell, Matt Christenson, 

John Craig, David Garcia & the United 

States Coast Guard

contact

Northwest Passage is a publication of

Bureau of Land Management

Oregon State Office

333 SW 1st Ave

6th Floor

Portland, OR 97204

503.808.6035

or_northwest_passage@blm.gov

mission

The BLM’s mission is to sustain the 

health, diversity, and productivity of the 

public lands for the use and enjoyment 

of present and future generations. In 

Oregon and Washington, the BLM 

provides innovative leadership in 

managing natural resources of the 

Pacific Northwest.

Contributors

u v w 

y x 

u Michael Campbell is the w Public Affairs Specialist Pam 

Associate Deputy State Director Robbins is a riddle wrapped in a 

for the Office of Communications. mystery inside one of those 3-D 

(whew!) In addition to having the longest pictures where you can’t see what’s 

job title ever at the BLM, Michael also has going on unless you stare at it for an 

the grooviest lemon-lime H.R. Giger techno- eternity trying to look through the 

chair in the State Office. When visiting picture and relax your eyes. How 

Portland, check in with Michael to get the can you have sharp eyes if you “relax your 

lowdown on the best food carts. But then eyes?” No wonder those things disappeared 

again, Michael’s a mountain climber renowned with the 90s. Anyway, Pam turns a sharp 

for his adventurous spirit. So if it doesn’t eye to “final drafts” of many BLM commukill you, it only makes you stronger. Right? nication materials, and we’re lucky to have 

Right?! Oh, and it seems some old shipwreck her. She drew the short straw and got to write 

is being carted off for scrap (Page 14). about our new financial system (Page 18).

v Maya Fuller has over 10 years x Writer/Editor Matt Christenson 

experience working in Public Affairs. loves writing about himself in the 

Writing, editing, coordinating with any third person. Loves it! He also cherishes 

manner of media outlet, Maya does it all. puppies and kittens and embraces the entire 

And if you haven’t turned in your BLM Facts musical catalog of Mr. Lee Greenwood. 

to her by the time this issue goes to print, Chances are, if there’s something in Northwest 

well...let’s just say we wouldn’t want to be Passage that you don’t like, Matt’s probably 

you. In addition, Maya and her husband can to blame. In this photo, he’s doing a little 

be found at many local concerts hobnobbing light reading...of the Dictionary! That’s 

with rockstars. With that amount of cool right, the Dictionary. No big deal. Matt 

cache, it’s no wonder Maya can make even contributed an article on prehistoric poo 

the topic of weeds fascinating (Page 16). (Page 20). It’s better than it sounds.

y Public Affairs Specialist Megan Harper hails from Coos Bay, Oregon. When 

she’s not working with producers from Oregon Public Broadcasting and reporters from the Associated 

Press, she’s inundated by Matt’s all-too-frequent requests for help. Can’t he figure it out himself? 

Seriously, maybe just for once? The sections in the New Carissa article (Page 14) that you love? 

Megan's. The rest? Michael’s. Be prepared – he may try to tell you it's the opposite. But at least now 

you've been warned. 
Sep/Oct 5

2008

Byways

“Am I really 

supposed to 

believe in 

Sasquatch?”

“Hmph,” he 

snorted at me.

“You can see 

my photo 

right there, 

can’t you?”

Did you know the BLM has 

hired Bigfoot? It’s true. He 

works as a Natural Resource 

Specialist in Roseburg.

Kinda makes sense when you 

think about it. We’ve got Bigfoot 

outdoors on our amazing BLM public 

lands. What better place for one of 

the most elusive cryptozoological 

creatures ever to be seen (or not 

seen?) in the Pacific Northwest.

Sasquatch (known by the Oregon 

DMV as “Rex McGraw”) took time 

out of his busy day catching salmon 

(he prefers ‘em sauted in butter over a 

bed of rice pilaf) to update me on his 

latest news - to include community 

service efforts to assist his most 

needy constituents - celebrities!

Matt: So how did you happen 

to run into Ed Shepard, 

State Director for Oregon/

Washington BLM?

Sasquatch: [Removes his 

sunglasses] Okay, funny story. 

I was just back in town after a 

meeting with Bobby De Niro and 

Brangelina for this new Sasquatch 

movie, and my good friend Megan 

called me up and said Ed would 

like to meet me. I had a day off 

before I had to fly down to LA to see 

Quentin so I thought, hey, why not.

Matt: How long have you 

lived the life of Bigfoot.

Sasquatch: [Squints at me] Yeah... 

It’s actually Sasquatch.

Matt: Oh. Sorry.

Sasquatch: Uh huh. Thanks for 

trying to remember that. Anyway, 

I guess I started to inhabit this 

“Rex McGraw” dude’s body 

about five years ago. Before that, 

I was a bunch of other people.

Matt: Wow. So in addition 

to your acting work...

Sasquatch: “Thespian,” please...

Matt: [scratches head] Right... 

In addition to your, um, 

“thespian” work, what other 

services do you provide?

Sasquatch: I like to offer people 

who visit BLM lands their very 

own “Sasquatch Sighting.” 

And with all the pictures, I know 

how to deal with the paparazzi. I 

even called Britney to offer my help, 

but she kept bugging me to write 

some songs for her new album.

And I tell ya, man - that kind 

of publicity, I don’t need.

In a pinch Sasquatch said he can 

also fill in for Star Wars’ Chewbacca. 

PHOTO BY MOTHRA

Are you getting this, George Lucas?

Interview with the Sasquatch

by Matt “Anne Rice” Christenson

...No jokes, please.
6

Seriously. Go ahead and try to 

explain that to a kid in school. 

We’ll wait. 

Back already? 

Good. Just because it’s September 

already doesn’t mean you shouldn’t 

get out and make the most of our 

remaining summer days. Or heck, 

get even more psyched because we’re 

at the start of our world-famous 

Pacific Northwest fall.

So what’s to do, what’s to do....

On Saturday, September 27,

each of the ten BLM Districts 

across Oregon and Washington 

will participate in the 15th Annual 

National Public Lands Day!

In what has become the largest 

Pick up trash or take a chemistry quiz?

Not even a question, dude.

volunteer hands-on effort of its 

kind, participants from around the 

nation come together and lend a 

hand to improve the very lands on 

which they hike, bike, climb, fish, 

swim, explore, picnic, or just plain 

relax. 

T-shirts, lunches, and educational 

activities are provided for volunteers 

ranging from Girl Scouts and senior 

citizens to members of Congress 

and kids in school! And the BLM 

provides all necessary tools, safety 

equipment, and materials.

Why not join the fun?

For the latest details about these 

activities and to find a National 

Public Lands Day location nearest 

you, visit publiclandsday.com or 

blm.gov/or.

Oh yeah! It’s 

time for our 2008 

National Public 

Lands Day!

Don’t knock it, man. 

It beats being in school...

PHOTOS BY BLM STAFF

Can summer 

really be over!? 

(Well, summer’s 

not officially over 

until September 

22nd - but you try 

explaining that 

to a kid back in 

school.)

Public Lands Live!
Sep/Oct 7

2008

Now let’s say just for kicks that you wanted to check out some fun activities 

for the family that take place outside of BLM Lands. (We know, we know, 

this is more of an intellectual exercise than anything else.) But what if 

you wanted to see what else was out there. Is there anything else to do in Oregon 

and Washington? Is there!? You bet.

[ 08/30/08 - 10/31/08 ]

U THE MAIZE AT THE 

PUMPKIN PATCH

Two words. Corn Maze. Two 

more words. Family Entertainment. 

Even two more words. The Shining. 

Wait. Scratch those last two.

Celebrating its 10th year, the 

“Maize” (ha! get it?) at the Pumpkin 

Patch will be hosting its annual fall 

“maze” on Sauvie Island.

Located ten miles west of Portland 

just over the brand-new Sauvie 

Island Bridge lies a five-acre corn 

field labyrinth posing a challenge to 

family members of all ages.

And if you’re feeling especially 

daring, try one of their “Field of 

Screams” events where they turn the 

maze into a quasi-haunted house.

 But, um, sorry, Homer Simpson - 

you can’t eat your way out.

16525 NW Gillihan Road, 

Portland, OR 97231, Free - $10; for 

information, directions, and tickets, 

visit portlandmaze.com.

[ 11/15/08 - 11/30/08 ]

U DREAM WEAVER:

THE BAMBOO ART OF 

JIRO YONEZAWA

“Dreeeeam Weeeaveer...”

(sorry - you were thinkin’ it, too)

Okay, at the BLM, we talk about 

sustainability. Now what if our art 

could be as sustainable as our care 

for the public lands? Hmm...

 Japan’s Jiro Yonezawa shows us 

how. Some of his finest pieces of 

bamboo art will be on display for 

a two-week exhibition at Portland’s 

world-famous Japanese Garden.

Bamboo, known for its highly 

sustainable nature, is frequently 

used in gardens and architecture 

throughout Japan. And now artist 

Yonezawa will demonstrate how 

bamboo can also be used to create 

breathtaking, sustainable sculpture. 

611 S.W. Kingston Avenue, 

Portland, OR 97231, $5.25 - $8; for 

information, directions, and tickets, 

visit japanesegarden.com.

[ 10/04/08 - 01/11/09 ]

U WILD BEAUTY: PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE COLUMBIA 

GORGE, 1867–1957

Gorgeous Gorge!

No, not the wrassler, “Gorgeous George.” We’re talking about 250 photographs 

taken between 1867(!) and 1957 which come together to document the historic 

transformation of the Columbia Gorge.

It’s a time-travelin’ exhibit showing us all the fascinating changes to the Gorge 

from the era of the horse and buggy to rock ‘n’ roll and the ‘57 Chevy...

And now you can view this progression of almost 100 years over the course of 

a single afternoon just by taking a stroll around the Portland Art Museum.

(psst...we hear they have lots of pretty paintings and sculptures too...) 

Portland Art Museum, 1219 SW Park Avenue, Portland, OR 97205, $9 - $10; 

for information, directions, and tickets, visit portlandartmuseum.org.

Public Lands Live!
8

“ W h a t w a s 

t h e m o s t 

m e m o r a b l e 

p a r t o f t h e 

trip?”

“ H o n e s t l y ? 

P r o b a b l y t h e 

Ice Cream.”

“ I c e C r e a m ? 

W h a t I c e 

Cream?”

PHOTOS BY BLM STAFF

Butte Falls Blowdown 

BLM Staffer Rhondalyn Darnell wins a Field Trip

with OR/WA State Director, Ed Shepard

Rhondalyn laughs a little. She 

looks off to the side remembering her trip. 

“Well, after our group visited five 

blowdown sites and spent the whole 

day hiking under the sun, it got 

pretty hot. So a few people said they 

felt like ice cream. So there we all 

were, 30 miles from Medford, sitting 

at a parlor in this little town eating 

homemade ice cream.”

I’m afraid I can’t offer her a scoop 

of Rocky Road, but I’m happy to sit 

down and speak with Rhondalyn 

Darnell, one of BLM’s newest 

employees who joined the staff as 

a supervisor in the Data Records 

Section back in January.

And while she was attending 

OurSpace

a three-day orientation course, 

Rhondalyn participated in a bunch 

of friendly competitions with her 

fellow new BLM employees vying 

for prizes like coffee mugs, posters, 

and books. 

Rhondalyn can’t claim to 

winning a new coffee mug or poster 

for her cubicle, but she said that’s all 

right with her. She won the Grand 

Prize instead. 

“I won the chance to go on a 

‘Field Trip with the State Director’ 

and could choose to join him on any 

visit he was taking to a field site.” 

Really, I ask? “I didn’t even own 

hiking boots,” Rhondalyn laughs. 

“I bought a pair for the trip!”

One pair of hiking boots later, 

The State Director Field Team inspects blowdowns: trees fell by storms
Sep/Oct 9

2008

Rhondalyn found herself in a plane 

flying down to the Medford District 

to view a number of blowdown sites 

with OR/WA BLM State Director 

Ed Shepard and his 

staff.

When I asked 

what the trip was 

like, Rhondalyn 

told me “Ed is very 

down to earth.” 

Going further, she 

said, “And I think the trip is a good 

idea and should really be promoted 

across all BLM states. It’s a great 

learning experience, and you can 

really understand what the State 

Director does and how the other 

offices are set up.”

Now that she’s back from the 

field, does Rhondalyn think she’ll 

be using her new hiking boots again 

anytime soon?

“Maybe. But one hobby I’m 

totally engaged in is Tea Hosting. 

I bring out my nice linen and tea 

sets, and our parties are usually 

held about four times a year. Tea is 

my drink of choice, and I’m trying 

to bring back some of that classic 

elegance.”

Tea hosting? Sounds wonderful. 

But could I get a hot fudge 

banana split instead?

Rhondalyn Darnell was interviewed 

by Matt Christenson who rates his 

OR/WA BLM State Director a very 

close second to mint chocolate chip.

One hobby I’m 

totally engaged in 

is Tea Hosting.”

Nothing, he says?! I’m sitting 

down with Don Ehrich 

who submitted the winning 

name, Northwest Passage, selected by 

the entire OR/WA BLM staff as the 

official title of their magazine.

Matt: So where’d you come up 

with the name, Northwest Passage?

Don: Free form. It just came to 

me. It incorporated the whole state 

and put it into a historical context. 

Matt: But don’t you think 

The Meadow m

 might have 

been a much better name?

Don: No, I really don’t. I 

wanted something that painted 

a big picture. The Meadow

develops a strong image, but it’s 

very specific. And it’s small. 

Matt: How confident were you 

that your name would be chosen 

– especially with stiff competition 

from names like The Meadow?

Don: [Laughs] Probably about 25 

percent. But I was sad when the 

competition closed because I still 

had a bunch more names to send.

Matt: Will you give copies of 

the mag to your family and 

friends to put on their fridges?

Don: Of course! By the way, 

I’ll need an extra 50 copies. I 

heard Oprah’s calling me.

Matt: Do you think you’ll actually 

read the magazine or will you just 

admire your name on its cover?

Don: Oh yes, I can’t wait to read it.

Matt: Cool, thanks for talking 

with me! And thanks for coming 

up with such an incredible, creative 

magazine name like The Meadow!

Don: Um, the name of the 

magazine is Northwest Passage.

Matt: What’s that now?

Don Ehrich, Maintenance Manager 

for Oregon/Washington is a very, very 

good sport.

m The name submitted by Matt Christenson, 

Editor of The Meadow Northwest Passage.

Maintenance Manager Don Ehrich

Named this very magazine you’re reading!

OurSpace

“AH, IT WAS NOTHING”
10

District

Welcome, 

Welcome!

Join u s for a 

t rek acros s the 

BL M Di st r icts 

of Oregon/

Washington!

Coos Bay, OR

• Coos Bay and the American 

Rhododendron Society have joined 

forces to restore the O.H. Hinsdale 

Rhododendron Garden on Spruce 

Reach Island. This garden contains 

over 400 unique rhododendrons - 

some of which are over 100 years 

old and 40 feet tall! An Oregon Field 

Guide program on both the garden 

and O.H. Hinsdale will air on Oregon 

Public Broadcasting later this fall. 

• Coos Bay, the U.S. Forest 

Service, and the State of Oregon 

continue to battle Sudden Oak Death 

in Curry County. Sudden Oak Death 

was first observed in Curry County 

in 2001, and the state declared it a 

quarantine area in 2004. The BLM 

has already treated 163 acres by piling 

and burning infected and live host 

species. 

• Tsalila (pronounced sa-LEE-la) 

is a special event held annually in 

Reedsport that connects people with 

the history and environment of the 

Umpqua River watershed. Over 3,000 

students and teachers will attend the 

education days from September 23 

through 25. An evening festival will 

be held September 25 from 4-7 p.m. 

Join in for fish printing, Kids Craft 

Corner, and games. Lots of end of 

summer fun!

• Coos Bay’s National Public 

Lands Day volunteer event will be 

held September 27 at 9 a.m. on the 

EUGENE, OR

• The new Eugene District 

office is rapidly taking shape. The 

office will be located in Springfield, 

approximately five miles east of our 

existing office. The BLM will share 

its new facility with the Willamette 

National Forest Supervisors Office, the 

Oregon National Guard, and Reserve 

units from the Marines and Navy. 

The building will have many joint-use 

areas including, meeting/classrooms, 

locker/shower rooms, break rooms, a 

fitness center and an assembly hall/

gymnasium. The BLM and the U.S. 

Forest Service will share the front 

desk/reception area, dispatch center, 

warehouse and telecommunications. 

The move-in date is scheduled for 

early 2009.

• Eugene has entered into 

a partnership with several local 

organizations to get kids excited about 

nature. The partners are planning a fall 

event to bring author Martin LeBlanc 

to Eugene to speak on “Nature Deficit 

Disorder” in youngsters. LeBlanc is 

a Board Member of the Children and 

Nature Network.

North Spit of Coos Bay. Volunteers 

will help pick up trash along the beach 

and pull noxious weeds. T-shirts, 

hats, and a delicious free lunch await 

those who participate! 

DISTRICTS UP CLOSE:

From Top Left:

Oregon Public Broadcasting 

sets up a shot with help from the 

BLM; Eugenites of all ages make 

the grade on National Public 

Lands Day; Hearts melt at the 

sight of Butter the Mustang; 

The BLM measures an itty-bitty 

bat’s fangs...now who wants a 

kiss? 
Sep/Oct 11

2008

PHOTOS BY SCOTT STOFFEL & BLM STAFF

Round-Up

Lakeview, OR

• The Klamath Falls Resource 

Area and Klamath County 4-H 

Equestrian Clubs recently presented 

local residents Katy Coleman, 

Courtney Fujishin, and Sarah Kellom 

with equestrian scholarships to further 

their college education.

Funding for this program comes in 

partnership with the BLM from a wild 

horse raffle. This year’s promotional 

horse, appropriately named Butter, 

melted the hearts of everyone who 

met her including her new owner, 

Tonie Kellom.

The 2008 event generated $1,115, 

and a total of $12,590 has been raised 

to provide 17 scholarships over the 

last 10 years.

• The 2007 National Interagency 

Service First Award went to Teresa 

Harshman-Ward. She was recognized 

by both the Department of the Interior 

and the Department of Agriculture 

for increasing operational efficiencies 

and improving customer service 

for the Lakeview District BLM and 

Fremont-Winema National Forests. 

Harshman-Ward is acknowledged as a 

leader and subject matter expert who 

personifies Service First! 

• For the last three months, Glenn 

Lorton and his summer field crew 

have assumed a nocturnal existence 

- ironically to shed light on our 

understanding of the characteristics 

and habits of a mammal whose 

intentions are often misunderstood. 

Glenn and his crew trekked across 

the high desert and conifer forests 

of eastern Oregon to monitor and 

inventory bats. Yes, bats! During this 

summer, they captured and released 

hundreds of bats through the use of 

mist nets stretched across bodies 

of water. In accordance with strict 

protocols, they gathered information 

from each animal and entered it into 

an interagency database for use by 

wildlife biologists to track colony 

distribution and population trends. 

On August 25, the crew completed 

their summer’s work having developed 

a deep affinity for their fellow 

creatures of the night. They anxiously 

anticipate their return to the field next 

season, when they can continue their 

mission of furthering everyone’s 

understanding of the important role 

bats play in a healthy ecosystem.

• West Eugene Wetlands hosts 

its fifth consecutive National Public 

Lands Day on Saturday, September 

27. The event is co-sponsored by the 

Willamette Resources Education 

Network and more than 50 volunteers 

are expected to participate. 

Participants will remove invasive/

non-native plants from the Stewart 

Pond site. In addition, the volunteers 

will repair a wildlife viewing blind at 

the site. National Public Lands Day at 

the Wetlands is a successful method 

of bringing people together to make a 

difference on their public lands. 
12

District Roseburg, OR

• September 20, 2008 is the date 

when supporters of Douglas County’s 

annual Umpqua River Clean Up Day 

will once again comb the banks of 

the Umpqua and other regional rivers 

to collect and dispose of thousands 

of pounds of trash. The BLM will 

provide trash bags and gloves for the 

event. For more general information, 

contact the Umpqua River Clean Up 

Committee at (541) 679-7077.

• This year’s National Public 

Lands Day celebration in the 

Roseburg District will take place 

from 9 a.m. to noon on September 

27, 2008. Members of the general 

public, including local scout troops 

and campground hosts, will assist 

the BLM in upgrading campsites 

at the Susan Creek Campground. 

Campground improvements planned 

for Public Lands Day will make 

selected sites accessible to visitors 

using wheelchairs and those with 

other mobility impairments. Lunch 

will be provided to all participants.

• This is the first full year of 

widespread deployment of automated 

smoke detectors in Douglas County. 

These automated detectors save lives 

and dollars by detecting flames well 

before they become raging wildfires. 

The detection cameras are operated 

and monitored by the Douglas Fire 

Protection Agency under contract to 

the BLM and other local landowners.

Salem, OR

• When the lamp at Yaquina 

Head Lighthouse was first lit at 7:25 

p.m. on August 20, 1873, it illuminated 

an important link along Oregon’s 

maritime highway to nighttime 

traffic. On August 20, the Lighthouse 

celebrated its 135th anniversary of 

the lighting of the Yaquina Head with 

BLM staff dressed in period costumes 

and providing evening tours of the 

Lighthouse.

• As the cost of fuel continues to 

climb, the by-products of logging have 

gained economic value. Salem BLM’s 

Horning Seed Orchard recently cut out 

or “rogued” 1200 genetically deficient 

conifer trees to prevent their pollen 

from contaminating adjacent desirable 

trees. Because of the low economic 

value of grafted trees - especially 

those in an open grown orchard 

situation - the Salem District evaluated 

a number of options for removal of 

the trees. The BLM negotiated with 

But Wait!

There’s more...

...more great 

news from 

around the 

Districts!

DISTRICTS UP CLOSE:

From Top Left:

There’s gold in them thar’ streams...at 

Medford’s Public Lands Day; 

Yaquina Head Lighthouse BLM 

staffers take a trip back in time; Old 

trees can help provide new energy; 

Today’s students are tomorrow’s BLM 

superstars; The National Historic 

Oregon Trail Interpretive Center 

delights vistors of all ages
Sep/Oct 13

2008

PHOTOS BY TRISH HOGERVORST & BLM STAFF

Round-Up Freres Lumber Co. to dispose of the 

trees and turn them, branches and all, 

into clean energy production. Freres 

then uses the steam from this energy 

production for dry veneering their 

produce at the mill. The Salem BLM 

has already been approached by other 

contractors to purchase logging slash 

from completed timber sales.

• Last spring, the Salem District 

leadership team invited Mario Magana, 

Associate Professor and 4-H Regional 

Educator at Oregon State University, 

to share his Hispanic recruitment 

efforts. Mario sets up summer 4-H 

camps for elementary, middle school, 

and high school Hispanic youth to 

increase their interest in careers in 

natural resource management. This 

summer, Salem BLM hired two high 

school graduates, Ariz Magana and 

Miguel Comache, who have been 

working with specialists throughout 

the district while learning about 

the many opportunities in natural 

resource management. Both students 

plan to attend OSU this fall.

Vale, OR

• September 2008 marks the 

20th anniversary of the Trout Creek 

Working Group. This group was 

formed by concerned citizens over 

management of the Trout Creek 

Mountains. Working to establish 

trust, a common vision and goals, 

and a willingness to listen to each 

other’s point of view has ultimately 

resulted in improved conditions on 

the ground. The Trout Creek Working 

Group continues to provide a positive 

example of community collaboration 

and a willingness to share the lessons 

learned with the rest of the West and 

communities throughout the world.

• On September 13, the Vale 

District will host a very special 

National Public Lands Day event. 

More than 40 volunteers are expected 

to participate. The public will explore 

several lava tube caves. Tours will 

be family friendly and focus on 

cave-related environmental education 

(geology, wildlife, and cave safety). 

Experienced cavers will map and 

inventory caves in the Jordan Craters 

lava flow. A chuckwagon dinner 

will be provided to all volunteers at 

the Birch Creek Historic Ranch that 

evening. Contact Dave Draheim for 

more information at (541) 473-3144

• And two weeks later, Vale’s 

official National Public Lands Day 

event will bring together volunteers 

from local communities around 

Eastern Oregon to work on projects 

at the National Historic Oregon Trail 

Interpretive Center on September 27. 

More than 60 volunteers are expected 

to participate in repairing gravel 

walking trails. Lunch for volunteers 

will be provided by Trail Tenders 

who are serving chili (vegetarian 

and non-vegetarian) and corn bread. 

Musicians will play during lunch. 

Goodie bags will be made available 

to all volunteers at the end of the day. 

For further information, contact Sarah 

LeCompte (541) 523-1256. 
14

“No me rc y, 

no powe r 

but it s ow n 

controls it.”

— Herman Mellville,

 Moby Dick

“Pa nt i n g 

a nd snor t i n g 

l i ke a m ad 

bat t le s teed 

t h at h a s los t 

it s r ide r...” 

Nature watches helplessly as the New Carissa runs aground.

The New Carissa’s Last Stand

Nothing could be truer for the 

New Carissa and its nearly 

10-year relationship with the 

Oregon Coast, the BLM, and a body of 

water that always gets its way. 

It was February 4, 1999, to be exact, 

when the New Carissa ran aground. 

A tempestuous nautical relationship 

with the sagebrush-oriented BLM 

began when the wood carrying, bulk 

cargo ship went aground on Coos 

Bay’s North Spit. Wind and waves 

from the storm caused the ship to 

drag anchor and run aground on the 

beach just north of the entrance to the 

bay. Within days, cracks developed in 

the New Carissa’s hull, and the vessel 

began leaking oil. 

Even though some of the ship’s 

tar-like “bunker” fuel was burned off 

before too much of it could leak, the 

ship lost at least 70,000 gallons into 

the environment. 

Salvage operators and the U.S. 

Coast Guard struggled for weeks to 

tow its bow section out to sea. Not to 

be defeated, the ship broke free of its 

story by mICHAEL cAMPBELL & mEGAN hARPER
Sep/Oct 15

2008

PHOTOS BY MICHAEL CAMPBELL & UNITED STATES COAST GUARD

tow in another storm and washed back 

onto the beach near Waldport, Oregon. 

The New Carissa had enough of the 

seas and was determined to stay on 

dry land. 

The stern section of the vessel has 

remained stranded in the surf near 

Coos Bay lo these many years. But, 

true to New Carissa’s history, it’s not 

the end of the story. Work is underway 

to restore the environment damaged 

during the oil spill and clean up the 

ship’s remains. 

In July of 2007, the Confederated 

Tribes of Siletz Indians took title to 

nearly 3,900 acres of Oregon Coast 

Range forest, as a result of the Oil 

Pollution Act. The New Carissa Oil 

Spill Natural Resource Trustees, 

with the BLM as the lead, jointly 

announced the land purchase and 

future management plans to benefit the 

marbled murrelet seabird population 

damaged by the oil spill. The Siletz 

Tribe will manage the coastal forest 

parcel under a legally binding 

conservation easement developed 

with the natural resource trustees. 

Also in 2007, the State of Oregon 

(namely the Oregon Department 

of State Lands who has overall 

jurisdiction over the New Carissa) 

contracted with Titan Maritime, a 

world leader in marine salvage, to 

remove New Carissa’s stern section 

from the North Spit. Titan prepared a 

technologically awesome shipwreck 

removal plan that involves using two 

barges positioned adjacent to the 

wreck to pull and cut the wreckage 

out of the sand. 

The onshore staging area and 

primary access to this spot is located 

on public lands administered by none 

other than the BLM. The Bureau has 

partnered with the State and Titan 

to provide free passage to hikers, 

equestrians, and dune buggies so the 

public may witness the engineering 

feat that is this removal process. 

Titan’s efforts began in earnest 

in March 2008, and will likely be 

complete by October of this year. 

Want to see 

additional 

photos & learn 

more about the 

wreck of the 

New Carissa?

Check Out: 

oregon.gov/dsl/lw/ncar.shtml

Eventually in March 

1999, the bow section 

was refloated, 

towed to sea, and 

ultimately sunk by a 

U.S. Navy torpedo. 

Continued on page 22

Down by the seaside, the last remains of the 

New Carissa are broken down and removed.
16

What’s up 

with all 

the weeds

infesting 

millions

of acres in 

Oregon?

Like something that’s stepped of 

the science fiction classic, The 

Day of the Triffids, Oregon’s 

rampant vegetation is seemingly taking 

over landscapes, driving away native 

wildlife, and making everyone from 

ranchers to botanists to fishermen just 

a little nervous. 

What can be done about this 

invasive foliage before its populations 

grow to overwhelming numbers?

Weeds infest an estimated 6.4 

million acres across public lands in 

Oregon and Washington. And this 

figure has been increasing at 10 to 

15 percent per year. These plants are 

considered invasive because they are 

not native to Oregon and because they 

spread rapidly. 

In eastern Oregon, plants with 

creative names like yellow starthistle, 

perennial pepperweed, and medusa 

head are known to poison livestock, 

increase the frequency and intensity 

of wildfire, and displace native 

vegetation. 

They attach themselves 

to the tires of our cars 

or to our clothes or just 

float through the air. 

OH MY!

Noxious WeedS & 

INVASIVE PLANTS & 

HARMFUL VEGETATION...

Tires can easily pick up and carry a q
Sep/Oct 17

2008

For more information, please visit 

the VegEIS Project website at: 

blm.gov.or/plans/vegtreatmentseis

Other vegetation like Himalayan 

blackberry, scotch broom, and 

japanese knotweed are examples 

of plants that threaten the west side 

of the state - dominating riparian 

habitats, degrading water quality, and 

competing with trees and forage plants 

that are important to fish, wildlife and 

endangered species. 

To address this issue, the Bureau 

of Land Management (BLM) is 

undergoing a planning effort to 

analyze the effects of herbicide use 

on Oregon’s BLM lands as one of 

its many tools to control noxious 

weeds, invasive plants, and other 

weeds. The plan, titled Vegetation 

Treatments Using Herbicides on 

BLM Lands in Oregon Environmental 

Impact Statement (EIS), will focus 

on the effects of updating the list of 

herbicides available for use in Oregon. 

However, the EIS will not evaluate 

the use of herbicides for commercial 

timber enhancement or livestock 

production. 

The challenge with many of these 

menacing invaders is that there is no 

perfect methodology for eradication. 

The BLM already uses techniques 

like burning, digging, mowing, 

and pulling whenever possible. 

Unfortunately, with some species 

these are not effective strategies. With 

more problematic varieties, often the 

only effective technique is to use 

herbicides. 

Currently, Oregon BLM uses only 

four of the 18 herbicides that have 

been approved for use on BLM lands 

nationally. The Oregon Vegetation 

Treatments EIS is being prepared 

in part to respond to a 1984/87 U.S. 

District Court injunction, and also 

because 14 of the herbicides would be 

new to BLM lands in Oregon.

The BLM’s overall objective is to 

see if a broader array of herbicides 

that are more target-specific and more 

effective at controlling noxious weeds, 

invasive plants, and other weeds could 

be safer and more effective than the 

current system. Used in combination 

with other management practices, 

additional herbicide treatments may 

slow the spread of noxious weeds 

and invasive plants, which in turn 

helps restore ecosystem health and 

watershed functions.

The BLM manages over 15 million 

acres of public lands in Oregon and 

currently treats approximately 22,000 

acres of designated noxious weeds 

each year. Of those 22,000 acres, 

approximately 12,000 acres are treated 

with herbicides and the remaining 

10,000 acres are treated mechanically, 

manually, with biocontrols, and with 

other non-herbicide methods. The 

BLM scoping period to study the 

impact of additional herbicides ended 

July 28, 2008. Work has begun on the 

Draft EIS which will be available in 

May 2009. 

 It’s not just their names that 

are frightening. These species can 

disrupt entire ecosystems. Some have 

the power to destroy entire forests 

while others can convert grasslands 

into deserts with no value to animals 

or humans. Given this level of threat, 

inaction is not an option.

The BLM, steward of our nation’s 

public lands, will continue to test and 

explore additional methods to protect 

and improve this landscape for the use 

and enjoyment of all Oregonians for 

years to come.

Noxious weeds. 

Invasive plants. 

Something called 

“medusa head?!” 

PHOTOS BY JOHN CRAIG

story by maya fuller

quiet but dangerous passenger.

Invasive plants - pretty but may

impact the local environment.
18

Psst...what’s 

a four-letter 

word (okay, 

acronym)

that touches 

the work 

of BLM 

employees 

everywhere?

And what’s a synonym for the 

biggest thing to happen to the 

business of BLM in years? 

How do you spell the solution to 

streamlining the Bureau of Land 

Management’s accounting processes 

and making progress towards a 

Department-wide budget integration? 

There’s no need to puzzle over 

these things. It’s the same answer for 

all three! 

FBMS is the word of the day, 

and it stands for the Financial and 

Business Management System. It 

is the framework adopted for the 

entire Department of the Interior to 

consolidate its financial management 

functions into one manageable 

corporate system. 

The BLM has been preparing for 

this big transition for three years. The 

first phase required us to help create a 

“Business Blueprint” that detailed the 

scope for BLM and identified what 

we would need in Reports, Interfaces, 

Conversions, Enhancements and 

Forms (RICEF). 

In the second phase, the FBMS 

system built the BLM’s RICEF 

framework, identified impacts to 

the organization, and tested system 

integration. Once that was finished, 

BLM began to convert data from 

e x i s t i n g 

systems into FBMS 

and doing system testing, end-user 

training, and launching a Help Desk 

for final preparation. Now we’re 

on the verge of working in the new 

system. Perfect timing for the BLM, 

since many of our old systems no 

longer have software support.

By aligning this business 

management data into a common 

and comprehensive network, the 

Department of the Interior will be 

well on its way to standardizing the 

financial side of the house. 

There are many advantages 

that come with having a consistent 

technology platform and common 

business processes:

• It will provide a long life-cycle 

system that has upgradable 

components.

• The new security and internal 

controls will bring agencies into 

legal and policy compliance. 

When the FBMS 

system is deployed 

Department-wide, 

almost 100 bureauspecific or separate or 

duplicative financial 

systems will be 

eliminated. 

story by Pam Robbins

newsflash!

fbms 

comes to 

blm

BLM’s Financial 

System *BEFORE* 

implementing FBMS

Note: Artist’s Interpretation
Sep/Oct 19

2008

PHOTOS BY BLM STAFF

• U s e r s 

only need a 

single log-in to access 

the system, and the combined 

data reduces administrative tasks.

• With consistent, shared tools 

that operate on the same 

platform, we can stabilize 

operations and control 

maintenance costs.

• Business processes across the 

Department of the Interior will 

“speak the same language” 

to make it easier to get 

information – or to find and 

correct discrepancies. 

• Better cost and performance 

information will be available 

for managers at Bureau and 

Departmental levels.

• There will be enhanced 

capability to create and 

produce reports in less time, 

with less effort, and with more 

flexibility in scope and depth.

Because the BLM is larger and has 

more complex business applications 

than some sister agencies, the 

transition will have a big impact. 

There will be a “black-out” period for 

most financial transactions beginning 

in fiscal year 2009 while data is 

moved over from the old systems into 

FBMS. It will take longer than the 

usual fiscal year changeover to assure 

that all information is captured in the 

new formats and fully functional.

Key users have completed “data 

cleansing” to make sure the systems 

are compatible and done mock 

conversions to assure that no financial 

data is compromised as it moves into 

the production environment. 

Employees have gotten new 

organization codes (without even 

having to change offices!), and 

are composing new passwords for 

logging into essential systems (that 

are harder for others to “hack” – and 

for employees to remember). 

The “Go-live” date is November 

10, 2008, for the National Operations 

Center (NOC). They will migrate 

data from Personnel Payroll 

Systems, Personal Property and 

Fleet Management, E-Gov Travel 

and FedConnect for eCommerce, and 

launch the FBMS functions already in 

use in the Department. 

Then the NOC will reconcile BLM 

data and enter all pending transactions 

from the black-out period. 

When that’s successfully completed, 

BLM Field Offices will be able to enter 

and monitor financial transactions in 

a real-time environment. It will give 

us a Far Better Measure of Success!

You can learn more 

about FBMS at the 

DOI website: 

www.doi.gov/fbms/

And BLM Employees 

can explore further on 

the web at: 

teamspace/sites/

fbms/pub/Pages/

default.aspx

BLM’s Financial 

System *AFTER* 

implementing FBMS

We’re as ready 

as ever for the 

“Go-live” date.

Note: Artist’s Interpretation

a new 

financial 

system 

for blm
20

Archaeologists 

from the 

University of 

Oregon have 

a brand new 

checklist for 

their field trips. 

Fedora? 

Check. 

Bullwhip? 

Got it. 

Poop stick? 

Yep. 

Wait, what...?

I

t’s true. Our most learned 

academics and scientists are 

now carrying a little something 

extra to clean off the bottom of their 

shoes.

Dr. Dennis Jenkins, archaeological 

field school director for the University 

of Oregon’s Museum of Natural 

and Cultural History, had a major 

announcement this April. 

His team discovered coprolites 

containing human DNA dated over 

14,000 years old. 

The team of archaeologists made 

this historic finding during field 

research at the Paisley Caves – an area 

administered by the Bureau of Land 

Management (BLM) located within 

the Summer Lake Basin near Paisley, 

Oregon. 

And thanks to Federal Antiquities 

Poop? This ain’t poop. 

This here’s “coprolite.”

permits provided in partnership by 

the BLM Lakeview District, Dr. 

Jenkins’ discovery now makes this 

site home to the earliest known 

residents of North America – over one 

thousand years older than the Clovis 

culture previously established in New 

Mexico.

Go ahead and congratulate Dr. 

Jenkins. Just be sure to wash your 

hands afterwards.

Coprolite is a fancy word for 

fossilized feces. So maybe the next 

time your dog poops on the neighbors’ 

lawn, you can tell them you’re just 

PHOTOS BY BLM STAFF

Archaeologists “Step In” an Ancient Discovery

story by Matt Christenson
Sep/Oct 21

2008

To Read More,

P B S i n t e r v i e w e d 

Dr. Dennis Jenkins:

pbs.org/newshour/bb/science/

jan-june08/firstamerican_06-30.html

turning their hedgerow into a famous 

future archaeological dig. And gosh, 

you’d sure love to pick up your dog’s 

poop – ahem, your dog’s “coprolites” 

– but you’d hate to deny scientists in 

the next millennia all that wonderful 

research.

Researchers are realizing that 

coprolites are jam-packed with 

information and offer science more 

than just their basic age. (Yes, 

someone has to carbon date them. 

Makes your job look pretty sweet 

right now, eh?) These fossils also 

provide a fascinating look into the 

DNA and genetic make-up of the 

earliest humans. 

Dr. Jenkins has been able to identify 

DNA characteristics which indicate 

that the Paisley Caves coprolites 

came from early Native Americans. 

And this genetic code shares many 

similarities with ancient groups 

from Eastern Asia – thus giving a 

level of credence to the premise that 

prehistoric humans traveled to the 

Americas via a land bridge from Asia 

across the Bering Sea.

In addition to our American 

ancestors’ genetic material, we can 

Honey, I’m tired of 

squirrel. Can we send 

out for chipmunk?

also study their diet in the coprolites. 

From their now famous samples, Dr. 

Jenkins’ team has identified remnants 

of grouse, chipmunk, lizards, and fish. 

And they’ve also detected a number 

of wild greens that grew outside the 

Paisley Caves. 

Not exactly haute cuisine, but you 

have to remember they couldn’t get 

good cell phone coverage back in 

those days when they wanted to order 

a pizza.

Instead Dr. Jenkins’ dietary findings 

suggest these early humans were 

likely hunter-gatherers who traveled 

frequently, eating local grains and 

grasses along with small animals they 

could easily capture.

Then they took shelter in caves – 

to, um, “take a break.”

Because the Paisley Caves are 

located on public lands, these fossils 

have received the protection and 

oversight of BLM management. This 

land was freely used by its inhabitants 

14,000 years ago, and it continues 

to be used and studied by the public 

today. 

Who knows what future discoveries 

may bring. Indigenous toenail 

clippings? A prehistoric sneezed-in 

leaf fossil? The possibilities are 

endless!

“It is thrilling that America’s 

public lands have revealed such a 

significant link to our past,” said 

Shirley Gammon, BLM Lakeview 

District Manager. “We look forward 

to continuing our partnership with Dr. 

Jenkins and the University of Oregon 

in further research and protection of 

this once in a lifetime discovery.” 

Land of the People 

for over 14,000 years 

– and counting

Thrilling? A Once in a Lifetime 

Discovery? Oh, yes. Never have 

coprolites been so newsworthy – but 

don’t expect to see them on display in 

your local museum any time soon.

l

Wait a minute...what’s 

that you’re holding?

Future “Indiana Joneses” from

the University of Oregon!
22

The New 

Carissa’s 

main cargo?

Wood Chips.

It could carr y 

over sixteen 

thousand tons 

- making it 

a prett y big 

“Chip Ship.”

While there have been some 

choppy waters over the last 10 years, 

this chapter in the land-lovin’ BLM’s 

relationship with the sea is rapidly 

coming to a close. 

So, if you haven’t made it down 

to witness the New Carissa, your 

window is quickly coming to a close. 

Very soon all that will be left are the 

The New Carissa’s Last Stand

Continued from Page 15

not-so-unfamiliar stories and pictures 

of a ship’s long standing battle with the 

sea.

In their article, Michael Campbell’s 

and Megan Harper’s thinly veiled 

reference to Led Zeppelin packs 

almost as much heavy metal as 

the hull of the New Carissa itself.

(Yes, you can roll your eyes now.)

Farewell, but not Goodbye

July 3, 2008

Jean Findley, Vale

Roger Crisafi, Prineville

John Dinwiddie, Medford

July 31, 2008

Linda Younger, Lakeview (K-Falls)

Constance George, Vale

John Jurica, Salem

August 1, 2008

Jack Wenderoth, Vale

James Brende, Coos Bay

August 2, 2008

Nancy Albertson, Lakeview

Ron Halvorson, Prineville

August 30, 2008

Paul Fredericks, Oregon State Office

Alan Munhall, Lakeview

Kim Duering, Vale

August 31, 2008

Ron Fritsch, Spokane

BLM Pioneers

The BLM thanks 

our Oregon & 

Washington retirees 

for their years of 

public service!

They are outta here!

BLM Retirees are

takin’ a ride!

The BLM salutes its recent retirees!
Sep/Oct 23

2008

PHOTOS BY CHUCK WASSINGER

BLM Pioneers

During the week of July 14th, 

over 40 Retirees and Friends 

spent a day and one half 

learning about programs and activities 

on the Coos Bay District. 

On the first day, we visited the 

Dean Creek Elk Viewing Area and the 

Hinsdale Rhododendron Garden near 

Reedsport. We discussed the status 

of these sites and future management 

challenges. Later that morning, we 

toured the Umpqua Discovery Center 

and learned about the District’s 

partnership efforts in development for 

the community history and cultural 

center at Reedsport. And after a lunch 

catered by the Alder Smokehouse (yes, 

food is always important), we toured 

Coos Bay on the “Betty Key” where 

we learned about the geology of the 

bay, the present economic base of the 

area, and a proposed liquid natural gas 

plant to be sited on the North Spit.

The next morning, we traveled 

to the North Spit where we boarded 

dunebuggys and toured the removal 

site for the remains of the New Carissa 

which ran aground during a 1999 

storm. We discussed salvage of the 

New Carissa, the status of the Snowy 

Plovers, and recreation challenges on 

the North Spit. 

Later, we toured the Southport Mill 

on the bayside of the North Spit to see 

an example of a highly automated 

lumber operation. We were all 

impressed with the small number 

of employees it takes to run such a 

modern mill. 

We then boarded the “big yellow 

school bus” and made our way to 

Coquille Indian Tribal Plankhouse 

on Cape Arago, where we had lunch 

with tribal leaders and discussed 

their future management plans and 

on-going cooperative efforts with the 

Coos Bay District. 

On behalf of the BLM Retirees and 

Friends, I want to thank Mark Johnson 

and all the employees of the Coos Bay 

District for all their hard work to put 

together this outstanding event.

Chuck Wassinger

President

OR/WA BLM Retirees

Speaking of 

Retirees...

We’ve got an 

update from 

the OR/WA 

BLM Retirees 

Association!

The food and tribal 

hospitality were exceptional 

and a fitting end to a great 

tour of Coos Bay.

BLM Retirees and Friends Summer Tour of the Coos Bay District

Psst...want to join or 

contribute to the OR/

WA BLM Retirees?

Just contact:

cwassinger@hotmail.com
Sep/Oct 24

2008

BackCountry

“Say Cheese!”

Ever happened to you? a killer Evel Knievel wheelie. email your submission to us here at 

You put your rig in park. At that point, you might as well do or_northwest_passage@blm.gov.

Maybe go grab yourself a as this gent did. Stand tall, smile for We’ll run our favorite in the 

cup of coffee. And you were only the camera, and say, “Cheese!” Nov/Dec 2008 Issue of Northwest 

gone a minute when... So what do you think really Passage with the winning caption 

Next thing you know, your happened here? How’d he get out of receiving...wait for it...wait for it....

picture gets emailed to everyone in it? Think you can come up with a almost there...a sweet gift card!

your department - or, in this case, funny caption? Think you can win? We do, too.

splashed across the backcover of our Northwest Passage is having a Thanks for reading, everybody. 

new Bureau of Land Management contest for the funniest caption to We’ll see you back here in about 

Magazine for Oregon/Washington, describe this photo. Just sixty days. 

Northwest Passage - 

showing you’re the 

kinda person 

who knows 

how to 

pop 

PHOTO BY BLM STAFF

Psst...Got an idea for a story? A picture for the Backpage? Want to be interviewed for YourSpace? 

Please send all ideas, requests, pictures, articles, and events to: or_northwest_passage@blm.gov. 

We want your ideas, input, and direction!