Message from Sheldon-Hart Mtn Project Director John Kasbohm
Now that fall is in full swing, two key habitat projects are continuing across the Sheldon-Hart Mountain National Wildlife Refuge Complex. First, contract crews are completing planned treatments to remove juniper encroaching into priority sagebrush habitats important to sage grouse on both refuges. We plan to treat nearly 12,000 acres by summer 2019. These treatments follow a three phase process. Assessing site-specific habitat conditions and determining treatments needed during the summer, cutting from fall to spring, and completing follow-up treatments the next year. Follow-up may include burning of the dried, cut trees in higher density stands. Refuge and BLM fire crews will be conducting prescribed burns of juniper cut last year in the Barnhardy/Rock Creek areas on Hart Mountain throughout the winter as weather and conditions allow.
Second, staff are busy collecting local sagebrush seed from Hart Mountain that will be used to complete rehabilitation of the area that burned during the Hart Fire in July 2017. Once seed is collected, we have a contract in place with one commercial grower to grow-out seedlings next summer and with another to plant the seedlings during winter 2019-20.
Over the last month we’ve made progress advertising three of our vacant positions. Currently we’re conducting interviews to fill the Hart Mountain Refuge Manager, the Sheldon Refuge Heavy Equipment Operator and the Complex’s Invasive Species Biologist. We hope these new employees will report for duty by February 1. In addition, we’ve filled the Complex’s Wildlife Population Biologist slot by recently reassigning John Owens, our former GIS Data Manager, into the position. Once we complete the above hires and Congress passes an appropriations bill for the Fish and Wildlife Service, I’m hopeful will be able to fill our remaining vacancies–an Assistant Manager for each refuge, a Partnerships Biologist, and the GIS/Data Manager position vacated by John Owens.
Thank you for all you do for the Hart Mountain NAR! My staff and I wish you all a safe and happy holiday season.
- John Kasbohm
Sheldon-Hart Mtn Project Director
November, 2018
Second, staff are busy collecting local sagebrush seed from Hart Mountain that will be used to complete rehabilitation of the area that burned during the Hart Fire in July 2017. Once seed is collected, we have a contract in place with one commercial grower to grow-out seedlings next summer and with another to plant the seedlings during winter 2019-20.
Over the last month we’ve made progress advertising three of our vacant positions. Currently we’re conducting interviews to fill the Hart Mountain Refuge Manager, the Sheldon Refuge Heavy Equipment Operator and the Complex’s Invasive Species Biologist. We hope these new employees will report for duty by February 1. In addition, we’ve filled the Complex’s Wildlife Population Biologist slot by recently reassigning John Owens, our former GIS Data Manager, into the position. Once we complete the above hires and Congress passes an appropriations bill for the Fish and Wildlife Service, I’m hopeful will be able to fill our remaining vacancies–an Assistant Manager for each refuge, a Partnerships Biologist, and the GIS/Data Manager position vacated by John Owens.
Thank you for all you do for the Hart Mountain NAR! My staff and I wish you all a safe and happy holiday season.
- John Kasbohm
Sheldon-Hart Mtn Project Director
November, 2018