29th Annual Meeting and Symposium of the
Desert Tortoise Council, February 20-23, 2004
Abstracts

Wilderness Restoration and Inholding Acquisition in the Bureau of Land Management's California Desert Conservation Area: Implications for Desert Tortoise Habitat

Chris Roholt
California Desert District, Bureau of Land Management, 22835 Calle San Juan De Los Lagos, Moreno Valley CA 92553-9046

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) manages 3.7 million acres of wilderness in the California Desert Conservation Area (CDCA), 630,000 acres (17%) of which is desert tortoise critical habitat (DTCH). Some vehicle ways within wilderness have been treated to create a "visual barrier" and thus reduce the frequency of vehicle incursions. Examples of treatments will be shown. As part of the implementation process for the California Desert Protection Act of 1994, the BLM has acquired approximately 200,000 acres of lands from willing sellers. About 46,000 acres (23%) of the acquired lands are in DTCH. Such consolidation of ownership makes management of both public and private lands more efficient and reduces the incidence of developments in wilderness areas and DTCH.