• As described in the Management Plan, staff continue to convert specific roads to non-motorized trails. These will become part of the Alabama Hills Trail on the east side of Movie Flat. Currently .3 miles have been converted. During the month of February, .7 miles will be converted for a total of 1 mile. Staff will re-vegetate these areas with native plants and seed in the coming months. 
• Volunteers are needed to improve the Alabama Hills trail for the first week of March, weather pending. The trail received substantial damage from hurricane Hilary. Email pgross@blm.gov or ashley@esiaonline.org to sign up. 
• In February the BLM will start work on making the mining adits in the Chicken Ranch area safer for bats and humans by installing bat gates and using foam or other methods to block smaller adits. There will be one day of helicopter use and occasional short road closures at Chicken Ranch while the work is being done. 
• The Whitney Portal Road detour remains in effect. Trailers and large RVs continue to detour to Lubken Canyon Road. 
• As a reminder, camping agreements are live. Agreements are free and do not guarantee a campsite- all camping is first come, first serve. This is an acknowledgment that campers understand the rules and guidance for designated camping. To get an agreement, please visit the webpage or talk with a ranger in the Alabama Hills. 
• Staff have been working hard to clean out fire rings, collect trash, monitor camping behavior, update signs, and educate visitors about the importance of Leave No Trace. 
• ESIA’s interpretive specialist has been compiling photos of wildlife in the Alabama Hills. Do you have an interesting sighting? Email Ashley at ashley@esiaonline.org 

Past BLM-Sponsored 

January 14 – From the Ground UP, interpretive walk 

• The BLM Recreation Department has 5 permanent and 4 seasonal recreation team members that patrol the Alabama Hills and other BLM-managed lands. 1 law enforcement officer provides patrol of the Alabama Hills and the rest of the field office. Other field office staff support as needed.  
• ESIA has Ashley as an Interpretive Specialist working with the BLM patrolling the Alabama Hills 2-3 days per week. ESIA also has a Lead Naturalist, Ellie, who will host interpretive programs in the Hills in February. 
• Death Valley is staffing the Eastern Sierra Visitor Center with a returning seasonal employee starting late November and a second seasonal employee starting mid December. One of these staff is funded by the BLM. These staff will also assist with interpretive events.