Take Action For Special Places in the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument!
Jenny Creek in the CSNM. Credit: BLM OR & WA
We all have our favorite special places in the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument. From old-growth forests to butterfly meadows to trout creeks, there are undoubtedly wonderful places that are close to each of our hearts. A handful of these special places are known as Areas of Critical Environmental Concern, or "ACECs", with the management goal to conserve the unique qualities on which rare plant and animal species rely.
Currently, Moon Prairie, Tunnel Creek, Jenny Creek, Lost Lake, and Old Baldy are all recognized for their unique biodiversity and protected as ACECs within the Monument. To its credit, the BLM is considering adding Cottonwood Glades and Mariposa Lily as new ACECs, but they are also proposing to eliminate all five existing ACECs, and no one in the agency seems to know why. The BLM's own ACEC analysis indicates that these areas are special and benefit from the ACEC designation.