ABCs Of ACECs: B is for…Bountiful, Beautiful, and Breathtaking ACECs
This is the second installment in the “ABCs of ACECs” series! Read the first post about ACECs as the overlooked, but vital conservation tool, in case you missed it.
Did you know that there are over 1,000 of BLM’s Areas of Critical Environmental Concerns (ACECs) across 14 states? Since ACECs protect rare wildlife habitat and irreplaceable cultural resources as well as offer majestic scenic values and recreation opportunities, they are one of most beautiful and breathtaking public lands in the country. Keep scrolling to learn more about current ACECs across the West! Note: This post will be updated over the next few weeks as we continue to highlight current beautiful and breathtaking ACECs on our Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
- The Snake River ACEC in southeast Idaho is a beautiful 20,000 acre area known for it’s blue ribbon fishery and supports the largest native cutthroat trout fishery outside of Yellowstone National Park. The rich and diverse vegetation also attracts an array of 126 bird species, making it a prime resting area for neotropical migratory birds. The Snake River ACEC produces one-third of the Bald Eagles in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and supports 19 nesting territories.
2. A more recently designated ACECs is the Four Dances Natural Area ACEC in Billings, Montana, which was formally designated in 2015. Four Dances is a plateau known for its scenic values including the sandstone cliffs with a magnificent view of the Yellowstone River. Natural resources such as the raptor nesting sites on the cliffs and native sagebrush are also safeguarded in the ACEC. For the Billings community, Four Dances is a great place for unmotorized recreational activities like hiking, nature photography, and wildlife watching. The ACEC also aims to protect traditional cultural resources to surrounding Indigenous tribes, specifically the Apsáalooke (Crow Nation), and the ACEC derives its name from Apsáalooke Chief Four Dances.
3. The White Mountain Petroglyphs ACEC is located in Wyoming’s Red Desert, the largest unfenced area in the continental U.S. While this ACEC was designated by The Bureau of Land Management in 1997, the rock art upon the sandstone walls shares the stories of Native culture from over 200 years ago and continues to be a significant area for many Indigenous Tribes, including the Shoshone, Ute, and Arapaho Tribes. The rock art offers vital Traditional Ecological Knowledge and stories to pass across generations.
4. The Sacramento River Bend ACEC is composed of over 18,000 acres of public land along California’s largest river in Tehama and Shasta counties just north of Red Bluff. The ACEC offers over 17 miles of public river access and trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding amid scenic rolling hills, oak woodlands, and wetlands and along the rugged Sacramento River canyon or one of its almost equally rugged tributaries like Payne’s Creek. Fun fact: The Golden State of California champions 231 Areas of Critical Environmental Concerns — that nearly 8 million acres of protected and specially managed land!
5. The Borax Lake ACEC in Oregon is a 10-acre lake in the Alvord Desert in southeastern Oregon. The lake is fed by hot springs and surface temperatures can reach 105 degrees. Yet, the lake is home to the Borax Lake Chub, a rare fish only found in the outflows and pools of Borax Lake. The Borax Lake Chub was listed as Endangered on the federal ESA in 1980, but thanks to joint recovery efforts by the Bureau of Land Management, The Nature Conservancy, and U.S Fishery and Wildlife Service, was recovered and delisted in 2020.
6. Grapevine Mesa Joshua Tree Forest in Arizona is home to hundreds of healthy and mature eastern Joshua Trees and is the densest forest of its kind in the world. Along with the eastern Joshua trees is the yucca moth, the only moth responsible for the pollination of Joshua Tree flowers. In turn, the yucca moth’s larvae rely exclusively on the seeds of the Joshua Tree as a primary food source, creating an obligate mutualism between the two species. The 44,000 acre ACEC also includes the Grapevine Mesa Joshua Tree National Natural Landmark (NNL), which recognizes the best examples of our Nations diverse geographical and ecological features.
