West Mojave Plan FEIR/S - Desert Managers Group

The 1989 management plan recommended these amendments to the CDCA Plan:• Expansion of the boundary of the ACEC by 3,840 acres, and deletion of 480 acres,making the expanded ACEC 8,160 acres in size.• Withdrawal of all lands within the expanded ACEC boundary from mineral entry.• Changing the CDCA Plan multiple use class designations M to L on certain lands withinthe expanded ACEC.Barstow Woolly Sunflower (314 acres): BLM established a botanical ACEC northeastof Kramer Junction to protect the Barstow woolly sunflower. Although the area protects arelatively large population of this species, it represents only a small proportion of the overallrange, which is limited to the western Mojave Desert. The desert tortoise and Mohave groundsquirrel are also found within the ACEC. The State of California owns nine sections of land tothe east and west, which CDFG manages for protection of desert plants and animals.Bedrock Springs (785 acres): Bedrock Springs, located at the edge of the GoldenValley Wilderness, was established by the CDCA Plan to protect prehistoric values.Black Mountain (61,806 acres): The Black Mountain ACEC is one of the largest in thewestern Mojave Desert to protect the prehistoric and Native American values of this areanorthwest of Barstow. A management plan was approved in 1988. The ACEC lies entirelywithin the proposed Superior-Cronese and Fremont-Kramer DWMAs. The southeastern half iswithin the Black Mountain Wilderness. It includes critical habitat for the desert tortoise, andknown occupied habitat for the Mojave ground squirrel, LeConte’s thrasher, desert cymopterusand Barstow woolly sunflower. Nest sites are present for golden eagle and prairie falcon.Calico Early Man Site (898 acres): This National Register Property was established asan ACEC in 1980, and a management plan was prepared in 1984. The plan designated a vehicleroute network and specified ways to protect the evidence of ancient human occupation.Christmas Canyon (3,444 acres): The Christmas Canyon ACEC protects prehistoricvalues. Most of the ACEC lies within the Spangler Hills Open Area in San Bernardino County.The 1988 ACEC management plan prescribed ways that the archaeological resources could beprotected within an area open to recreational vehicle use.Cronese Basin (10,226 acres): The BLM designated the Cronese Lakes, north ofInterstate 15 between Barstow and Baker, as an ACEC to protect valuable cultural and naturalresources. Ephemeral wetlands are present on the lakes, which serve as stopover points formigratory waterbirds and nesting sites for many species during very wet years. Mesquitehummocks and desert willow washes add to the biological importance, and the dunes and sandsheets are occupied habitat for the Mojave fringe-toed lizard. The desert tortoise is found in lowdensities. A management plan was published in 1985.Chapter 3 3-4