On Tuesday, Jackson\u2019s decade-long odyssey was published<\/a> in \u201cThe Enduring Wild: A Journey Into California\u2019s Public Lands\u201d (Heyday), which he spent 42 months and took 32 trips, walking 400 miles through BLM lands, to write. The book is a continuation of the work he\u2019s done on his Forgotten Lands<\/a> project.<\/p>\n Josh Jackson\u2019s \u201cThe Enduring Wild\u201d published this week. <\/p>\n (Heyday Books; Asher Moss)<\/p>\n \u201cI had almost no idea what lay ahead, but I wanted to find out,\u201d Jackson wrote. \u201cIf these so-called leftover lands had a story to tell, I wanted to play a small part in telling it.\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cThe Enduring Wild\u201d is not a guidebook but rather a beautifully crafted introduction into California\u2019s 15 million(ish) acres of BLM land and how Jackson fell in love with them through his exploration of them. <\/p>\n He shares many of his adventures, highlighting experiences on BLM lands in the Mojave, Carrizo Plain National Monument<\/a>, the Borderlands, the Eastern Sierra, Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument<\/a> and the King Range National Conservation Area<\/a> where (insert longing sigh from me) you can hike along the Lost Coast<\/a>.<\/p>\n I asked Jackson if we could hike at a BLM spot near L.A., so last week, we met up at the Whitewater Preserve<\/a>, a gorgeous desert canyon where you can swim in the Whitewater River and hike along the Pacific Crest Trail and other paths through BLM land. As our feet crunched through the sandy soil, we kept pausing to stop and marvel at the surprises of the desert (and curse aloud that we couldn\u2019t spot any bighorn sheep). <\/p>\n Josh Jackson, author of \u201cThe Enduring Wild,\u201d looks for bighorn sheep often spotted in the Whitewater Preserve and surrounding BLM land.<\/p>\n (Jaclyn Cosgrove \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n I was so eager to talk to Jackson. I have long been BLM curious. I am a type B person who sometimes misses deadline because I\u2019m daydreaming about my next trip, and lately those daydreams have included what it would be like to explore remote places without official trails. But I felt intimidated to get started.<\/p>\n I asked him \u2014 for you Wilders, of course \u2014 how someone who might not be ready to navigate their own way could start exploring California\u2019s BLM lands, which vary from remote swaths of land to a national monument with a staffed office, without getting totally lost in the desert (not that anyone here has had a nightmare about that).<\/p>\n \u201cThe gateway to BLM land in California is 100% the 60-plus campgrounds<\/a>,\u201d Jackson said. \u201cThey\u2019re all first-come first-served. No reservations. They\u2019re free to $10 a night… Those are easy gateways because, by campgrounds, there\u2019s almost always trails. There\u2019s infrastructure. Almost all of them have a pit toilet and maybe a shade structure in the desert or a fire ring.\u201d <\/p>\n A refreshing swimming hole at the Whitewater Preserve.<\/p>\n (Jaclyn Cosgrove \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n Jackson also recommended for BLM newbies to go hiking at national monuments in California like Sand to Snow National Monument<\/a> where we spent the morning last week. And for any BLM land you\u2019re interested in visiting, Jackson suggests calling the field office<\/a> where staffers can answer your questions about camping spots, road conditions and trails. <\/p>\n As we hiked, I asked Jackson how he navigates the dichotomy between encouraging the general public to visit BLM lands and protecting them from getting trashed by jerky interlopers. It\u2019s a challenge that any outdoors writer, myself included, has to keep top of mind.<\/p>\n Jackson said that, for one, you won\u2019t find GPS coordinates to streams, hot springs or other natural areas in his book.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m trying to paint a picture, let\u2019s say, of the Carrizo National Plain Monument, which is 250,000 acres,\u201d he said. \u201cYes, there are some campgrounds. Yes, there are a couple of trails, but … I\u2019m trying to [show] what it feels like to be here and [show] some images I took in hopes more people will get out there and experience them for themselves.\u201d <\/p>\n The Whitewater Preserve features the Whitewater River, which starts on 11,499 foot Mount San Gorgonio <\/b>and runs 28 miles through the Coachella Valley area.<\/p>\n (Jaclyn Cosgrove \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n Our smartphones and copious number of hiking apps have made it easy to find trails near us. But, Jackson writes, one of the most fun parts of visiting BLM land is all the research you must do before arriving. <\/p>\n BLM lands offer an alternative choose-your-own-adventure experience for those willing to comb over maps and other websites, which you can find more about in Jackson\u2019s \u201cGuide for Exploration,\u201d a short chapter where he provides organizations, tips and best practices to get you started on your journey. Note: This type of information looks simple to gather, but given the rugged and sweeping nature of BLM land, it likely took hours to compile. (Thank you, Josh!)<\/p>\n The BLM land highlighted in Jackson\u2019s book was part of what was threatened<\/a> to be sold by Congress in recent weeks. Jackson writes in his book about the many threats that remain for BLM lands, including mining and overgrazing. <\/p>\n The view from a segment of the Pacific Crest Trail that passes through the Bureau of Land Management land adjacent to the Whitewater Preserve.<\/p>\n (Jaclyn Cosgrove \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n Of the 245 million acres managed by BLM, Jackson writes, only 37 million acres (15%) have been set aside for conservation. \u201cWhile I fully support the multiple-use mandate for BLM lands, and I appreciate the role that cattle, natural gas, oil, and certain minerals play in our everyday lives, I still see the pendulum swinging too far toward industry,\u201d Jackson wrote of how the BLM manages today\u2019s public lands. <\/p>\n So how can we protect these lands? Visit them. <\/p>\n Jackson writes about \u201cplace attachment\u201d theory which, to run the risk of oversimplifying it, is the concept that when we visit public land and have a memorable experience, we develop an attachment to it. And then, when it is threatened, we rally to protect it. <\/p>\n A lush path near the Whitewater Preserve visitor\u2019s center.<\/p>\n (Jaclyn Cosgrove \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n For example, at the same time that thousands flocked to the Carrizo Plain<\/a>, about three hours northwest of L.A., in 2017 to see wildflowers blanketing its landscape, President Trump ordered a review of 27 monuments, including the Carrizo Plain. Jackson writes about how the public outcry that followed \u2014 fed by people\u2019s memories of that land and its beauty \u2014 saved it from losing its monument status. <\/p>\n \u201cMy initial fascination with exploring new landscapes had deepened into a commitment to protecting all that I\u2019d experienced,\u201d Jackson wrote. \u201cIf these precarious places go unseen and unspoken, who will notice when the subtle beauties of desert, sagebrush, grasslands and remote mountains slip away under the pressure to turn places into profits? In other words, how can we protect what we don\u2019t know?\u201d <\/p>\n That sounds like a great reason for your (and my) next road trip. In the meantime, if you\u2019d like to hear me and Jackson talk about the lessons he learned in writing this book, join us<\/a> at Vroman\u2019s Bookstore in Pasadena at 7 p.m. Tuesday. I hope to see you there!<\/p>\n A western fence lizard \u2014 a.k.a. blue belly \u2014 presides over its domain from atop a stump.<\/p>\n (James Maughn)<\/p>\n 1. Learn to draw reptiles in La Puente<\/b> 2. Clean up the cove in Rancho Palos Verdes<\/b> 3. Provide habitat for monarchs in Huntington Beach<\/b> A view of the 101 Freeway and surrounding landscape from atop the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing in Agoura Hills, which is entering Stage 2 of construction.<\/p>\n (Christina House \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n It was one small step for reptile, one giant leap for the animal kingdom. Local animal rights leader Beth Pratt was showing a group around the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing when she spotted a Western fence lizard basking in the sun, about 75 feet above the traffic racing along the 101 Freeway. It seemed like just another lizard at first, given how common<\/a> they are in L.A. \u201cBut then it hit me, \u2018Wait. This lizard is on the bridge!!!!! And this is the first animal I have seen on the bridge!!!!\u2019\u201d Pratt, California regional executive director of the National Wildlife Federation<\/a>, wrote in an email. \u201cI stopped the group … and told them \u2014 \u2018You are seeing the first animal on the crossing itself.\u2019 Everyone cheered. Even the lizard seemed to know it was a special occasion. He posed for the photos I took.\u201d Times staff writer Jeanette Marantos wrote<\/a> about the moment in her latest story about the world\u2019s largest wildlife crossing, which is entering Stage 2 of construction. Spoiler alert: We\u2019re starting to see native plants grow on the bridge too!<\/p>\n Happy adventuring,<\/p>\n Great news! The state of California will provide $6.75 million to continue financing the California State Library Parks Pass program, which allows library card holders to check out park passes that cover vehicle day-use entry to more than 200 participating state parks. Gov. Gavin Newsom\u2019s proposed budget originally<\/a> didn\u2019t include money for the program, which launched in 2021 with an aim of lowering the cost of entry to our state public lands. More than 8,000 Californians signed<\/a> a petition demanding the program be saved. In celebration of that success, head over to your favorite library, including L.A. Public Library<\/a> and L.A. County Public Library<\/a> branches, to see if they have a park pass waiting for you.<\/p>\n For more insider tips on Southern California\u2019s beaches, trails and parks, check out past editions of The Wild<\/a>. And to view this newsletter in your browser, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
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3 things to do
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L.A. County Department of Parks and Recreation will host a free nature-focused art class from 6 to 7 p.m. Saturday at San Gabriel River Park (255 S. San Fidel Ave. in La Puente). Students will observe what\u2019s around them and draw, paint or used mixed-media techniques to create artwork. This month\u2019s class focuses on reptiles. Artists of all skill levels ages 8 and older are welcome. Materials are provided. Learn more at the park\u2019s Instagram page<\/a>.<\/p>\n
The Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy needs volunteers to plant native plants and remove weeds from 9:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Saturday at Abalone Cove Park (5970 Palos Verdes Drive S in Rancho Palos Verdes). Participants should wear closed-toed shoes, long pants and long sleeves and bring sun protection and a refillable water bottle. Sign up at pvplc.volunteerhub.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Volunteers are needed from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday in Huntington Beach to improve habitat at the Huntington Beach Monarch Nature Trail<\/a>. Volunteers will yank out invasive plants, plant native species that provide food and shelter for butterflies, and collect seeds for future growth. All ages are welcome, and organizers will host nature-themed activities specifically for children. Register at eventbrite.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n The must-read
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