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X-WR-CALNAME:Prairie Hills Audubon Society
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X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Prairie Hills Audubon Society
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20260415T000000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20260630T233000
DTSTAMP:20260417T223940Z
CREATED:20260417T223738Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260417T223940Z
UID:22589-1776211200-1782862200@phas-wsd.org
SUMMARY:Prairie Bird Bingo
DESCRIPTION:The annual Prairie Bird Bingo\, which is now in its third year. Participation is easy and fun: for every checklist submitted in the Northern Great Plains from April 15 – June 30\, add the phrase “Prairie Bird Bingo” in the comments and be eligible for some fun bird-related prizes. ABC has created a Bingo Card (link to download below) that lists 25 grassland bird species.  Visit: https://ebird.org/region/US-MT/post/filling-the-gaps-with-prairie-bird-bingo
URL:https://phas-wsd.org/event/prairie-bird-bingo/
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20260522T000000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20260621T235900
DTSTAMP:20260531T201758Z
CREATED:20260427T194203Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260531T201758Z
UID:22712-1779408000-1782086340@phas-wsd.org
SUMMARY:Benchmark Vegetation Management Project\, Black Hills National Forest.
DESCRIPTION:The comment period on the Benchmark Vegetation Management Project is – May 22nd- June 21st. FS sent out this note on MAY 21ST – \n\n\n\n” announcing the initiation of the public comment period for the Benchmark Vegetation Management Project. The comment period will open May 22\, 2026\, and comments will be accepted for 30 days. Documents related to the project\, including the preliminary environmental assessment\, can be found on the project website at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r02/blackhills/projects/68498\n\n\n\nHere is a quote from A Forest Services Letter we received on this project in early May (BEFORE COMMENT PERIOD ANNOUNCED) \n“This letter is intended to give you early notification of the Benchmark project. It is not initiating a \ncomment period. Information about this project can be found on the Black Hills National Forest website \n(https://www.fs.usda.gov/r02/blackhills/projects/68498). A comment period will be offered with the \nrelease of the Draft Environmental Assessment\, which is expected to be available in mid-May.”….. \n========= \nThe Benchmark Project is being analyzed under the provisions of the Emergency Action Determination \n(EAD) under Section 40807 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. EAD authorities can be \napplied to projects that pre-emptively address the potential impacts of natural disturbances\, such as \nwildfire and insect infestation\, to nearby communities and National Forest System lands that have been \nidentified as being in an emergency situation. The Benchmark project area is in such a landscape as \ndetermined by the Secretary of Agriculture. The EAD provisions expedite implementation of eligible \nprojects by eliminating the objection process under 36 CFR 218.……… \n========= \n“The Black Hills National Forest\, Northern Hills Ranger District (NHRD)\, is preparing an environmental \nassessment (EA) for the Benchmark Vegetation Management Project (Benchmark Project)\, located south \nof Lead-Deadwood\, SD\, west of Vanocker Canyon Road\, north of Benchmark Road and Custer Crossing \nRoad\, and east of Rochford Road. \nThe purpose of the Benchmark project is to implement forest management actions to provide commercial \ntimber to local industry\, reduce hazardous fuels\, and reduce the risk of insect infestation.” \n— \n  \nInformation can be found on the project webpage at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r02/blackhills/projects/68498
URL:https://phas-wsd.org/event/benchmark-vegetation-management-project-black-hills-national-forest-comment-deadline-unknown/
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20260622T235000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20260622T235900
DTSTAMP:20260621T130156Z
CREATED:20260621T101157Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260621T130156Z
UID:23037-1782172200-1782172740@phas-wsd.org
SUMMARY:Comments due on the proposed Benchmark Timber sale draft EA (BHNF)\, June 22nd
DESCRIPTION:Comments due on the proposed Benchmark Timber sale draft EA (BHNF)\, June 22nd \n  \nComments would be due for Benchmark Vegetation Management Project EA on Sunday\, June 21st at 11:59 pm except the Forest Service has a rule in the planning regulation (36 CFR 219) that if deadlines fall on a Sunday or Holiday you move the deadline\, to next working day — so Benchmark comments are due on Monday. \n \nhttps://www.fs.usda.gov/r02/blackhills/projects/304272\n \nInformation Black Hills National Forest | Project Summary (#68498) | Forest Service \n \nEnvironmental Assessment\n\nhttps://usfs-public.app.box.com/s/44ogw739jda7lklyiwx6fru53tlkqexq/file/2238903092854 \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n============\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLocation Summary:The project area is located south of Lead-Deadwood\, SD\, and is bounded by Vanocker Canyon Highway (Forest Highway 26)\, Benchmark Road (National Forest System Road 198)\, Custer Crossing Road (National Forest System Road 256)\, and Rochford Road (County Highway 17). \n\nFor more info:\nChris Storesc/o Northern Hills Ranger District605-443-3081chris.stores@usda.gov\n\n\n \n\n\n\n\n\n\nQuotes from the Benchmark Vegetation Management EA\n\n\n“The Benchmark project is necessary because:\n• Executive Order 14225 calls on the Forest Service to increase production of\ncommercial timber from National Forest System Lands (White House 2025).\n• The Benchmark project area is in a landscape determined by the Secretary of\nAgriculture (Secretarial Memo 1078-006) to be in an emergency situation in\nregard to fire and insect risk. Actions to reduce fire hazard and insect risk while\nproviding timber to local industry are priorities in these landscapes (USDA 2025).\n• The entirety of the Benchmark project area is within the wildland-urban interface\n(WUI) as identified in the Lawrence County Community Wildfire Protection Plan\n(Lawrence County 2022). The project area is located immediately south of Lead-\n\nDeadwood\, SD\, is bisected by US Highway 385\, which is a major travel route\nthrough the Forest\, and includes approximately 10\,513 acres of private land.\nActions to reduce fire hazard on National Forest System lands are prioritized in\nWUI through Forest Plan and Washington Office direction.\n• Approximately 88.1% of the Benchmark project area is in MA 5.1 (Resource\nProduction Emphasis). Objectives 5.1-201\, 5.1-202\, and 5.1-203 call for\nproviding timber products while also providing for a variety in stand sizes\, shape\,\ncrown closure\, age structure and interspersion and for maintaining or enhancing\nhardwood communities.\n\nProposed Action: What are we proposing to do?\nWe are proposing to conduct a combination of commercial and non-commercial\nvegetation treatments on National Forest System (NFS) land within the Benchmark\nproject area on the Northern Hills Ranger District of the Black Hills National Forest. We\nhave prepared this environmental assessment (EA) to document the effects of the\nproposed action and to determine if significant effects would result that would require\nfurther analysis in an environmental impact statement (EIS). This EA fulfills agency\npolicy and direction and complies with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)\,\nthe National Forest Management Act (NFMA)\, the Black Hills National Forest Land and\nResource Management Plan as amended by the Phase II Amendment (Forest Plan\,\nUSDA-Forest Service 2006a)\, the Endangered Species Act (ESA)\, the Clean Water Act\n(CWA)\, the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA)\, and other applicable laws\,\nregulations\, and policies. This document was prepared under the Department of\nAgriculture’s 2025 NEPA regulations at 7 CFR 1b.\nThe Benchmark project area encompasses a total of 48\,516 acres of land\, including\n38\,003 acres of NFS land and 10\,516 acres of private land. Proposed activities would\nonly occur on NFS land.\nAs defined by the Forest Plan\, the Benchmark project area includes portions of three\nmanagement areas (MA): 164 acres of MA 3.1 (Botanical Area)\, 33\,486 acres of MA 5.1\n(Resource Production)\, and 4\,353 acres of MA 5.4 (Big Game Winter Range).\nThe interdisciplinary team (IDT) has identified the following actions to address the\npurpose and need for the Benchmark project:\n\nTable 1. Proposed Action Treatments\nVegetation Treatments Acres\nCommercial Thin 8\,222\nShelterwood Removal 6\,096\nShelterwood Establishment 1\,422\nGroup Selection 1\,976\nHardwood Enhancement 821\nMeadow Enhancement 74\nPre-commercial Thin (Silviculture emphasis)* 409\nHazardous Fuel Reduction** 7\,146\nPrescribed Fire 38\,003\nShaded Fuel Break 6\,807\nBenchmark Vegetation Management EA\n\nRoad Work Miles\nMaintenance 172.6\nReconstruction 14.3\nNew Construction 0\n*These acres represent stands where only pre-commercial thinning is proposed\, with not associated commercial treatment. Any stand proposed for a commercial treatment would also be considered for a follow-up pre-commercial treatment based on stand conditions.\n**Some acres proposed for hazardous fuel reduction overlap areas proposed for commercial timber harvest. In those stands\, fuel conditions will be evaluated following the commercial treatment\, and fuel reduction will occur where necessary based on stand conditions”
URL:https://phas-wsd.org/event/comments-due-on-the-proposed-benchmark-timber-sale-draft-ea-bhnf-june-22nd/
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20260625T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20260625T190000
DTSTAMP:20260619T074126Z
CREATED:20260618T193150Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260619T074126Z
UID:23031-1782410400-1782414000@phas-wsd.org
SUMMARY:Webinar on Saving Rice's Whale \, 6 pm MT Thursday\, June 25
DESCRIPTION:The Gulf of Mexico is home to one of the rarest whales on Earth: the Rice’s whale. Found nowhere else in the world\, this remarkable species is down to fewer than 100 individuals\, with only 51 whales believed to remain in the Gulf. \nThey need strong protections\, and they need people like us to speak up. \n  \n\nJoin webinar on Thursday\, June 25 at 8:00 PM ET / 5:00 PM PT for a webinar with Rice’s whale experts to learn what makes these whales so unique\, what threats they face\, and how we can help protect their future. \nhttps://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_TcDCdLaOSKujqJXrF1mo8A?link_id=2&can_id=894d0cc0d439d8d2425a681aec9625bc&source=email-email_webinar_riceswhales&email_referrer=email_3287639&email_subject=help-protect-the-gulfs-last-rices-whales-_&&#/registration \nDuring the webinar\, marine biologists will share the latest on Rice’s whales and why stronger safeguards are urgently needed. Then\, our national policy director will walk through how to submit a public comment before the July 6 deadlineand use your voice to support protections for this critically imperiled species. \nThere will also be time for Q&A\, so bring your questions. The webinar will be recorded for those who cannot attend live. \nThe 51 Rice’s whales in the Gulf are counting on us. \nPresenters: Laura Engleby\, Marine Mammal Researcher and former Marine Mammal Branch Chief at NOAA Matt Leslie\, PhD\, Assistant Professor of Biology at Ursinus College Jewel Tomasula\, PhD\, National Policy Director at Endangered Species Coalition Tommy Tucker\, Marine Life Field Coordinator at Endangered Species Coalition \nThis is sponsored by the Endangered Species Coalition and Sierra Club in Florida \nWe are not sure how long the webinar will last\, but we are guessing at one hour. \n 
URL:https://phas-wsd.org/event/webinar-on-saving-rices-whale-6-pm-mt-thursday-june-25/
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