This meeting will have as speakers Mary Zimmerman (volunteer from Norbeck Society) and Dave Mertz (retired forester, previously of BHNF). In mid March the speakers traveled to Washington DC to lobby for a few days on forest related issues. They will be reporting on their trip and discussing the dramatic over-cutting of the BHNF and […]

The draft environmental assessment (EA) for the Chimera Fuels Reduction Project (Chimera Project) is available for review and comment. It is located east of Lead/Deadwood, SD and south of Sturgis, SD, encompassing the Boulder Canyon, Galena, and Vanocker Canyon areas. The draft EA is available for review by visiting the project website at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=61689. The Forest […]

SD Ornithologist Union (SDOU) field trip at one of the Outdoor Campuses  led by Chris Anderson. >  canderson1@sio.midco.net, 605-254-2550 There are 2 Outdoor Campuses in SD -- one in the East (Sioux Fall) and the West (Rapid City) and the SDOU announcement did not specific which Campus. Chris Anderson lives in Sioux Falls and has clarified […]

  Comments due to SDGFP on Draft Prairie Grouse Management Plan April 10th The South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (GFP) is seeking comments on the draft “Prairie Grouse Action Plan for South Dakota, 2023-2027.”All individuals interested in prairie grouse management in South Dakota may provide suggestions and comments on the revised plan in its […]

This is about another new expansion of about 46 acres for Wharf . Written objections to, statements in support of, or petitions to intervene and become a party to the proceedings pursuant to ARSD 74:29:01:09 must be filed with the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources no later than April 13, 2023. Comments may be […]

Norbeck Society April 13 Meeting on Zoom The Society  hopes you can join them for their monthly meeting Linda Black Elk, Ethnobotanist:  Storytelling as Environmental Advocacy:  6 pm MDT, April 13   Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88173621695?pwd=eVlRZ3lSQ1BhUzVGUmN3akE0bTJ4QT09 Meeting ID: 881 7362 1695 Passcode: 577331 One tap mobile: +13052241968,,88173621695#,,,,*577331# US Dial by your location:   +1 305 224 […]

April 17th is International Bat Appreciation Day. As the weather warms and hibernation ends, we’ll start seeing more of our bat pals out and about. So take today to appreciate bats and all they do to ensure a thriving and healthy ecosystem! In SD, especially the Black Hills, we  have the northern long eared bat […]

BHNF - Scoping comment deadline on 3 road repair and 1 trail repair projects in Northern Hills.  https://usfs-public.app.box.com/v/PinyonPublic/file/1166658664911 The projected deadline is April 16th , but as that is a Sunday, the deadline may actually be Monday the 17th, as normally deadlines on Sundays and holidays are moved. Three of these are about land owners […]

BHNF National Forest Advisory Board’s  (NFAB) April meeting 4/19/23   Normally the start time is 1:00 pm & they  adjourn at 4:30 pm  MT & happens on the third Wednesday of the month at the Mystic Ranger Station in Rapid City, 8221 Mt Rushmore Rd, Rapid City.  This is a group of appointed folks representing […]

Rapid City Izaak Walton League Hybrid Chapter Meeting, April 19th, 2023 6:30 PM at SD Game, Fish & Park's Outdoor Campus West, Rapid City Meeting agenda includes election of officers.   Topic: IWLA April 19th Meeting 2023 Time: Apr 19, 2023 06:30 PM Mountain Time (US and Canada)   Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86892448142?pwd=bUM0V1VVdUZOZUY3dnVqOEFaTytrZz09 Meeting ID: […]

The 2023 Western South Dakota Hydrology Conference will be held on Thursday, April 20, 2023, 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM MDT, at the Monument, , 444 N Mount Rushmore Road Rapid City, SD 57701 More details may become available as we get closer to the date. Registration fees for professionals are $75 and free for […]

Wyoming Interagency Timber Industry Resource Meeting Thursday April 20th, 9 am - 3:00 pm. Lunch is provided. Location- Agricultural Resources and Learning Center, 2011 Fairgrounds Road, Casper Wyoming, 82604, Call by April 7th to reserve your spot,  Kim Hemenway 307-275-6462, kim.hemenway@wyo.gov,  

As a subset of a Meade County Democratic Party meeting on April 20th, Bob Burns (former president of the Norbeck Society and former member of BHNF National Forest Advisory Board) will speak. The topic of Bob’s presentation/discussion will be “Meade County to ask USFS to consider management in Beaver Park.”  Beaver Park is one of three Inventoried […]

Notice is hereby given by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Region 8, of a prospective lessee agreement between the United States, the State of South Dakota, Agnico Eagle Mines Limited, and Agnico Eagle (USA) Limited (collectively “Agnico”), at the Gilt Edge Mine Superfund Site in Lawrence County, South Dakota (Agreement). The agreement provides that […]

On April 22, 2023 from 10am-4pm, the Rapid City Sustainability Committee, Dakota Rural Action, and Western Dakota Technical College will be hosting the 2023 Earth Day Expo and Celebration on the WDTC Campus.  They are hosting this event as a part of an international sustainability partnership grant with Rapid City’s Sister City in Apolda, Germany.  […]

April 26th, is John James Audubon's birthday.  The National Audubon Society and our chapter are named after him. Link to learn about his life:  https://www.audubon.org/content/john-james-audubon Link to look at  his paintings in his book "Birds of America": https://www.audubon.org/birds-of-america

May 17 is the next Forest Service Advisory Board meeting, assuming they get the meeting notice published in the Federal Register on time.  Please verify the meeting before going.  Virtual attendance is an option.   Meetings are open to the Public. The agenda will include time for people to make oral statements of three minutes or […]

April 26th is the deadline to file as an Intervenor in the Wharf Mine's request to expand its' mining site.  Intervention letters need to be sent postmarked April 26th to Wharf's attorney and sent to Roberta Hudson at DANR by midnight, I assume midnight CT.  See SD Administrative Rule 74:29:01:18  for process https://sdlegislature.gov/Rules/Administrative/27571. The hearing […]

Public Meeting on the  PROPOSED Withdrawal for Pactola Reservoir-Rapid Creek Watershed; South Dakota The USFS and the BLM will hold a joint public meeting on Wednesday, April 26, 2023, 4-8 p.m., Mountain Time (MT), at the Best Western Ramkota Hotel, Conference Hall, 2111 N. LaCrosse Street, Rapid City, South Dakota 57701. For more info.: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/03/21/2023-05659/notice-of-application-for-withdrawal-and-notification-of-public-meeting-pactola-reservoir-rapid […]

Bear Butte Forum April 29th, 2023, Sturgis Time 8:30 till about noon. It's at the Sturgis Community Center on  1401 Lazelle St in Sturgis, April 29th @ 8:30am It is for for Native Americans concerned about management of Bear Butte State Park to talk with the Bear Butte State Park staff.  Non-indigenous folks are also welcome. Bear […]

Prairie Hills Audubon Society (PHAS) April monthly meeting 4/30/23 Our meeting for Sunday eve 4/30/23 will be about discussing PHAS current campaigns that are active and what actions  need to be taken to move campaign objectives forward. The SD GFP Commission meets in Custer State Park's Event Barn on Thursday and Friday May  4th and […]

The deadline to send written comments to SDGFP Commission for the public record for May meeting -- is Sunday April 30th, just before midnight MT.  This is if you post comments to the Commission's public web site. https://gfp.sd.gov/forms/positions/ Late comments go into the public record of the next meeting. You can also send comments to […]

3:30 pm - 5:00 pm 4/2/23  is a leadership meeting with Bonnie Gestring. This is an opportunity for all of us working on mineral withdrawal in BHNF to regroup and share information after the April 26 public meeting -- and to get ready to move into the thick of the comment period. People should come […]

Bonnie Gestring of EarthWorks will  speak on Mineral Withdrawal in the evening - * Bonnie Gestring Presentation -- "The Real Deal with Mineral Withdrawals" - 7:00 pm at Dahl Arts Center, Rapid City. Under the 1872 mining law, the Forest Service can't say "no" to a mining proposal unless the area is withdrawn from mineral […]