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With a new Administration keen on identifying untapped sources for energy and natural resources, discussions on “rolling back” the Antiquities Act of 1906 are rising within Congress and the Administration. The Antiquities Act is one of the most important tools available for the preservation of public lands, water, and historic sites. Passed by a Republican-led Congress and signed into law by President Theodore Roosevelt, the Act has been utilized by eighteen U.S. Presidents— nine Democrats and nine Republicans—who have collectively declared 145 national monuments . This bipartisan legislation remains essential for maintaining the integrity of natural and cultural resources. Under The Antiquities Act, the President has the authority to reserve or withdraw federal lands or waters containing objects of historic, scenic, scientific and cultural significance. This protection prevents potential harm from commercial development, looting, and habitat destruction. Key provisions of the Antiquities Act established several crucial tools for managing resources on public lands. These tools include: Presidential authority to establish national monuments from existing federal lands Requirements to secure permission from federal land managers before conducting archaeological investigations or removing objects Authority for the Secretaries of Agriculture, Interior, and War to review and grant permits to qualified institutions Requirements that materials, if excavated, be permanently preserved in public museums Authority to develop uniform rules and regulations for implementing the Act The legislation placed the preservation of public lands, water, scientific and scenic sites firmly within the federal government's responsibility and the public's interest. Federal land-management agencies must protect these sites because of their contributions to advancing scientific knowledge and overall public benefit. Since 1906, presidents have exercised their authority under the Antiquities Act nearly 300 times. Including many iconic National Park locations such as the Grand Canyon (1908) to the more recent National Monuments including Berryessa Snow Mountain (2015) and Chuckwalla and Sáttítla (2025) . The Antiquities Act's preservation mandates have generated substantial economic benefits. National monuments create jobs, enhance communities, and strengthen local outdoor recreation economies, which contributed $639.5 billion to national GDP in 2023 . According to the National Park Conservation Association, regions surrounding national monuments also experience growth in employment and increased per capita income following monument designation, demonstrating their positive impact on communities. The national park system attracts nearly 300 million visits to National Monuments and Parks each year, contributing to approximately $30 billion in economic activity. Each dollar invested in park operations yields $10 for local communities. Across party lines, public opinion strongly supports National Parks and Monuments based specifically on their economic impact, with 75% of voters believing public lands attract high-quality employers and jobs to their states, and 80% agreeing these lands support their economy and quality of life. This economic-focused support is distinct from the even broader 95% voter approval for federal management of public lands , which considers additional scientific and recreational benefits beyond economic factors. Efforts to undermine The Antiquities Act contradict public opinion and would compromise its fundamental purpose—enabling presidents to act swiftly in protecting sensitive federal lands. Anti-Antiquities Act activities could expose unique federal lands to development and mining claims, degrading resources and redirecting economic benefits from public to private entities. While The Act provides designation authority, it does not automatically establish management plans, programs, or funding for designated monuments. This is why Tuleyome’s ongoing work with local communities is crucial. Tuleyome collaborates with the public and communities connected to Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument to develop co-management plans that protect these special places while considering both land preservation and public interests. If you're interested in learning more about how to be involved in helping protect and steward Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument, reach out to Bryan Pride. -Bryan Pride ( bpride@tuleyome.org ) Policy Director
I learned about Tuleyome in 2006 when I met staff and the Board at a workshop. Their passionate volunteers were sharing information about their work throughout the Northern Inner Coast Range. I'm thankful for groups like Tuleyome who advocate for our public lands and all user groups. As an avid hiker, I appreciate their commitment to trail building and maintenance as well as the Boot Bank. My first donation to Tuleyome was motivated by their work to protect the Berryessa Snow Mountain region as a National Monument. I was impressed by their innovative approach to addressing environmental issues while engaging diverse stakeholders. I know how important it is for organizations like Tuleyome to receive unrestricted support. The advocacy isn't as effective if the staff don't have the resources to do their vital work. I'm happy to donate so Tuleyome can use the funds where they are needed most, enabling them to respond quickly to changing circumstances and emerging needs. Tuleyome's efforts have significantly enhanced the protection and accessibility of the northern Inner Coast Range mountains. This is key to ensuring the preservation of its unique ecological, recreational, and cultural values for current and future generations. Thank you Tuleyome for all you do!
YES! Leaves of three - let them be. Right but it’s winter and what if there are no leaves? Poison Oak ( Toxicodendron diversilobum ), Pacific Poison Oak or Western Poison Oak is a widely distributed woody shrub or vine that belongs to the Sumac (Anacardiaceae) family. The Sumac family is also known as the Cashew family which contains the tree that gives us that delightful buttery nut (it’s actually a seed) as well as the tree that provides mouthwatering mangos and the tree that produces savory pink peppercorns. How can such a delectable family also give us such an annoying plant? Poison oak (PO) is not even remotely related to oaks but the leaves sort of resemble oak leaves. They are divided into three leaflets that are about one and a half to four inches long. The species name, diversilobum, refers to the diversity of leaf size and shape; the edges can be toothed, scalloped or lobed and vary greatly. PO is deciduous and the new leaves are usually dark golden or bronze when they are just beginning to unfold in early to mid-spring. They turn a bright then darker glossy green and ultimately transitioning a stunning scarlet red then fading to pink in late summer and fall. The small flowers are greenish-white and appear in late spring to mid-summer and if they are fertilized they become small creamy white berries. Growth forms vary depending on where it is occurring, but it thrives in full sun as well as shady environments. In open sunlight it can grow as a tall, dense shrub or tree with a thick trunk, or a woody vine winding around and up into the canopy of tall trees, fences and other vegetation. In shady areas it can occur as a dense thicket, vine or anything in between. It is prolific and spreads by seed dispersal and through underground rhizomes. It is widely distributed in Western North America from British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada and Baja Mexico and occurs extensively throughout the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument. It occurs in chaparral and woodland habitats as well as coastal sage scrub, grasslands, oak woodlands and mixed evergreen forests below 5,000 feet. It’s a common understory plant in riparian corridors and grows alongside Giant and Coastal Redwoods. PO is even a constant quagmire in dry-farmed mountain orchards, urban parks and recreation areas. In fact, it’s kind of hard to find a biome in the Central Valley of California that doesn’t support Poison Oak unless you go into the Great Basin or the southwestern edge of the Mojave desert. The genus Toxicodendron contains many plants that cause allergic reactions. The oil of the plants contains a compound called Urushiol that causes the reaction and it is found in all parts of the plant except the pollen (ironic!). Direct contact with the plant or anything that has touched the plant such as clothing, pets, tools or vehicles can result in painful, itchy blisters. Not everyone is allergic to it, however, repeated exposure can lead to heightened sensitivity. If an area dense with PO is burning, inhaling the smoke can cause a severe internal reaction. Which leads me to why you can still have a reaction to PO in the winter after all the leaves have fallen. It’s a lot harder to spot when it’s just a twig, branch or bare vine along the edge of the trail. Twigs and stems still contain the oil that produces reactions and you may not even realize that you’ve brushed up against it until it’s too late. Keep an eye out for exposed, reddish-brown whip-like sticks coming out of the ground, especially if you know you’re in an area where PO is present. Sometimes the berries remain on the plant even though the leaves have fallen off and occasionally the stems show black marks where the sap may have oozed out and dried. If you know you’ve been in contact with PO, washing your exposed skin with dish soap is a great way to remove the oil from your skin and washing your clothes as soon as you can so you don’t transfer the oil to yourself, others or additional laundry is also a good idea. If your pets have been scampering about where PO could be present, give them a good bath before you snuggle up with them and consider wearing long rubber gloves like those made for doing dishes to avoid the oils transferring to you. PO isn’t all bad; Black-tailed Deer, California Ground Squirrels and Western Gray Squirrels among other species consume the leaves of the plant which is rich in phosphorus, calcium and sulfur. Many birds eat the berries and utilize the plant for shelter. Research has shown that livestock, domestic dogs and other native wildlife species do not have adverse reactions to Urushiol. Native Americans cooked with it, used the stems to make baskets and used the juice from the fruit to dye materials black. Don’t stay off the trail, just take precautions and enjoy winter hiking in your favorite monument! -Kristie Ehrhardt ( kehrhardt@tuleyome.org ) Tuleyome Land Conservation Program Manager
Although planets aligning does occasionally occur, it’s not something we see all that often. And this time it’s a doozie! Between mid-January through late February Mars, Saturn, Jupiter and Venus will queue up and appear as a line of brilliantly shining planets. Venus, Jupiter and Saturn will all look like bright, white points of light from our venue here on Earth, and Mars, the red planet, showing up as a glowing orange dot. A telescope would be optimal for some in depth planet peeking but even a pair of binoculars will intensify the phenomenon. But, you'll be able to see them in all their glory using just your naked eyes as well! Neptune and Uranus will also be loitering “nearby”, but you won’t be able to see them without high powered binoculars (and even then they will be very dim) or a telescope. How does it happen? All the planets in our solar system continually orbit the sun at their own rates and occasionally they catch up to each other. Because the planets’ orbits are an elliptical path, every so often they appear to line up as we see them from Earth. Unfortunately for stargazers, the alignments don't last very long though because each planet is moving at a different speed. They first aligned mid-January but will be visible through mid to late February with the best viewing materializing in early February. To find them pick a spot with a clear view of the southern horizon shortly after sunset. Venus, Saturn and Neptune (only visible with a telescope) will be congregated together low in the southwestern sky and Mars, Jupiter and Uranus (also not visible without a telescope) will appear higher in the southern sky. Venus, Saturn and Neptune will quickly slip below the horizon though so you’ll only have a couple of hours to enjoy them. To help you find them remember that stars appear to twinkle while planets shine brightly. Another helpful trick is to first try to find Mars’ red-orange glow and then look in the vicinity to pick out the other planets. You’ll need to be away from urban light pollution and cloud cover to be able to see them though. They should be visible from almost anywhere in the Northern Hemisphere if the sky is clear. Unfortunately, our region has had several cloudy nights but thankfully, the planetary parade will be visible until late February. The parade of planets event also brings up the awareness of preserving dark skies. Urban sprawl and related expanding light pollution not only threatens dark, nighttime skies and hampers stargazing activities but it also deteriorates natural biological rhythms and disturbs fragile ecosystems. Artificial light sources can disorient migrating waterfowl and nocturnal species which rely on natural light patterns to navigate and flourish. The moon is even lending a hand and will be in a new moon (shadowed) phase which will help by lessening the amount of illumination in the sky making it easier to view the planets. Bonus material - Mercury is on the roster in late February - but it is tiny and so close to the sun that you won’t be able to see it without using specialized equipment. If you’re planning on heading out of town to view the planets, consider visiting Molok Luyuk or the rest of the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument - you’re sure to find dark skies there. Just be sure to check the weather forecast before you head out. And don’t forget the hot cocoa! -Kristie Ehrhardt ( kehrhardt@tuleyome.org ) Tuleyome Land Conservation Program Manager
‘Round about the time that most little kids start learning the sounds that farm animals make (I can still hear the old “See and Say”), my daughter was learning what sounds different birds make. Her first word was turtle so it seemed natural that she would later pursue a biology degree - why not get started early. A little while later, as a biologist’s budding biologist kid, she was learning to identify birds. One species we frequently saw together was the Black Phoebe. I’m not sure why it’s this little bird in particular but every time I see one flitting around I think of her and smile. Black phoebes ( Sayornis nigricans ) belong to the flycatcher family (Tyrannidae). With over 400 known species, flycatchers are the largest family of birds in the world. Flycatchers do just as their name implies and fly around erratically in hot aerial pursuit of flies and other winged insects. Black Phoebes are plump, smallish (between the size of a sparrow and a robin) songbirds weighing about a half to three quarters of an ounce and measure a little over six inches long. Our only black flycatcher, they are fashionable little birds with an elegant sooty black and white plumage, a relatively large head with a peaked crown (of course they have a crown!), a straight pointed beak with a tiny hook at the end and long, square-tipped tails. They have predominantly black plumage with a white underbelly that forms an inverted “v” where the black and white join on the lower breast. Males and females look the same and their plumage does not vary by seasons. Juvenile birds look like adults but are white and dark brown which becomes black with age. Black Phoebes are mainly resident birds in Western United States from Oregon to Mexico, Central America and parts of South America. However, the populations located in higher elevations migrate somewhat with the seasons. They can be found in a variety of habitats including creeks and streams, canyons, farms and urban areas and parks. Black Phoebes often sit conspicuously on exposed perches and branches making short flights to catch insects and then often returning to their perch. They are easy to identify by their persistent tail wagging and bobbing. Black Phoebes have a relatively long breeding season beginning in March lasting through to about August and are typically monogamous with pairs remaining together for five years or more. Courting males will conduct impressive inflight displays that include calling and fluttering nearby where the female is perched. If she plays hard to get and flies away, he will often follow her. Territorial spectacles include tail flaring and fluttering and zig-zagging or spiraling to 100 feet or more in the air and then descending. Males take the female on a tour of potential nest sites and the female chooses the location and does most of the nest building herself. Nests are made primarily of mud mixed with grasses and weeds lined with soft material such as plant fibers, rootlets and hair. They are cup shaped and are anchored somewhere sheltered like the underside of a bridge, the eaves of a building or a protected cliff face. The female lays three to six eggs and only she incubates them. The eggs hatch after about 15 days and are cared for by both parents. Fledging happens in about two to three weeks and usually a pair will have two broods a year using the same nest year after year. Black Phoebes forage by sitting on a perch and darting out to catch insects in mid-air, sometimes just above the water similar to swallows. They may also hover over plants picking off insects or take them off of the ground. Black Phoebes’ diet consists almost entirely of insects including bees, beetles, crickets, flies, grasshoppers and moths but they will occasionally eat small fish such as minnows or mosquito fish. Fun Facts House Finches invaded an established Black Phoebe nest and both species laid eggs in the same nest. The females took turns incubating the nest with each others eggs for about a week but eventually both of them abandoned the nest. The oldest Black Phoebe was over eight years old and was banded and later recaptured in California in the early 80’s. Black Phoebes do not use bird boxes but if you provide a nest platform in a safe location you might be lucky enough to have a pair set up house in your yard! move in huge groups to find new berry supplies. -Kristie Ehrhardt ( kehrhardt@tuleyome.org ) Tuleyome Land Conservation Program Manager
Our January Nature and You lecture was delivered by Dr. Julin Maloof and Dr. Jenny Gremer, who gave a fascinating talk on how Jewelflowers in California have adapted to a wide range of environmental conditions around the state and how those adaptations may help them deal with climate change. If you missed the talk, you can view the recording here .
Kids getting new boots during our January Youth Boot Bank office hours Hoping to get the family outside more in 2025? If your kids are in need of new hiking boots, stop by Tuleyome’s Youth Boot Bank office hours to pick up a pair for free! Our January office hours were well-attended, with a dozen kids coming in to pick up hiking boots. Many of these kids will use the boots on school trips to Sly Park and Westminster Woods. The Youth Boot Bank provides free six-month loans of hiking boots to kids ages 0 – 18. Community members are invited to come to the Boot Bank office hours if they would like to borrow a pair of boots, return a pair of boots that has previously been borrowed from the Boot Bank, or if they would like to donate a new or gently used pair of boots to the program. Office hours are held on the first Wednesday of each month from 2:30 – 5:30 at the Tuleyome office in Woodland. The next office hours will be on 2/5/25 and 3/5/25. We will also have a selection of boots available for loan at our upcoming BioBlitz and Nature Scavenger Hunt event at Woodland Regional Park Preserve on 2/23/25. If you have any questions about the Youth Boot Bank program or donation drive, please contact Geoff at gbenn@tuleyome.org .
Join Tuleyome at Woodland Regional Park Preserve on Sunday, February 23rd from 9am - 1pm for an iNaturalist BioBlitz and Nature Scavenger Hunt! This is our 4th BioBlitz at the Preserve - each event is a community science effort to document wildlife and plants at the Preserve using the iNaturalist app . It's as simple as taking photos while walking through the preserve and adding them to the iNaturalist. The app is free and easy to use - no prior naturalist experience is needed and we're happy to help if you have any questions. We'll also have a kid-friendly nature scavenger hunt and our Youth Boot Bank, which provides free loans of hiking boots to kids. Learn more and register here .
A lot has happened since we last talked. I am going to hit some of the highlights. President Biden Acts One of the brightest moments this month was President Biden’s announcement on January 7 th that he will use his authority under The Antiquities Act to designate Chuckwalla National Monument and Sáttítla Highlands National Monument . The effort to protect these places has been led by Tribes and supported by a diverse coalition. Sáttítla is nestled 30 miles from Mount Shasta within the Shasta-Trinity, Klamath, and Modoc National Forests of northeastern California. Chuckwalla National Monument is in the California desert and reaches from the Coachella Valley region in the west to near the Colorado River in the east. President Biden’s designation protects 848,000 acres of culturally, ecologically and scientifically significant lands while boosting the local economies and ensuring access to nature for recreation. Upon these designations, President Biden will have protected 674 million acres of U.S. lands and waters, making great strides in building climate resilience and preserving biodiversity. 119 th Congress (2025-2026) The 119 th Congress convened on January 3 rd with some changes in leadership and the Committees that oversee many of our issues. Senate Republicans hold the Senate majority, with 53 seats. That number may change if Senator Rubio is confirmed as Secretary of State in the Trump Administration. Democrats hold 45 seats and there are 2 Independents. We have a new Senate Majority Leader in John Thune, while Chuck Schumer remains the Senate Minority Leader. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) has taken over as the Chair of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee , which has jurisdiction over Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service public lands, mining, water and power and energy. Chair Lee is a long-time opponent of expanding federal public lands and has been a leader in the efforts to roll back Bears Ears and Grand Staircase Escalante National Monuments and The Antiquities Act. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM) will take over as ranking member. A former outfitter guide, outdoor educator, lifetime sportsman and conservationist, Ranking Member Heinrich has fought to protect our natural and cultural resources. House of Representatives Republicans have a 1 seat majority in the House of Representatives with 219 members. Democrats hold 215 seats. Currently, one seat is open due to Matt Gaetz’ resignation, although this seat is expected to be filled by a Republican. Leadership is unchanged, with Speaker Mike Johnson and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries retaining their leadership positions. The House Committee on Natural Resources will continue to be chaired by Representative Bruce Westerman (R-Ark) . The Committee has jurisdiction over federal lands, energy and mineral resources, Indian affairs and water, wildlife and fisheries. Chair Westerman has consistently criticized the establishment and expansion of national monuments, supported legislation to roll back The Antiquities Act and opposed adding Molok Luyuk to Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument. Representative Jared Huffman (D-CA) will take over the mantle of Ranking Member. A long time champion of public lands and our natural and cultural resources, Ranking Member Huffman’s District includes the Northern Inner Coastal Range. He supported the establishment and expansion of Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument. President-Elect Trump’s Team President-elect Trump has chosen former North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum to be U.S. Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior and to be his new energy czar. Interior is in charge of national monuments, parks, wildlife refuges and national conservation lands, approximately 20 percent of our lands, as well as mining, fish and wildlife and Bureau of Reclamation. The Bureau of Indian Affairs, which oversees relations with 574 federal recognized Native American tribes is also within Interior. A big promoter of oil and gas production, Governor Burgum has pushed for reduced regulatory burden. He has also prioritized tribal engagement. President-elect Trump’s choice for Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture is his former domestic policy advisor Brooke Rollins . Agriculture is huge, with offices in every county in the country. Agriculture’s purview includes farm and nutrition programs, home and farm lending, food safety, rural development, agricultural research, nutrition, trade, biofuels and forests. Rollins is currently CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a pro-Trump think tank that she and others formed in 2021. From Texas, Rollins received an undergraduate degree in agricultural development and a law degree. So, we’re off and running. Stay tuned for more updates from the policy corner.
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530.350.2599
information@tuleyome.org
622 Main Street Ste 200
Woodland, California U.S.A. 95695
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