LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Somebody’s off-road journey brought about vital harm to uncommon crops in Loss of life Valley, and Nationwide Park Service (NPS) officers are asking for the general public’s assist in figuring out the folks accountable.
Proof at Eureka Dunes in a distant space of the park reveals tracks left by no less than one off-road automobile. Driving on the dunes is unlawful, and particularly irritating to officers as a result of there are authorized locations to go off-road close by.
The incident occurred someday in late December or early January, inflicting vital harm to crops listed as threatened underneath the Endangered Species Act.
“I’m saddened that someone would disregard the survival of a rare species for a few minutes of joyriding,” Loss of life Valley Superintendent Mike Reynolds mentioned. “There are multiple areas on BLM land nearby, such as Dumont Dunes, which are set aside for this type of recreation but the sensitive dune systems in the National Park are set aside to be protected.”
Automobile tracks on Eureka Dunes. (NPS picture)
Eureka Dunes are 680 ft tall, making them the tallest dunes in California, in keeping with a Monday information launch from NPS. The dune area is about three miles lengthy by one mile large. Eureka Dunes is designated as a Nationwide Pure Landmark, situated northwest of Ubehebe Crater and accessed on the California aspect by way of Loss of life Valley Street and Eureka Street.
An NPS biologist documented harm to Eureka dunegrass (Swallenia alexandrae), a plant species that solely grows on sand dunes in Eureka Valley, the information launch mentioned. Eureka dunegrass is assessed as a threatened species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
One Eureka dunegrass plant was straight broken by automobile tracks, whereas eight extra crops have been seemingly affected by root harm resulting from their proximity to the tracks. Over two miles of auto tracks have been left on the dunes, suggesting that additional harm to seeds and different uncommon crops is probably going.
“I urge the public to come forward with any information that could help identify those responsible for driving on Eureka Dunes,” Reynolds mentioned.
Along with the documented harm to Eureka dunegrass, the automobile tracks might have harmed 5 different uncommon plant species:
Eureka Dunes evening-primrose (Oenothera californica ssp. eurekensis)
Shining milk vetch (Astragalus lentiginosus var. micans)
Gravel milk vetch (Astragalus sabulonum)
Hillman’s silverscale (Atriplex argentea var. hillmanii)
Wheeler’s chaetadelpha (Chaetadelpha wheeleri)
Data from guests is commonly very useful to investigators. Name the NPS Tip Line at 888-653-0009 or e mail nps_isb@nps.gov. You can even submit info on-line at go.nps.gov/SubmitATip.
