Although they resemble bits of black rubber, clumps
of lumpy soil crust found throughout the arid West prevent erosion.
This slow-growing community of microscopic plants, however, is
feeling the effects of cattle grazing, off-road vehicles and
outdoor recreation. Next month, the Bureau of Land Management will
sponsor an intensive training course on the biology and ecology of
cryptogamic, or microbiotic, crust, now known as “biological soil
crust.” “The class will be very hands-on,” says instructor Jayne
Belnap, a research ecologist at Canyonlands National Park. The
course is oriented towards land managers, ranchers and “anyone who
wants to learn how crusts are environmentally significant, and how
to manage and preserve them,” says Belnap. The two-day courses will
be held at the BLM Training Center in Phoenix, Ariz., Feb. 1-2 and
Feb. 4-5. The cost for non-BLM employees is $200. Contact
www.ntc.blm.gov or call Russ Krapf at
602/906-5503.
* Rebecca
Clarren
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Crust course coming.
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