Federal courts regularly engage in public outreach and civics education efforts. A new interactive civics map is helping the public more easily find court educational resources and civics program information nationwide.

The tool, developed by the Federal Judicial Center (FJC), the education and research agency for the federal courts, acts as a central repository for local court-created educational resources and civics programs. It includes, for example, information about notable or historic cases and courthouse history and about recurring programs, such as courthouse tours, institutes for teachers, and civics contests for students. 

Visitors can navigate across multiple display types and filtering options to view various civics offerings from different judicial districts. One view links to program information pages from the respective court website about its recurring civics programs.

Learn more about the new tool from the FJC civics education and outreach page.

Visit the educational resources section on the U.S. Courts website for additional information about the federal Judiciary’s national civics initiatives and educational activities.

CALIFORNIA – In order to protect the historic and cultural integrity of the Schwartz and Leff Administrative Site along the North Fork of the Salmon River, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland has withdrawn approximately 40 acres of National Forest System lands within the Klamath National Forest from location and entry under U.S. mining laws for 20 years. The withdrawal, initiated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, prevents new mining claims, but allows leasing under the mineral or geothermal leasing laws and disposal under the Materials Act of 1947.

The withdrawal will help preserve the unique historical and cultural significance of the site, which represents mining activities from the late 1800s to the Depression era. The largely unaltered site includes six buildings and two structures, five of which likely originate from the 1930s. Built by members of the U.S. Naval Construction Force, the site stands as a testament to the determination of the early mining community in Siskiyou County, California. The site is eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places as a historic district for its association with placer mining during the Great Depression.

The notice of withdrawal application published in the Federal Register July 27, 2017 (82 FR 34974-75). The notice gave affected users, parties of interest, and the public an opportunity to raise any concerns and to comment on the withdrawal application. The Forest Service consulted Federal, state, Tribal, and local agencies during the development of the environmental assessment. The project was first published to the schedule of proposed actions and the project website on October 1, 2017. All comments were reviewed, and summaries were published in the environmental assessment on the project website.

For further information about this withdrawal, please visit the project website, or contact Melissa Bleier at mbleier@blm.gov (until January 7, 2025), or Shannon Benavides, BLM Realty Specialist, at sbenavides@blm.gov (after January 7, 2025).

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Bureau of Land Management welcomes Elizabeth Meyer-Shields as the new Deputy State Director, Resources. In her new position, Meyer-Shields will oversee resource and sustainable use programs for 15 million acres of public lands in California.

“I am thrilled to have Liz join our leadership team at the California State Office,” said Acting State Director for BLM California Gordon R. Toevs. “Her expertise and guidance will be critical to fulfilling our mission to manage important natural resources on public lands.”

Meyer-Shields started her federal career in 2009 in the BLM Washington Office as a Presidential Management Fellow in the Division of Decision Support, Planning and NEPA, and in 2011, moved to Sacramento as a Planning and Environmental Coordinator in the California State Office. In 2018, she moved up the hill to the Mother Lode Field Office as field manager. In 2022, Meyer-Shields returned to the California State Office as the Branch Chief for Lands, Planning, Recreation, and Cultural.

Meyer-Shields will oversee programs including wildlife, aquatics, special status species, wild horse and burro, hydrology, ecology, air, range, vegetation management, botany, cultural/paleontological resources, soils, recreation, lands and realty, National Conservation Lands/Wilderness/Wild and Scenic Rivers, land use planning, National Environmental Policy Act compliance, renewable energy (solar and wind), and partnerships.

Meyer-Shields grew up in Anchorage, Alaska, where she fell in love with public lands, hiking, skiing, fishing, and camping.  She attended Oregon State University, where she received a B.S. in Environmental Science and the University of Denver School of Law. In her spare time, Meyer-Shields enjoys watercolor painting and spending time outside with her family.