July 2008

{FMWC} E-Newsletter -- July 2008
FRANKLIN MOUNTAINS WILDERNESS COALITION
http://www.franklinmountains.org/
NEWSLETTER JULY 2008

There will be no meeting this month.

TRANSMOUNTAIN ROAD

FMWC is custodian for cleaning a two-mile portion of Transmountain Road. Scott Cutler coordinated with the Master Gardeners and the Texas Master Naturalists (FMWC organization members) to assist us since their portion of Transmountain is nearly spotless.

Please join us for our clean-up on Saturday, August 9th. Meet at the entrance to the Tom Mays Park at 7:30 AM for the required safety briefing. We will work down the hill, on both sides of the road. The event usually lasts about 1.5 hours and it is fun to chat with new and old friends as we help beautify our mountain. Bring your own water, gloves, hat and sunscreen.

As an added treat, the Master Gardeners invite us to join their advanced training at the Museum of Archaeology, starting at 9:30 AM. Virginia Morris will give a presentation on the creation of the Research Center Cactus Garden. Susan Petty is coordinating this project. For more information, contact her at 915-525-7723, 915-857-0232 or suspetty@yahoo.com.

SAVE THE DATE!

The October 11, 2008 clean-up will be part of the Celebration of the Mountains. We plan to partner with other Adopt-A-Highway groups to clean the entire mountain (Both Sides! All 18 Miles!) We are in the process of contacting as many groups as possible to participate, including KFOX News, the El Paso Times and Keep El Paso Beautiful! If you belong to another organization, please invite them to participate!

EAGLES ROCK

Senator Elliott Shapleigh contacted FMWC in late June to ask for our participation in a new program called “Eagles Rock” which he is working on with the Canutillo Independent School District. Judy Ackerman agreed to attend the meeting on July 1. Following is her report.

“Eagles Rock is an innovative new Outdoor Program for the Canutillo Independent School District. Senator Shapleigh’s office is actively involved and he invited FMWC to participate as a stakeholder. I attended the second planning meeting on July 1 and was thoroughly impressed with the enthusiasm and dedication of the participants.

The Eagles Rock program will give students in grades 1 through 12 exciting outdoor experiences and link them to lessons in History, Natural Science, Social Studies and other subjects. In first grade they start with a hike in Tom Mays that focuses on natural surrounding plant life. Activities in other grades include Hueco Tanks Ranger Tour, Gran Quivara Overnight, Rock Climbing, McKittrick Canyon hike, Rafting the Rio, and trips to Big Bend, Lincoln County, White Sands, Bonita Lake and more.

Pam Padilla, Superintendent for CISD, stressed the importance not only of Reading, wRiting, and aRithmetic, but the fourth R for Respect. Students need to respect themselves, respect their surroundings, and respect each other to be good citizens. School outdoor activities will improve fitness, encourage environmental stewardship, and link classroom lessons to practical applications.

Their love for learning and for their students was evident as teachers explained their plans and linked environmental activities to curriculum goals. Participants felt the excitement of the concept of educating our children about the natural environment and attendees eagerly added their ideas and suggested resources. In addition to CISD and Senator Shapleigh’s office, current stakeholders include: Texas Parks and Wildlife, National Parks Service, Sierra Club, AT&T El Paso, Fort Bliss, El Paso County Historical Commission, Groundworks and FMWC. If you or your organization would like to be included in the next meeting, contact CISD Associate Superintendent Pauline Dow, 915-877-7400 or pdow@canutillo-isd.org.

*************************************************************

A gentle reminder to Coalition members: FMWC dues should be paid each January. If you misplaced your membership application, you can find one on our website. Please get those dues in.

LONE STAR LEGACY

You can make a lasting contribution to the future of Franklin Mountains State Park with your tax-deductible donation to the Lone Star Legacy Endowment Fund. Checks, payable to "Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation" can be sent to: Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation, Attention: Lone Star Legacy, P.O. Box 191207, Dallas, TX, 75219. Mark your donation to the endowment fund for Franklin Mountains State Park.

FMWC IN CYBERSPACE

This is the electronic version of the Franklin Mountains Wilderness Coalition newsletter. To be added to or removed from the distribution list, contact: j.p.ackerman@sbcglobal.net.
Many of you also receive the paper version of this newsletter. If you wish to help us save paper and postage by receiving the e-newsletter only, contact: j.p.ackerman@sbcglobal.net.

The Franklin Mountains Wilderness Coalition
Borderland Mountain Bike Association * Border Toasters of Toastmasters International * Celebration of Our Mountains * Chihuahuan Desert Education Coalition * Chihuahuan Desert Wildlife Rescue * El Paso Archaeological Society * El Paso Cactus and Rock Club * El Paso Native Plant Society * El Paso Regional Group of the Sierra Club * El Paso/Trans-Pecos Audubon Society * Friends of the Rio Bosque * League of Women Voters of El Paso * Mesilla Valley Audubon Society * Mountain Park Community Association * Photography Enthusiasts of El Paso * Skyline Optimist Club of El Paso * Southern New Mexico Group of the Sierra Club * Southwest Environmental Center * Trans-Pecos Chapter, Texas Master Naturalists