Franklin Mountains Wilderness Coalition Newsletter

January 2012

2012-01-15T11:25:00.000-08:00

NEWSLETTER

January 2012

Next Meeting: Wednesday, January 18, 2012

MEETING LOCATION: Our meeting will be held at The Garden Center, Memorial Park, 3105 Grant St. from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Map:

http://www.cichlidpress.com/elpasocactusclub/graphics/gardencenter.jpg

IMPORTANT NOTE!

It’s Membership Dues Time again! You will find your dues tear-off form at the bottom of this blog. Please print it, fill in the form and mail it, along with your 2012 dues to Pat White, Treasurer, FMWC, 10525 Texwood, El Paso, TX 79925. Thank you for your continued support!

TRANSMOUNTAIN SCENIC CORRIDOR – Please attend!

Scott Cutler, President: Below is information about how you can make known your feelings about preserving the scenic corridor on the west side of the Franklin Mountains. These public meetings (charrettes) will be an important opportunity, perhaps one of the only opportunities, to make sure that the scenic qualities of the west side corridor of Loop 375 are preserved. The stronger the participation by those favoring protecting this valuable scenic asset the greater the likelihood it will become part of the new master plan.

Please make an effort to attend one or all of these meetings and let them know what you would like to see happen.

Northwest Masterplan Planning Sessions:

1. Hands-On Session:

Tuesday, January 24, 2012, 5PM to 9PM,

Canutillo HS Auditorium;

6675 S. Desert Boulevard, 79932

2. Northwest Masterplan Work in Progress:

Saturday, January 28, 2012, 9AM to Noon,

Canutillo HS Auditorium;

6675 S. Desert Boulevard, 79932

3. Design Studio: (Open to the Public)

Monday, January 23 to Friday, January 27, 2012

Canutillo Independent School District--Board Room

7965 Artcraft Road, 79932

Hours of Design Studio:

Monday-Friday, 9AM to 7PM

More information at: http://www.planelpaso.org/

For more information about the Transmountain Petition:

http://elpasonaturally.blogspot.com/2011/12/transmountain-petition-update.html

And, once again, Jim Tolbert at El Paso Naturally, is keeping track for us. Check it out and sign up for email notifications: www.elpasonaturally.blogspot.com

PAVE PARADISE?

Raul Amaya at City Council 11/29/11:

There are places in the world that should be left as they are; that should be preserved, conserved & protected for everyone’s benefit. Things like beautiful beaches, mountains & mountain vistas like the 700 acres of land along the western slope of Trans Mountain road that we the citizens of El Paso own.

There are places in the world that should belong to everyone in general & no one in particular & that because of their uniqueness & beauty shouldn’t be sold for private development & profit like the 700 acres of land along the western side of Trans Mountain road.

Everything, everyone & everyplace should not be for sale. Money is not all that matters in life. Commercial & residential development on every parcel of land regardless of its beauty & uniqueness should not be the predominant value.

Environmentalist author Edward Abbey wrote: "The love of wilderness is more than a hunger for what is always beyond reach; it is also an expression of loyalty to the earth, the earth which bore us and sustains us, the only paradise we shall ever know, the only paradise we ever need … wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of the human spirit, as vital to our lives as water and good bread."

I’ll close my comments with a few lyrics from a popular song of my youth written by Joni Mitchell named Big Yellow Taxi.

They paved paradise and put up a parking lot with a pink hotel, a boutique and a swinging hot SPOT.

Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got ‘til it's gone.

They paved paradise and put up a parking lot.

Please don’t be the “they” in this song.

NEWS

Castner Range: Restoration Authority Board meeting postponed due to contracting issues.

Audubon Society honors Jim Tolbert, February 18, 2012:

Jim Tolbert will receive the Audubon Conservation Award at the society's 2012 dinner and program, to be held on Saturday, February 18 at Jaxon's on Airway. Advance reservations are required. Please contact Janet at 915-637-5269 or jntperk@elp.rr.com if you are interested in attending.

Snow in the Franklins!

Had Robinson is Secretary of RIO GRANDE SOARING ASSOCIATION - FMWC’s newest member organization. Had sent us some sensational pictures from his adventures soring over the Franklins.

El Paso Zoo (Steve Marshall, Director):

City and County Officials and downtown business leaders have announced the beginning of the public process for a November 2012 Quality of Life bond election. The proposed election will create new ideas for bold economic development and quality of life initiatives which could include the El Paso Zoo. The call for community projects is the beginning of a public process which provides voters the opportunity to request projects to improve the quality of life in El Paso.

The process is especially important to the zoo because it is one of the sites that can be listed for consideration in the bond. This is an opportunity for you to continue to improve your zoo. The first step in collecting ideas from citizens is critical because after this process the City Council will determine, from these comment cards, the projects that will be included in the bond election.

Once the public process is complete, the final recommendation should represent a project mix geared to providing the largest benefit for El Paso citizens, the most significant economic impact, and the opportunity to maximize the quality of life for our citizens. Projects will be selected by City Council in the spring, and the details will be presented to the public in the summer so that voters can make an informed decision before the vote in November.

The El Paso Zoo needs your support to ensure that its needs are represented in this process.

The support by zoo members for the 2000 bond provided $34 million to the zoo and greatly improved our zoo. In fact, it was truly transformative. Some of the additions to the zoo funded by the bond included a new zoo entrance, the new sea lion exhibit, the addition of the African exhibits and much more. The 2012 bond is necessary to allow the zoo to replace the 1950-60’s exhibits in the North and South America section, create a large Chihuahuan Desert exhibit area, add exhibits in Asia and Africa, improve behind the scenes support facilities and build a special events pavilion.

I ask that you take a moment to fill out a comment card by visiting the “El Paso Tomorrow” section of the City website at www.elpasotexas.gov. Zoo improvements are much needed and it is important that our supporters speak up. Your participation is critical to determine which projects are included - filling out this comment card and asking for zoo improvements is the only way to ensure that the zoo is included in the proposed bond election. The City’s future could be decided without your input and this is your opportunity to help further transform our zoo and our city.

Don’t let others decide if a great zoo is important to your community. Your participation is absolutely essential. Fill out comment cards and have your friends fill out cards asking for zoo improvements, listing some of the suggested projects, and an investment in the zoo’s next master plan.

Texas State Parks Need Your Help:

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department recently hosted 11 news conferences at different locations across the state, appealing to the public to visit state parks and make donations to help offset a revenue loss caused by heat, drought, wildfires and a resulting drop in park visitor revenue.

“A ‘triple whammy’ of record heat and drought, devastating wildfires and a corresponding decline in visitation and revenue has created a critical need for Texas State Parks,” said Carter Smith, TPWD executive director. “So, we are reaching out for help.”

“The bottom line is we have a $4.6 million gap in our 2012 park system operating budget,” Smith said. “This is the amount we need to raise to help keep state parks open. We want to alert people now while there is still time to help.”

TPWD is rolling out a multi-faceted awareness campaign stressing three calls to action:

• One, go to www.tpwd.state.tx.us/helpparks to make a tax-deductible, year-end donation.

• Two, starting Jan. 1, make a donation when you renew your motor vehicle registration.

• And, most important, because visitor fees pay for about half of park system operating costs, visit state parks.

Franklin Mountains State Park (John Nuñez):

Howdy Everybody! As always, life is busy at Franklin Mountains State Park! There have been new events planned for the coming year with a huge event about to take place this coming weekend, the El Paso Puzzler. On Sunday, January 15 the Borderland Mountain Bike Association will host the Puzzler, which is a highly popular race, at the park. In anticipation of the Puzzler, park staff (Adrianna Weickhardt, Fernie Rincon and John Nunez) have participated in the trail building days that the BMBA coordinated with park volunteer Robert Newman. The trail building days were successful with the help of the BMBA and new volunteers. According to Robert Newman, “The trail is pretty much done and ready for the race. There are a few spots that will need additional tweaking, but the trail is ready for the race.” Thanks to Robert, David Wilson and Brent Sanders for all their hard work and to all the others that have come out to help make this trail a reality.

Another project at hand is the building and installation of mile markers on the Ron Coleman Trail. Lead Ranger Robert Pichardo designed and built the new signs which are all metal with a hiker medallion and the distance marked on the sign. The signs will start at the Trans Mountain trailhead and continue the approximate four mile stretch to McKelligon Canyon. With the help of our newest volunteer, Emmanuel Moreno, the signs will be installed throughout the current fiscal year. Park staff Steve Taylor and John Nunez have been coordinating the project with Emmanuel and have also used the assistance of the TDCJ work crew. So far, the ½ mile marker sign has been successfully installed on the Coleman Trail in Smuggler’s Canyon. As far as an effort to thwart would be vandals, the signs are drilled into the ground, re-enforced with concrete and have three pre-drilled rocks as an anchor and support for the signs. Along with that, the signs, once anchored, are covered with additional rock and cement to help prevent them from being destroyed or removed.

As with every New Year, come new projects at the park. A massive clean-up effort is in the planning stages to clean the desert below the Westside Overlook on Trans Mountain Road. Unfortunately, people who don’t have any respect for nature or the park have continually disposed of trash, including tires and yard waste, on the desert floor. Park staff, along with possibly two TDCJ work crews, are planning a huge event to clean up that part of the park. There is also a possibility of getting other local organizations involved with this project. As soon as plans are finalized, we will announce the day of the event and all who will be involved.

Another exciting project in the planning stages is the installation of trail signs for the mountain bike trails that are south of the Tom Mays Unit. Park Police Officer Fernie Rincon along with Maintenance Techs Steve Taylor and John Nunez will be involved with this project. Park staff have coordinated with BMBA members Brent Sanders and Dave Wilson for ideas of where the signs are needed and most importantly, the names of these trails. Once all the signs have been installed, there will be updates made with the new Geo Betty maps. Fernie just completed taking GPS coordinates for all these trails and soon an order will be placed for the signs. (Thank you BMBA again for your support)!

Along with those new projects, come the daily maintenance projects throughout the park. For the remainder of the current fiscal year, all at Franklin Mtns. State Park will be involved with the ongoing maintenance throughout Tom Mays. The campsites and picnic sites have been re-landscaped and soon all the picnic sites and camp sites will have a new coat of paint. New trail signs will be installed along with the continued restoration of all current signage.

Park volunteer Richard Love, along with Park Interpreter Adrianna Weickhardt, are currently in the planning stages for the up-coming Chili Cook Off at Tom Mays. So far the event is tentatively scheduled for September. Along with the Chili Cook Off, plans are underway for the upcoming Poppy Festival in March. Hopefully, with this winter’s moisture, we will see the desert covered in orange for this year’s event!

With so many events in the planning stages along with new events, Adrianna has been incredibly busy. Thus far, a New Year’s Day hike went well with a turnout of about 30 people. The hike included the Schaeffer Shuffle and the Lower Sunset and was led by Adrianna and Park Volunteer Heath Shawhart. Adrianna plans on hosting several more hikes throughout the year to encourage area residents to come out and explore the park and get in shape at the same time.

Wow! So much going on at the park to keep us all busy doing what we love best, caring for the park! Every day is exciting with all the projects and events. We encourage all area residents to come and be a part of it. Many more events are planned for this year to continue spreading the word of all our mountain wilderness has to offer!

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

Year of the Bat, El Paso Zoo, Jan. 28-29, 10 am – 4pm:

Join us to help raise awareness about Bat conservation and learn about these magnificent creatures. Daily activities will include bat games, arts and crafts, bat enrichment programs and more (activities included with regular Zoo admission).

Do more to help bats during our Bat House Building Workshop on Saturday, Jan. 28, at 11 am ($10 per person, $9 for members). Learn how to build a bat house in this fun, hands on interactive workshop. Bats are essential for maintaining healthy ecosystems and installing a bat house is a great way to support these insect eating species.

Or how about the Batty Sleepover, January 27, 6 pm – 9 am? Spend the night at the Zoo and discover information about our local bats, make bat enrichments and celebrate the Year of the Bat! Also enjoy a jam packed time with nocturnal tour, animal encounter, campfire, story time and behind the scenes tour. All you need is your pillow and a blanket. Cots are provided. $30 non member, $27 member. Enjoy this half price special while it lasts. Ages 7+, must be at least 1 adult per 5 children. For more information and to register, visit elpasozoo.org/adventure or call 521-1850.

Desert Dirt Fest comes to Big Bend Ranch President’s Day weekend:

‘The Chihuahuan Desert Dirt Fest’ is scheduled to take place Feb. 16-18 in the Terlingua/Lajitas area of southwest Texas. The International Mountain Biking Association’s internationally acclaimed and designated 54-mile Epic Ride in Big Bend Ranch State Park will be the festival’s featured route on Feb. 18. The Dirt Fest offers three days of riding opportunities for all levels of riders, from beginners on mostly flat, historic 4x4 double-track ranch roads to advanced riders taking on the challenging single-track of the Dome Trail and Rincon Loops or the Epic Ride up Fresno Canyon to Sauceda. The Lajitas and Contrabando trails are great places to develop and enhance mountain-bike riding skills, while at the same time experiencing and enjoying some of the wildest remaining desert landscapes in the United States.

Saturday’s options include the grueling 54-mile Epic Ride, the Dome or Rincon Loops, roll your own or a children’s’ ride. Riders may also take the two-day Epic Ride option if the 54 miles is too tough and arduous to ride in one day. Riders on this option are invited to make a 29-mile ride on day one then throw their feet up and relax with dinner, a hot shower and a good night’s rest before heading out again in the morning. After a hearty breakfast on day two, riders can then complete the 25 miles back to Lajitas. In addition to seeing and experiencing the natural beauty of the Chihuahuan Desert mountains, canyons and springs, visitors can see archeological and historic sites along the way. Water aid stations will be available.

The two-day Epic Ride can be done either Thursday/Friday or Friday/Saturday. Persons opting for one of the two overnight Epic rides must observe the following guidelines:

Make Big Bend Ranch State Park lodging reservations through TPWD’s Customer Service Center at 512-389-8919. The Bunkhouse is $35 a night per bunk, or reserve one of three rooms (one queen bed) inside the original ranch residence, the Big House, which is $100 per room (two people maximum occupancy). Park entry fees are being waived during the three-day festival. Meal reservations must be made and paid for in advance by calling BBRSP at 432-358-4444 or barrett.durst@tpwd.state.tx.us for more information, as there is limited space available. To pre-register for Dirt Fest, visit www.bikereg.com.

For more information about the event, call Desert Sports toll-free at (888) 989-6900 or www.desertsportstx.com/mountain-bike-event

El Paso Museum of Archaeology:

Ancient Mexico Exhibit on view through January 15, Free Admission:

Artifacts including five featured Maya ceramic vessels graciously loaned by the University Museum of New Mexico State University, Las Cruces are showcased. Other artifacts representing the Maya, Aztec, and lesser known great civilizations from Mexico will be on display along with prints of ancient Maya murals and ruins and a map of ancient Maya territory.

Watercolor Paintings of Rock Art at Hueco Tanks

Exhibit on view through February 12, Free Admission

The El Paso Museum of Archaeology is currently exhibiting Forrest Kirkland’s images of rock art at Hueco Tanks in the auditorium gallery. Kirkland was the first artist to systematically document prehistoric rock art in Texas, thus his work is well known and admired by those interested in Texas archaeology.

Saturday, January 7, 2:00 pm, Free Admission

Tour of the Diorama Gallery

Open to all ages, groups or individuals, Free Admission

During this tour our Curator of Education, Marilyn Guida, takes visitors on a journey through 14,000 years of El Paso’s Indian heritage in our diorama gallery exhibits. Those attending will learn about Paleoindians who lived here 14,000 years ago continuing through time to the Mescalero Apache people of today. Reservations are not necessary but contact the museum if you plan to attend, 915-755-4332; guidamr@elpasotexas.gov.

Saturday, January 14, 2:00 pm, Free Admission

Screening of the Popol Vuh, The Creation Myth of the Maya:

Introduction and Audience Discussion following the film by Jena Camp. The Popol Vuh is the foundational cultural belief of the ancient Maya people, similar to the Bible for several cultures. Patricia Amlin’s video version of the Popol Vuh is told by animating characters and events using images from ancient original Maya carved stone and stucco reliefs, engraved shells and bones, and painted books and vases. Through the video we see the story as the ancient Maya would have known it.

Sunday, January 15, 2:00 pm, Free Admission

Screening of Finds from Pendejo Cave by Scotty Mac Neish, PhD, Introduction and Comments by Marilyn Guida, Curator of Education:

The Capstone Productions film Paleo-American Finds from Pendejo Cave by Scotty MacNeish, Ph.D. is a based on a 1999 lecture by Richard “Scotty” MacNeish to the annual meeting of the El Paso Archaeological Society. This program is presented by the El Paso Archaeological Society in partnership with the El Paso Museum of Archaeology.

Saturday, January 28, 1:00 pm, Free Admission

Removing Modern Graffiti from Ancient Rock Art at Hueco Tanks:

Speaker Tim Roberts, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Archaeologist, discusses efforts since 2009 to use lasers to remove graffiti from several pictograph (ancient paintings on rock) sites at Hueco Tanks State Park and Historic Site, outside El Paso.

Saturday, January 28, 2:00 to 4:00 pm

Museum Member Appreciation Party

Become a new or renewing member to attend the Member Appreciation Party. Memberships start at $15; levels and benefits vary. Contact the museum at 915-755-4332 or enriquezrz@elpasotexas.gov.

2012 POPPIES FEST, Saturday March 31, 2012:

The Franklin Mountains Wilderness Coalition, in collaboration with several local organizations, is excited to announce the date of the sixth annual poppies celebration next spring. The 2012 Franklin Mountains Poppies Fest on Castner Range will take place on Saturday, March 31 at the El Paso Museum of Archaeology at 4301 Transmountain Road. Join us for a full program of nature talks, wildlife displays, educational exhibits, demonstrations, music and refreshments. Everyone is welcome to come out and enjoy the beauty of the mountains and the poppies during this free educational family fun event.

If you are interested in becoming a sponsor or volunteering for this event please contact Naima Montacer (email: njmontacer@gmail.com cell: (806) 683-2242).

COOL WEBSITES: http://www.nmwild.org/ http://www.ourtexaswild.org/index/

FMWC In Cyberspace

This is the blog version of the Franklin Mountains Wilderness Coalition newsletter. It is also available by e-mail and by US Post . If you would like to receive another version, please contact: judy Ackerman at j.p.ackerman@sbcglobal.net.

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: Lone Star Legacy Endowment Fund, c/o Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation, P.O. Box 191207, Dallas, TX, 75219. Mark your donation to the endowment fund for Franklin Mountains State Park.

FMWC BOARD

President: Scott Cutler

Vice President: Jane Fowler

Secretary: Judy Ackerman

Treasurer: Pat White

At Large Members:

Raul Amaya and Nick Havlik

TIME TO JOIN OR RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP!

Please print it, fill in the form and mail it, along with your 2012 dues to Pat White, Treasurer, FMWC, 10525 Texwood, El Paso, TX 79925. Thank you for your continued support!

Franklin Mountains Wilderness Coalition

APPLICATION FOR

INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIP

Individual membership in the Franklin Mountains Wilderness Coalition is open to all who share our goal of preserving the scenic beauty and wilderness character of the Franklin Mountains. Dues are payable annually in January. Join Us!

 Student, $5

 Individual, $10

 Contributing, $25 - $100

 Sustaining, $100 and up

 I also want to contribute to the Lone Star Legacy Endowment Fund for Franklin Mountains State Park. I have included a supplemental contribution of $_____ for the Park’s endowment fund.

Name ______________________________________

Address ______________________________________

City _______________ State____ Zip ______

Phone (Day) ___________________________

(Eve)_________________________________ E-mail

___________________________________

Your contribution is tax deductible

Please make checks payable to “Franklin Mountains Wilderness Coalition” and send to:

Pat White, Treasurer, FMWC

10525 Texwood

El Paso, TX 79925

November 2011

2011-11-11T15:31:00.000-08:00

Next Meeting: Wednesday, November 16, 2011

MEETING LOCATION: Our meeting will be held at The Garden Center, Memorial Park, 3105 Grant St. from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Map:

http://www.cichlidpress.com/elpasocactusclub/graphics/gardencenter.jpg

CASTNER RANGE

~ Richard Teschner, Vice President, The Frontera Land Alliance and Member, 4-C’s

Mike Gaglio, Frontera President and judy Ackerman, FMWC Secretary, present a copy of the Castner Report to Congressman Reyes.

Conservation Conveyance Report for Castner Range Now Available: The Castner Report is now available! This 104-page study was prepared for the Castner Conservation Conveyance Committee (“4-C’s”) by CALIBRE Systems, Inc. of Alexandria, VA with funding from a $300,000 Office of Economic Adjustment/Department of Defense grant obtained through the offices of El Paso’s Congressman Silvestre Reyes. The 4-C’s, an ongoing entity consisting of members of the boards of directors of The Frontera Land Alliance (Mike Gaglio, Richard Teschner, Doug Echlin, Kevin von Finger, John Moses, Scott Cutler) and the Franklin Mountains Wilderness Coalition (Judy Ackerman, Pat White and, again, Scott Cutler), were led in their activities by Project Manager Steve Bonner of the SONRI Corp. (Boerne, TX). Work on this project by the 4-C’s, CALIBRE and SONRI began in the fall of 2010. The project is a major component in the ongoing effort to deploy a conservation conveyance on the 7,081-acre/eleven-square-mile Castner Range property located on El Paso’s Northeast Side between the Franklin Mountains State Park (FMSP) and the U.S. 54 Patriot Freeway. Since the late 1960’s, Castner (a live artillery/ordnance firing site inaugurated in 1923) has been a “closed” range and thus not considered a part of the Fort Bliss Training Complex. Governmental bodies at all levels—the El Paso City Council, the County Commissioners’ Court, the Texas House of Representatives and the Texas Senate—have gone on record in favor of applying a conservation conveyance to Castner as an intermediate stage in the transfer of the property from Department of Defense ownership to ownership by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department as part of the FMSP.

The report itself—accompanied by a CD—consists of a one-page Executive Summary plus four chapters: Background (including Demographics, Environmental Conditions, Ecological Information, Cultural Resources, Future Land Use, and Munitions and Explosives of Concern), Real Estate Options (among them Conveyance of Surplus Real Property for Natural Resource Conservation, Cooperative Research and Development Agreements, Conveyance of Property at Military Installations to Limit Encroachment, Disposals to Public Agencies under Public Benefit Statues, Enhanced Use Lease, and Early Transfer), Liability concerns, and Recommendations. Among the topics dealt with in the Appendices are the exact legal status of Castner Range, previous deployment of conservation conveyances at two other military properties, unexploded ordnance remediation, contacts with local, state and national officials, liability issues, Texas and federal law, Army contingent funding, Army-retained conditions, and the specifics of a draft Conservation Conveyance Cooperative Agreement with the Army, including a likely time line that sets forth the various stages any Agreement would go through. Maps, photos and a glossary conclude the appendices.

The 4-C’s goals for the immediate future include continued contact with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to plan what a conservation-conveyed Castner Range would look like if it became part of the FMSP. In addition, contacts established between the 4-C’s and military officials have been firmed up and will be expanded upon.

For copies of the Castner Report, contact Frontera’s new Executive Director, Janaé Reneaud Field, 915.351.8352 in Frontera’s new offices at 1201 N. Mesa, Suite D-3, El Paso, TX 79902.

TRANSMOUNTAIN CORRIDOR
~ Jim Tolbert, El Paso Naturally

Best environmental updates in town from Jim Tolbert at his blog El Paso Naturally. Bookmark, sign up for email notifications. You can catch up on Transmountain Scenic Corridor NW and many other issues on his blog. Strongly recommend subscribing.

Please visit and bookmark http://www.elpasonaturally.blogspot.com/.

Some updates from Jim’s blog, reprinted with permission:

October 21: Again this past Tuesday City Council took up a resolution authorizing the City Manager to sign a an amendment to the agreement with Dover Kohl updating the Northwest Master Plan to smart code and preserving land (the “Scenic Corridor”) in perpetuity. Unlike the Tuesday before, all hands were on deck and the vote at the end of the debate was unanimous in favor of the resolution. For petitioners, this is a huge victory as it puts the City on target to preserve land permanently. For City planners, the PSB and the business community, it can also be seen as a “win” for it fits preserved land into an updated plan. An holistic solution is sought and not a hodgepodge. It’s not so much trying to put a square peg in a round hole, but working out the jigsaw puzzle in a way that fits all interests.

See http://elpasonaturally.blogspot.com/2011/10/beginprocess.html that includes the Dover Kohl proposal and two agreed-upon amendments to the proposal.

September 21: Please check out http://elpasonaturally.blogspot.com/2011/09/petitioners-council-and-others-will.html for a few more details including my remarks and what I’m calling the McElroy Process for coming to an overarching plan for re-doing the Westside Master Plan and preserving the land in the corridor.

The bottom line is that Council voted to postpone action on the petition ordinance for 90 days while the process is pursued. What is a huge positive is that agreeing to process means agreeing to preserving the view shed of the Scenic Corridor. I can report that I saw unanimous consent from Council members to find a win/win solution and to pursue a Smart Code plan that most certainly will mean more natural open space and a hard look at Paseo del Norte. We didn’t exactly hold hands and sing “Kumbaya” – but it was close.

Of course, petitioners have the option to begin collecting signatures now for a ballot referendum. Keep in mind though that, even if Council had passed everything in the proposed ordinance (and there weren’t the votes), there still would have had to have been time to determine the mechanisms for preservation, etc., etc.

Looming is the Sierra Club lawsuit against TxDOT and a meeting about that lawsuit is happening imminently. The petition ordinance doesn’t address the widening of Transmountain and is a separate issue except for how Paseo del Norte may or may not connect with the TxDOT overpass/interchange.

Editor: Thank you, Jim Tolbert, for your continuing efforts on behalf of the natural glories of El Paso!

RIO BOSQUE UPDATE

Rio Bosque still facing some very tough times. Please see this article for an update.

http://elpasonaturally.blogspot.com/2011/10/options-and-obstacles-for-water-at-rio.html

23 Oct Clean-up Success

FMWC Transmountain Clean-Up On 23 Oct 2011: Great success! Many thanks to those who were able to participate. 8 volunteers: Scott Cutler, Robin Ricart, Pat White, Cinda Cotham, Kathy Barton, Nicolas Havlik, John Nunez, Judy Ackerman. In 3 hrs, we collected 22 bags of trash, 3 tires and some big pieces of wood, 8 bags of recyclables that Robin took home. Of the 2 mile stretch, we cleaned MAYBE 1 mile. Let’s do it again soon. Be cool to see more volunteers next time!

PARK NEWS

7th Annual Chihuahuan Desert Fiesta Message from Cesar Mendez, Ph.D., Park Superintendent:

On Saturday September 17, 2011, we successfully had our 7th Annual Chihuahuan Desert Fiesta in conjunction with the 4th Annual Chili Cook Off at Franklin Mountains State Park - Tom Mays Unit. The Fiesta featured fun, educational, and interpretive activities for the public. Some highlights included great food, interactive exhibits from El Paso Water Utilities; horseback rides and hayride shuttle provided by the Serna Ranch; Van Shuttle provided by Southwest Expeditions, birding activities by Texas Parks and Wildlife Urban Biologist Program; exhibits on conservation efforts by Franklin Mountains Wilderness Coalition, among many others that provided valuable information on the natural history and culture of the Chihuahuan Desert. The Fiesta was the result of numerous hours that many individuals invested during the pre-event meetings and the day of the event. Once again, the Chihuahuan Desert Education Coalition (CDEC) members played a key role in the logistics and organization of the Fiesta. Many other park staff and volunteers were also critical for the completion of both events. Even though I would like to mention all persons that helped during the events, I will not because it would be very difficult for me not to accidentally omit names. I am confident to say that in Franklin Mountains State Park we arenot only surrounded by beautiful desert mountains but by great staff, volunteers, and partners. In general, we received positive comments from visitors, volunteers, and exhibitors during and after the events. Over 25 organized groups contributed to both events. We all witnessed how the events were carried over smoothly and with no major incidents. This is a clear example on how strong partnerships, commitment, and organization result in things that enhance our community. Although we did not exceed last year's attendance, I am pleased to say that we had over 600 participants in both events. But most important many participants were new to the area, thus being exposed for their first time to the wonders of the Chihuahuan Desert. On behalf of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Franklin Mountains State Park I want to thank all of you for the outstanding team work that all of you demonstrated on Saturday's events. Your help and efforts substantially contribute to our mission in Texas Parks and Wildlife. Please extend my thanks to every person in your team. At Franklin Mountains State Park we feel honored and privileged to count with collaborators as you all. We will continue our commitment to joint conservation and educational efforts for enriching the lives of the people of El Paso through outdoors experiences.

Greetings All! from John Nunez, FMSP:

Business as usual at the park, with so many events and a few changes, all of us have been busy with all that is happening on the mountain. First, we welcome two new employees to Franklin Mountains State Park. We welcome Steve Taylor, Maintenance Specialist II. Steve was originally stationed at the Wyler Aerial Tramway State Park. However, due to the major cuts at the Tramway, Steve was transferred over to Franklin back in August. We are glad to have Steve with us as he has many years of experience with maintenance, construction and mechanics as well as an extensive knowledge of the park and the mountains as a whole. We also welcome Adrianna Weickhardt, who has filled the position of Park Ranger II/ Interpreter. Adrianna has been at Franklin now since the middle of October. We are glad to have Adrianna join our team as well. Adrianna has so much experience with working at other parks across the nation and as well as trail work. Adrianna has many new creative ideas for increasing the interpretive programs at Franklin Mountains State Park. All of us are very grateful for the addition of these two highly experienced individuals that have already made huge contributions to all the hard work that goes on at the park.

Many special events have been happening at the park. In anticipation of the Texas Outdoor Family event, all park staff were busy preparing the park grounds. All 15 campsites were polished up for the event. The event was held on October 8 and 9. We had six families, 25 people in total, participate in this event. This was an opportunity to introduce the wonders of outdoors and camping to folks that have never had the experience of camping. Park volunteers Richard Love, Heath Shawhart and George Murray helped with the event, including guided tours of the Nature Trail and West Cottonwood Mine Shaft.

On October 10, the Wyler Aerial State Park was vandalized extensively. There was a great deal of damage done to the park, but thankfully the Tramway itself was not damaged. Unfortunately, no suspects have been found as of yet.

On October 11, Park Police Officer Fernie Rincon witnessed a robbery at the Radio Shack on Trans Mountain Road while he was making the park bank deposit. Officer Rincon pursued the vehicle which had three suspects. Two suspects managed to flee on foot as the vehicle proceeded to drive off. However, Officer Rincon pulled over the vehicle and arrested the driver. El Paso Police Dept., Department of Public Safety and Texas Dept. of Criminal Justice police dogs assisted in the search for the two other suspects. One suspect later turned himself in to EPPD.

Park staff, have been working on the Lower Sunset trail with the help of the TDCJ work crew. Also, park staff has been working ongoing field and grounds maintenance throughout the park. A major part of our daily duties include patrolling the outer reaches of the park. Park staff welded a new chain and installed a lock on the gate on the Pipeline Rd. in far Northeast El Paso. The gate at the Texas/ New Mexico boundary had been vandalized and the lock had been shot off.

Park Maintenance IV Robert Pichardo travelled to Bastrop State Park to assist with the clean-up efforts after the devastating fires. Robert came back on October 15 from the trip.

Park volunteer Robert Newman has recently completed the first half of the new Sotol Forest hike/ mountain bike trail in the Northeast end of the park. This new route will continue from Sotol Canyon north towards Hitt Canyon and will intersect with the Hitt Canyon hike/ mountain bike trail. On Sunday, November 6, the Borderland Mountain Bike Association sponsored a trail day workshop and assisted Robert Newman with trail construction. It was a great day for trail building as the weather was ideal! BMBA members Dave Wilson, Brent Sanders and local rider Pablo, along with Maintenance II John Nunez, were part of this fantastic event. It was a great deal of intense work since there were quite a bit of large boulders that needed to be removed. Approximately a quarter mile of trail was built.

So many exciting events and occurrences at the park, as we all feel there is never a dull moment with all that happens in the Franklins. All of us have so much to offer to get the job done and all of us come home after a hard day’s work feeling a sense of fulfillment and pride in all the hard work we do. We are a family of unique individuals that are all behind the park 100%, including all park volunteers and employees. Some days are harder than others, but in the end, we are all a team that manages to get the job done!

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

Poppies 2012

Planning already underway for Poppies Celebration 2012: The Franklin Mountain Wilderness Coalition, in collaboration with several local organizations is excited to announce the date of the sixth annual poppies celebration next spring. The 2012 Franklin Mountains Poppies Fest on Castner Range will take place on Saturday, March 31 at the El Paso Museum of Archaeology at 4301 Transmountain Road. Join us for a full program of nature talks, wildlife displays, educational exhibits, demonstrations, music and refreshments. Everyone is welcome to come out and enjoy the beauty of the mountains and the poppies during this free educational family fun event.

If you are interested in becoming a sponsor or volunteering for this event please contact Naima Montacer (email: naimamontacer@yahoo.com cell: (806) 683-2242)

Castner Range is a former artillery range known for its cultural, geologic and unique biology. If the rain and weather cooperate, it is most known for its beautiful and vast display of Mexican Poppies in the spring.

Borderland Mountain Bike Association

Check out http://bmba.wordpress.com/ for the latest.

El Paso Museum of Archaeology

November Calendar

Exhibits:

Ancient Mexico
October 13, 2011 through January 15, 2012

Free Admission: In collaboration with the El Paso Museum of History’s new exhibit “Mystery of the Mayan Medallion,” the Museum of Archaeology will emphasize its collections from early Mesoamerica. Artifacts representing the Maya, Aztecs, and lesser known great civilizations from Mexico will be on display. Vintage and recent photographs will be added to the gallery to link the artifacts with the great artistic accomplishments and monumental architecture of these past civilizations. The exhibit includes five featured Maya ceramic vessels which were graciously loaned by the University Museum of New Mexico State University.

November 19, 2:00 pm
Curator’s Tour of the Diorama Gallery, open to all ages, groups or individuals, free admission:

During this tour our Curator, Dr. Matt Taylor, takes visitors on a journey through 14,000 years of El Paso’s Indian heritage in our diorama gallery exhibits. Those attending will learn about Paleoindians who lived here 14,000 years ago continuing through time to the Mescalero Apache people of today. Reservations are not necessary but contact the museum if you plan to attend, 915-755-4332; guidamr@elpasotexas.gov.

November 20, 2:00 pm
Elizabeth Ann Owen, speaks on research at Gila Cliff Dwellings for the El Paso Archaeological Society, Free Admission

December 3, 2:00 pm
Dr. Rani Alexander, NMSU Archaeologist, speaks on the Maya collapse in the 16th Century, Free Admission

December 10, 11:00 am
Cesar Mendez, Superintendent of Franklin Mountains State Park, speaks to the Master Gardeners/Master Naturalists meeting, open to the public, free admission, for information on the topic, call the museum at 915-755-4332

El Paso Museum of Archaeology,4301 Transmountain Road, El Paso Texas 79924; 915-755-4332;
guidamr@elpasotexs.gov ; www.elpasotexas.gov/arch_museum/

Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 9 am to 5 pm; Sunday, 12 to 5 pm , Closed Mondays and City Holidays

Southwest Environmental Center
~Kevin Bixby, Executive Director

A Native Returns:
On October 11, five Mexican grey wolves (“lobos”) were released in the San Luis Mountains of northeastern Sonora, near the New Mexico border. It is the first reintroduction of lobos into Mexico since they disappeared from their historic range in that country more than 30 years ago. The release was coordinated by the federal SEMARNAT agency, and Naturalia, a non-governmental conservation organization.

Reintroducing wolves into their historic range in Mexico is an important and long-overdue step towards recovery of the highly endangered Mexican wolf. It is absolutely critical that wolves be allowed to move freely between the U.S. and Mexico to establish a genetic connection needed for healthy populations and long-term survival. SWEC is working to make sure the U.S. does not construct additional border fencing that prevents the movement of wildlife.

How endangered are Mexican wolves?

Here’s how the number of lobos in the wild compares with some other animals considered endangered or critically endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN):

Mexican wolf ~50
Ethiopian wolf ~210
Red wolf ~150
Javan rhino 50-70
Asiatic cheetah 60-100
Giant panda ~1600
Amur tiger ~500
Vaquita <500

Mexican wolves still on the brink of extinction

More wolves needed in New Mexico--now!

With only 50-60 Mexican wolves in the wild, it is time to pick up the pace of wolf recovery in the Southwest.

The Southwest Environmental Center has joined with biologists and other groups in urging the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to jettison an obsolete and politically-motivated rule that prevents the direct release of captive-bred wolves into New Mexico, where the best unoccupied wolf habitat occurs. The rule was a concession aimed at gaining New Mexico’s cooperation before the Mexican wolf reintroduction program began in 1998. At the time, the state’s Governor and Game Commission opposed the wolf reintroduction.

The rule stipulates that direct releases of wolves can only take place in the Arizona portion of the Mexican wolf recovery area, despite the fact that 75 percent of the recovery area is in New Mexico. Arizona wolves can subsequently be moved into New Mexico for management purposes, and they are allowed to move there on their own.

Wolf experts have long criticized this rule. In 2001, a review team lead by the University of Calgary’s Paul Paquet concluded that modifying the rule to allow direct releases into New Mexico “is by far the most important and simplest change” that could be made to improve the reintroduction effort.

Wolf activist Jean Ossorio, a Las Cruces resident and former SWEC board member, agrees. “Much of the good lobo habitat in Arizona is already occupied by existing packs. In the wake of the Wallow Fire, it’s even harder to find good release sites. Meanwhile, the number of wolves that have already been in the wild in Arizona and are eligible for re-release into New Mexico is limited,” she said.

Although FWS claims to support this rule change, it has yet to take the first step needed to make it happen; namely, publishing the proposed change in the federal register and preparing an environmental assessment.

What you can do:

Please contact FWS Regional Director Benjamin Tuggle and let him know that you want to see a rule change that would allow for the release of Mexican wolves directly into New Mexico as soon as possible. If you are a New Mexico resident, please also contact Senators Bingaman and Udall and tell them the same thing.

DR. BENJAMIN N. TUGGLE
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
P.O. Box 1306
Albuquerque, NM 87103-1306
(505) 248-6911 RDTuggle@fws.gov

US SENATOR JEFF BINGAMAN (NM)
703 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
(800) 443-8658
http://bingaman.senate.gov/ (email at site)

US SENATOR TOM UDALL (NM)
B40D Dirksen Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-6621
http://udall.senate.gov/ (email at site)

For more information about what you can do, visit http://www.wildmesquite.org/ or contact Jason Burke at (575) 522-5552 or jason@wildmesquite.org .

FMWC In Cyberspace

This is the blog version of the Franklin Mountains Wilderness Coalition newsletter. It is also available by e-mail and by US Post . If you would like to receive another version, please contact: judy Ackerman at j.p.ackerman@sbcglobal.net.

FMWC BOARD

President: Scott Cutler

Vice President: Jane Fowler

Secretary: Judy Ackerman

Treasurer: Pat White

At Large Members:

Raul Amaya and Nick Havlik

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: Lone Star Legacy Endowment Fund, c/o Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation, P.O. Box 191207, Dallas, TX, 75219. Mark your donation to the endowment fund for Franklin Mountains State Park.

September 2011

2011-09-16T19:11:00.000-07:00

FRANKLIN MOUNTAINS WILDERNESS COALITION
http://www.franklinmountains.org/

NEWSLETTER
September 2011

CONTENTS:
Meeting Info
Message From Our President
I am the Franklin Mountains, by Raul F. Amaya
7th Annual Chihuahuan Desert Fiesta
Program of Events for Fiesta
   Bird Blind
   Horseback rides
   Presentations
   Rummage Sale
   Chili Cook Off
Celebration of Our Mountains
Blog El Paso Naturally
Castner Range
Burrowing Owl Conservation
Borderland Mountain Bike Association
El Paso Museum of Archaeology Events
   Exhibits
   Zip Tours
   Family Workshop: Beginning Pottery-Making
   17th Biennial Jornada Mogollon Archaeology Conference
   Tom Lea Month Programs
   The Mystery of Our Mountains
Lone Star Legacy
FMWC Board

Next Meeting:
WEDNESDAY, September 21, 2011

MEETING LOCATION: Our meeting will be held at The Garden Center, Memorial Park, 3105 Grant St. from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Map:
http://www.cichlidpress.com/elpasocactusclub/graphics/gardencenter.jpg

MESSAGE FROM OUR PRESIDENT, SCOTT CUTLER:
YOUR Actions can make the difference in saving the Transmountain Scenic Corridor in NW El Paso. Here’s what to do:

1. Call and e-mail ALL City Officials listed below.

2. Attend City Council on Tue 20 Sep.

3. Participate in the Chihuahuan Desert Fiesta (details attached) where you can see, firsthand, the land that the current NW Master Plan will convert to commercial and residential development.

NOW is the time to preserve the Transmountain Scenic Corridor. No more stalling that leaves our mountains vulnerable. Urge our city officials to support the petition, without modifications. Your actions today determine the course of El Paso’s future.

City Officials: Name, Title, Phone, E-mail

Ann Morgan Lilly, City Rep Dist 1, 541-4151, district#1@elpasotexas.gov

Susie Byrd, City Rep Dist 2, 541-4416, district#2@elpasotexas.gov

Emma Acosta, City Rep Dist 3, 541-4515, district#3@elpasotexas.gov

Carl Robinson, City Rep Dist 4,541-4140, district#4@elpasotexas.gov

Dr. Michiel Noe, City Rep Dist 5, 541-4701, district#5@elpasotexas.gov

Eddie Holguin, Jr., City Rep Dist 6, 541-4182, district#6@elpasotexas.gov

Steve Ortega, City Rep Dist 7, 541-4108, district#7@elpasotexas.gov

Cortney Niland, City Rep Dist 8, 541-4123, district#8@elpasotexas.gov

John Cook, Mayor, 541-4145, mayor@elpasotexas.gov

Joyce Wilson, City Manager, 541-4000, citymanager@elpasotexas.gov.

(Editor’s Note: NW Corridor update below.)

I am the Franklin Mountains, by Raul F. Amaya 8/9/11

I am the Franklin Mountains called by the conquistadors Las Sierras de los Mansos or Las Sierras de los Organos.

I am the outstanding geological feature in the town then city that I tower over & that grew up around me.

I was born about 50 to 70 million years ago from geologic & volcanic activity & have been growing & changing since then.

I am the Franklin Mountains.

I’ve seen many creatures come & go over my life span like dinosaurs as they migrated from Northern Mexico to Colorado, millions of years later Mammoths & giant sloths.

About 50,000 years ago I saw the formation of the Rio Grande below me, and eventually it cut a path, named by the Spaniards who came thousands of years later, El Paso del Norte, between me the Sierras de Juárez forming the Rio Grande Valley.

I am the Franklin Mountains.

Many kinds of plants & animals make their homes in me; plants like barrel cactus & Mexican poppies, & trees like cottonwood, hackberry, oak, and juniper; and animals like rodents, deer, mountain lions, foxes, lizards, snakes, hawks, & many other kids of birds.

About 10,000 to 7,000 BC the Paleo-Indians arrived although it wasn’t until four thousand years ago that I saw the first humans, the Manso, Suma, and Jumano tribes make their homes at my foothills in Keystone Park & up and down the Rio Grand Valley.

I am the Franklin Mountains.

TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE TO HOST
7TH ANNUAL CHIHUAHUAN DESERT FIESTA AT FRANKLIN MOUNTAINS STATE PARK

El Paso, Texas—Many people living in El Paso are not very familiar with the natural and cultural history of the Chihuahuan Desert including the Franklin Mountains in the heart of the city. At almost 26,000 acres, Franklin Mountains State Park protects prime Chihuahuan Desert habitats within an urban setting. The park is home to numerous species of plants and animals. On September 17, 2011, the park will host the 7th Annual Chihuahuan Desert Fiesta at the Tom Mays Unit, located 3.5 miles east of I-10 on Trans Mountain Road. The main objective of this Fiesta is to get people outdoors and to help increase awareness of the uniqueness of our desert. This event will not only showcase the natural and cultural resources of the Chihuahuan Desert, but also the recreational and educational opportunities that exist within Franklin Mountains State Parks and other state parks within the region.

The FREE COMMUNITY event will run from 9AM-3PM and will offer various activities, presentations, and exhibits throughout the day. During this event park staff, members of the Chihuahuan Desert Education Coalition, and other environmental education groups will be on hand to offer free demonstrations, guided tours, guest speakers, and informational booths designed to introduce the curious to the wonders of our fascinating southwest desert. Drive thru the park where you will find different activities and groups providing information about their conservation efforts in our area. Vendors will be on site to sell food, snacks, and drinks. Visitors can check out the Wildlife Viewing Area and enjoy interpretive programs on plants and animals while spending time watching birds coming back and forth for water and food. Hay and horseback riding will also be available. Franklin Mountains State Park is also hosting a Chili Cook-off sanctioned by the Chili Appreciation Society International. Public tasting will be available around noon. Live music by local group Slackabilly. The entrance fee to the park is waived due to the Chihuahuan Desert Fiesta joining the celebration of the Franklin Mountains State Park Lone Star Legacy. Donations to Franklin Mountains State Park are accepted. So come and join us for a fun, exciting, and enjoyable outdoors experience and discover more about the Chihuahuan Desert.

Program of Events for the 7th Annual Chihuahuan Desert Fiesta Sponsored by Franklin Mountains State Park, Chihuahuan Desert Education Coalition & the El Paso Zoo

9 am to Noon - Audubon Society Members will host the Bird Blind at the nature walk trailhead. 9:30 am - Short guided 20-30 minute walks. Meet at Site 39 (end of loop).

Horseback rides by Serna Ranch Youth Leadership Program (all day)

Special Chihuahuan Desert Fifteen-Minute Presentations at the picnic area 41-42 on the left, right before the end of the loop road:

11:00 Mexican Wolves, Jason Burke, Southwest Environmental Center 11:15 Conservation Efforts on Trans Mountain, Jim Tolbert, El Paso Naturally

11:30 My Top Ten Plants of the Chihuahuan Desert, John White, UTEP Centennial Museum and Gardens

11:45 Cacti of the Franklin Mountains, Dr. Gertrud Konings, El Paso Community College

Noon Takota the Golden Eagle and Heather Rivera, El Paso Zoo

12:05 Chili Cookoff Public Tasting, See Schedule Below

12:30 Snakes of the Desert, Rick LoBello, El Paso Zoo

12:45 Preservation of our Poppy Fields, Judy Ackerman, Franklin Mountains Wilderness Coalition

1:00 EPCC Transmountain Arid Garden and Sculpture Park, Lisa Miller and Dr. Naomi Waissman, El Paso Community College

1:15 Chihuahaun Desert wildlife and geology at Pancho Villa State Park in Columbus, John Read, Heritage Educator Pancho Villa State Park

Fiesta Rummage Sale The El Paso Sunrise Hikers, Franklin Mountains State Park Volunteers, the El Paso Ridgewalkers and the El Paso Hiking Group are having a rummage sale at this year’s fiesta to benefit the Franklin Mountains State Park.

Chili Cook Off Schedule 9:30 till 12:00pm People’s choice chili cooks preparation. 12:00 Public tasting begins. 12:00 Salsa judges report to judging area.

Exhibitors and Event Partners: Centennial Museum and Chihuahuan Desert Gardens (UTEP), Chihuahuan Desert Education Coalition, Chihuahuan Desert Wildlife Rescue, Chili Appreciation Society International (CASI), El Paso Audubon Society, El Paso Cactus and Rocks Club, El Paso Native Plant Society, El Paso Museum of Archaeology, El Paso Community College, Office of El Paso County Attorney, El Paso Water Utilities, El Paso Zoo, Franklin Mountains State Park, Franklin Mountains Wilderness Coalition, Friends of the Rio Bosque, International Boundary and Water Commission, League of Women Voters, New Mexico State Parks Mesilla Valley Bosque and Pancho Villa State Park, Reintroduction of Mexican Wolves, Rio Grande Council of Governments, Serna Ranch Youth Leadership Program, Southwest Expeditions/Eco Tourism, Texas AgriLife Extension El Paso Master Gardeners, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Texas Master Naturalist-Trans Pecos, Texas Parks & Wildlife /Hueco Tanks State Park & Historic Site, UTEP Environmental Advocates.

Learn more about our Chihuahuan Desert and get involved with others by joining the Chihuahuan Desert Education Coalition. Info: http://www.chihuahuandesert.org/ or call 915-217-4233.

Jim Tolbert: Celebration of Our Mountains
Sept. 17- Nov. 19, 2011

Hike the ridge of Mount Franklin, see dinosaur tracks, go deep inside an old tin mine, visit volcanoes . . . The 18th annual fall Celebration of Our Mountains festival hosts numerous events each week and weekend during a period of mild temperatures in the El Paso Southwest. You can also enjoy year-round educational and recreational opportunities. Just visit www.celebmtns.org for more information. New hikes and events are posted throughout the fall festival as well as throughout the year. Activities include hiking, biking, birding, an art show, climbing, photographing, sketching, studying and exploring the natural wonders and history of the Borderland. Theme hikes will include trips to old mining operations, sites of historic plane crashes, geological wonders, plants and wildlife of our region and family and beginners’ hikes.

Best environmental updates in town from Jim Tolbert at his blog El Paso Naturally. Bookmark, sign up for email notifications. You can catch up on the petitions for Transmountain Scenic Corridor NW and many other issues on his blog. Strongly recommend subscribing.

Please visit and bookmark http://www.elpasonaturally.blogspot.com/ .

Just for starters: Richarda Duffy Momsen, Municipal Clerk of the City of El Paso, Texas, has certified our petition to save the Scenic Transmountain Corridor! El Paso Times published predictable articles and editorials. Here’s Jim’s response:

http://elpasonaturally.blogspot.com/2011/08/dont-ease-up.html

September update:
http://elpasonaturally.blogspot.com/2011/09/where-we-are-on-petition-ordinance.html

REMEMBER: CITY COUNCIL, TUESDAY, SEPT. 20TH!

CASTNER RANGE CONSERVATION KEEPS A ROLLING ALONG!

Richard Teschner’s recent report to Castner Conservation Conveyance Committee, concerning his education efforts on the Hill and at the Pentagon, Aug. 1-2, 2011, in Washington DC, is full of positive news and feedback. Please attend the FMWC Meeting Wednesday, Sept. 21st, for updates on exciting developments on Castner Range.

WANTED!
Burrowing Owl Conservation
Have you seen any burrowing owls in El Paso County?

Texas Parks and Wildlife is conducting a long-term research project starting Sept. 2011 to examine the survival of adult and juvenile burrowing owls, determine their residency status, site fidelity, and compare breeding success of burrowing owls between natural and artificial burrows.

Please report all owl sightings and locations to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Urban Wildlife Biologist at
915-774-9603 or lois.balin@tpwd.state.tx.us Thanks,

Lois Balin, Urban Wildlife Biologist

Borderland Mountain Bike Association
Check out http://bmba.wordpress.com/ for the latest.

El Paso Museum of Archaeology
Sept/Oct Calendar

Settlement Legacy: Native Americans of the Pass of the North: Through October 9, 2011, Free Admission
The exhibit tells the dramatic story of the Manso, Suma, Piro, and Tigua Indians who, over four centuries ago, founded the missions and pueblos that evolved into today’s sister cities, El Paso-Ciudad Juárez.

We hope you’ll take some time to explore this accurate account of what happened to the Indians who were living here when the Spanish arrived (the Manso and Suma) along with what happened to the Indians who were brought here (the Tigua, Piro, and Tompiro) as a result of the Pueblo Revolt.

The exhibit was created by Guest Curator Nicholas P. Houser, who has conducted historical research for the Tigua Indians, created exhibits for museums and cultural centers, and has worked with over 36 Native American communities in the American Southwest and Latin America.

Nick Houser will give the final lecture for this exhibit in conjunction with Tom Lea Month on Sunday, October 9, at 2:00 pm, Free Admission, details below.

Zip Tour of the exhibit: Settlement Legacy: Native Americans of the Pass of the North September 24, 2011, 2:00 pm, Free Admission

This tour introduces the exhibit about the historic Indian occupation of the El Paso-Ciudad Juárez region to the public through a casual conversation during which those attending may ask questions and share their knowledge.

Family Workshop: Beginning Pottery-Making, Dates to be Announced. Enrollment limited, advance registration required, call the museum for dates, times, ages, materials, and fees: 915-755-4332; guidamr@elpasotexas.gov

The 17th Biennial Jornada Mogollon Archaeology Conference Friday, October 7 and Saturday, October 8, 2011 9:00 am – 5:00 pm each day

El Paso is at the geographic center of the prehistoric culture area archaeologists call the Jornada Mogollon. The public is welcome to hear archaeologists working in this area present their recent research during this conference being held at the El Paso Museum of Archaeology. The conference is jointly hosted by the museum and the El Paso Archaeological Society; it is held in conjunction with Texas Archaeology Month

Cost: $30 Pre-registration - paid before September 16th
$40 Registration from Sept. 16 to Oct. 8
You can also register at the door, one or both days
$25 Student registration, with valid ID

The registration form is on the museum’s website www.elpasotexas.gov/arch_museum or call (915) 755-4332 for a copy.

Geographically, the Jornada Mogollon extends from Carrizozo, New Mexico in the north to just south of Villa

Ahumada, Chihuahua, México in the south, and from east of Deming, New Mexico in the west to the Pecos River in the east.

TOM LEA MONTH PROGRAMS
Free Admission for All Programs

Sunday, October 2, 2011, 2:00 pm
Desert Plants in the Art of Tom Lea
by Artist and Master Gardener Jan Dreher

Tom Lea had a reverence for the world around him and used his skills as an artist to capture the “Almighty’s majestic handiwork” in “portrait likeness.” Jan Dreher will share slides of Lea’s paintings with details of a variety of high Chihuahuan Desert plants before taking visitors onto the slopes of Mount Franklin to discover them for themselves.

Sunday, October 9, 2011, 2:00 pm
Tom Lea and the Indian People of the Southwest
by Nick Houser, Anthropologist and Guest Curator

When Tom Lea first visited the Grand Canyon as a little boy, he was most fascinated with the Hopi House on its rim. Throughout his life, Lea studied the ways of Southwest Indians, resulting in paintings like Snake Dancers in the Santa Fe Museum of Fine Arts, Ghost at Noon Came Riding at the El Paso Museum of Art, Comancheros in the Seymour Texas Post Office and Sitting Bull in the Texas Capitol. While showing slides of Tom Lea’s work, Nick Houser will analyze their details and what they tell viewers about of the lives of Native Americans in the Southwest.

Saturday, October 15, 2011, 3:00 pm
The Mystery of Our Mountains:
How the Franklin and Sierra de Juarez Were Formed by Phil Goodell, Ph.D., UTEP Geologist

The Franklin Mountains and Sierra de Juarez stand silent and majestic against the sky. Our knowledge has developed from mystery to a reasonable understanding of a sequence of evolutionary events, from the catastrophic to the monotonous. Observations and interpretations of events will be discussed by UTEP professor and native El Pasoan Dr. Phil Goodell who has loved rocks from the time he was a little boy.

Sunday, October 16, 2011, 1:30 to 4:30 pm
Student Artists: In the Footsteps of Tom Lea
Chapin High School Student Presentations and Reception

Just as Tom Lea loved exploring the world around him, Chapin High School Student Artists do, too. Advanced art, studio advanced placement, and art history students will study the work of Tom Lea under the direction of art teacher Elisa Barton, creating works of their own. At a public reception, these students will present their winning creations at the El Paso Museum of Archaeology.

Sunday, October 23, 1:00 to 4:00 pm
Family Workshop: Tom Lea Landscapes
Free Admission with Pre-Registration
Attendance Limited

Families will be inspired to create their own landscapes just as Tom Lea did. The Franklin Mountains, with their dramatic canyons, jagged peaks, and ever-changing light are a stunning backdrop to the Museum of Archaeology. Participants can imagine the landscape as it was in prehistoric times - and how the ancients lived. With professional staff to help, participants will learn how to observe elements in the landscape - the place, time of day, and weather. They will also learn placement of figures in the foreground, middle ground and background, describing the expanse of space. Families will work as a group using a variety of materials to create a landscape collage populated with Chihuahuan Desert plants, animals and people. Families will share their landscapes with each other at the end. Maximum number of participants: 25

Ages: mixed, children and adults

Día de los Muertos Ofrenda/Display
By Artist Lizzie Ochoa

Zip Tours

Sunday, October 30, 2:00 pm, Free Admission

Sunday, November 6, 2:00 pm, Free Admission

Call the museum – 915-755-4332 – for dates of the display

~~~El Paso Museum of Archaeology
4301 Transmountain Road, El Paso Texas 79924;
915-755-4332; guidamr@elpasotexs.gov; www.elpasotexas.gov/arch_museum/
Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 9 am to 5 pm; Sunday, 12 to 5 pm
Closed Mondays and City Holiday

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: Lone Star Legacy Endowment Fund, c/o Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation, P.O. Box 191207, Dallas, TX, 75219. Mark your donation to the endowment fund for Franklin Mountains State Park.

FMWC BOARD

President: Scott Cutler
Vice President: Jane Fowler
Secretary: Judy Ackerman
Treasurer: Pat White
At Large Members: Raul Amaya and Nick Havlik

July 2011

2011-07-11T11:01:00.000-07:00

FRANKLIN MOUNTAINS WILDERNESS COALITION

http://www.franklinmountains.org/

NEWSLETTER

July 2011

CONTENTS:
Meeting Info
Message From Our President
Genevieve Coonly
Castner Range
     Retention Dam
     Photo Op, Aug 16th
NEWS
     Golden Eagle at the Zoo
     Eco-Tourism
     Franklin Mountains State Park
     Child Activist Stands Up to Orogrande Mine
Mark Your Calendars
     N.E. El Paso Civic Association Meeting
     El Paso Museum Of Archaeology
     Master Gardeners/Master Naturalist
Lone Star Legacy
FMWC Board
FMWC In Cyberspace

NO JULY MEETING
Next Meeting: WEDNESDAY, September 21, 2011
Meeting Place and Time To Be Announced in September Newsletter.

Message From Our President, Scott Cutler

Within this edition you will find a number of issues that the Coalition is working on, some of them of great concern such as the idea of a new retention dam and ponding area on Castner Range. Your input on these and participation in talking to officials about these is critical to protecting our mountains. Please consider becoming actively involved in one form or another.

As we are in the summer hiking season I thought I would pass on to all of you a website I came across that describes a number of great hikes in the Franklin Mountains as well as other locations. It was assembled by Mr. Michael Olbrisch and can be accessed on the web at the following address (all one line):

http://www.localhikes.com/getHikes.asp?Search=1&getreporter=Desert_Warrior&getHikebyReporter=Yes

I hope you will be able to enjoy some of these either this summer or in the cool of the fall and winter.

Have a great summer. And as always your interest and support of the Franklin Mountains Wilderness Coalition is very much appreciated.

Genevieve Coonly

Genevieve Coonly was a long-time supporter of our organization and made many generous donations to FMWC through the years. She passed away on June 1, 2011. In remembrance of Mrs. Coonly's love of the Franklin Mountains, her family has asked that donations in her memory be made to the Franklin Mountains Wilderness Coalition among other organizations.

Support for the Franklin Mountains Wilderness Coalition comes in many forms, from volunteer hours to financial support. Genevieve Coonly's financial gifts have strengthened the Coalition's ability to support conservation efforts related to the Franklin Mountains, especially Castner Range. Some donations (including one that totaled $1,000) have already been made in her memory. Any amount you give will go towards protecting the Franklin Mountains which Mrs. Coonly cherished, and all of us strive to preserve. Your gift in Genevieve Coonly's name can be mailed to the Coalition's Treasurer: Pat White, 10525 Texwood, El Paso, Texas, 79925.

CASTNER RANGE

Proposed Sun Valley Water Retention Dam on Castner Range:

You have probably already heard about initial scoping efforts by the Corps of Engineers to investigate the feasibility of (and public concern about) a water impoundment structure on Castner Range just west of Sun Valley Drive and Highway 54. The Corps of Engineers is actively seeking input from the Coalition as well as any other interested individuals and organizations. The Coalition is getting ideas for alternatives from a number of different sources and will be providing input to the Corps by the end of July as well as at the meeting of the RAB (Restoration Advisory Board) in the BLM’s conference room, 1800 Marquess Street, Las Cruces, 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, July 13. We encourage you to attend the meeting.

If you can’t attend the meeting, please DO comment. Your participation demonstrates the importance of Castner Range to this community. Please emphasize the need to minimize impact on the native ecosystem and the scenic view shed of the Castner Range while ensuring public safety. Send your comments to Dana Price at dana.m.price@usace.army.mil.

Photo Op to Mark El Paso Delegation’s Support of Castner Range Resolutions:

The unanimous April 2011 vote by the Texas Senate and the Texas House of Representatives in favor of resolutions strongly supporting the conservation of Castner Range will be celebrated on Tuesday, August 16th at 9 a.m. in the parking lot of the Museum of Archaeology on East Transmountain Road with a rescheduled "photo op" in honor of El Paso's delegation to Austin--State Senator José Rodríguez and State Representative Marisa Márquez (who both sponsored the resolutions) along with Representatives Naomi González, Dee Margo, Joe Pickett and Chente Quintanilla, who spoke and voted in favor of it. Also invited to participate in the photo opportunity are Congressman Silvestre Reyes, Mayor John Cook, and District Four City Representative Carl Robinson, along with Dr. Julia Bussinger, director of the museum. Members of the Castner Conservation Conveyance Committee ("4-C's") Judy Ackerman, Scott Cutler, Doug Echlin, Mike Gaglio, John Moses, Richard Teschner, Kevin von Finger, Charlie Wakeem and Pat White will be present, along with other members of the boards of directors of the Franklin Mountains Wilderness Coalition and the Frontera Land Alliance. All persons active in El Paso-area conservation are also invited to attend the photo op, at which the guests of honor will be asked to say a few words to the media. The event is being organized by the 4-C's and the offices of Senator Rodríguez and Representative Márquez. (Richard Teschner, For the 4-C's)

NEWS

EL PASO ZOO: Golden Eagle at the Zoo is an “Ambassador for Conservation”

In March 2010, Takota began visiting with guests during public programs and since then has made appearances at regularly scheduled El Paso Zoo programs as well as several off grounds programs. Some notable appearances have been at the Franklin Mountains Poppy Celebration, Music Under the Stars and at An Evening with Jack Hanna at the Plaza Theater where he was one of the featured animals on stage.

Takota is a nearly 6 year-old Golden Eagle who was found in the Organ Mountains near Las Cruces in November 2007. After examination by veterinarians, Takota was found to have West Nile Virus, as well as, gunshot wounds which had already healed. He was given housing at the El Paso Zoo during his long recovery. Unfortunately, Takota's eyesight was permanently damaged due to the virus and it was decided that he would never have the ability to see well enough to live on his own. Several people at the El Paso Zoo took an interest in the eagle, seeing his potential as an ambassador for his wild counterparts through educational programs. A raptor consultant came to the El Paso Zoo in November 2009 to evaluate the eagle and he was so positive of Takota's potential that training with the eagle began immediately. Just a few months later in March 2010, Takota made his public debut. Since then he has helped represent Chihuahuan Desert Wildlife by encountering thousands of El Paso area residents both at the El Paso Zoo and around the city at special events. To date, over 34,000 people have seen Takota.

Takota is at the El Paso Zoo under permit from US Fish and Wildlife. The zoo was also awarded a grant from Texas Parks and Wildlife to hire a raptor consultant, a raptor presenter to show Takota to the public and have a new aviary built in an area behind the scenes.

Takota can be seen at the El Paso Zoo at scheduled appearances. For more information on Takota programs at the El Paso Zoo, please visit www.elpasozoo.org. To follow Takota on Twitter got to twitter.com/takotagolden.

The El Paso Zoo opens daily at 9:30 am and the ticket booth closes at 4:00pm. For more information call (915) 521-1850. (Rick LoBello, Education Curator)

Eco-Tourism In El Paso:

One of the main goals for our Eco-tourism committee was to provide our community and eco-enthusiasts everywhere a website that would allow for a more comprehensive overview of outdoor activities in El Paso County. I’m happy to report back that after months of work with the CVB and a generous financial donation by Dr. Richard Teschner, our idea has become a reality. The website was recently unveiled at the Convention and Visitors Bureau Spirit of Amigo Travel Luncheon.

You can now view this website by going to www.outdoorelpaso.com. The page hosts an interactive map which provides the locations for various activities, attractions and businesses which sell/rent the equipment needed to partake in the wealth of outdoor activities. You can click on certain tabs to isolate your search of activities on the map or by utilizing the menu of activities on the left hand side of the site.

For example, if you wanted information on the 1953 B-36D Crash Site Hike, you can locate it on the interactive map and click “More info” or by clicking “Hiking, Walking & Running Trails” on the left hand column to have a list of the various hikes. Once there you can click on the “1953 B-36D Crash Site Hike” which will then take you to detailed information such as hike time, trail condition, difficulty, etc and a trail map.

This is an evolving website and can be made better with your input. Any suggestions you might have would be greatly appreciated. (Ruben John Vogt, Director of Public Policy)

Franklin Mountains State Park:

First, we would like to mention that Park Ranger II Alvaro Garcia has accepted a Park Police Officer position at Big Bend Ranch State Park. Alvaro began his work at Big Bend in June. We wish him well with his new job!

This summer has been a busy one here at Franklin Mountain State Park. Park staff and volunteers have been leading guided tours throughout the park. School groups, summer camps and military youth groups have been out to the park to take advantage of the many tours we have to offer. For many of our guests, it is their first time visiting the park. All of us here use this as a way to encourage first time visitors to come back and enjoy all that the park has to offer.

Park volunteer Robert Newman has been given the green light to begin work on the extension of the Sotol Forest Trail from Sotol Canyon north to Hitt Canyon. We appreciate all of Robert’s hard work since he has been out there almost every day since the beginning of June. Due to shortage of staff, we have not had much of an opportunity to work alongside with Robert.

Park staff have been busy with several work projects throughout the park involving the Texas Department of Criminal Justice trustees. Some of the projects include working on the interpretive panels located at the park headquarters and at the Ron Coleman Trailheads. Work was completed as of July 7, 2011. We have used the help of the TDCJ work crew in up-grading the grills at the group picnic site # 39. We will continue to use their help with re-painting all the picnic and camp sites as well as with all the other daily maintenance at the park.

TxDOT will begin working on painting the stripes on the park roadways this month. Work will begin within the next several days.

Park volunteers Richard Love and George Murray have been keeping up with the daily maintenance of our wildlife viewing area. Lately, Richard installed a stealth camera to photograph overnight activity at the viewing area. Park staff and volunteers have noticed that some of the wildlife have been rummaging through the vegetation and causing quite a mess. Through the use of the stealth camera, Richard determined that the culprit was a coyote, which he later spotted on the Nature Trail.

Hot, Hot, Hot! With the severe heat, all park staff continues to encourage all park visitors to hike safely and be as prepared as possible for hiking in this heat. We encourage at least a gallon of water per person and double that per dog. Unfortunately, some hikers have not followed our recommendations. Just a few weeks ago, a hiker on the Directissimo trail encountered some problems due to lack of preparedness. Unfortunately his dog did not survive the hike. All park staff can do is continue to encourage hikers to be prepared.
Speaking of heat, park volunteer George Murray was driving up Trans Mountain Road one Saturday afternoon when he noticed a brush fire alongside the roadway. Thankfully George stopped and did all he could to help put out the fire. Three motorists also stopped and assisted George with dousing the fire with whatever tools they had. George used his fire extinguisher and floor mats from his truck and the three motorists used their floor mats as well. Luckily, El Paso Fire Department Pumper 2 arrived on the scene and successfully finished putting out the fire. If it wasn’t for George and the three good Samaritans, that fire could have easily spread and could have been disastrous! Thank you George for your quick action! It is speculated that the fire was caused by some inconsiderate motorist who threw out a lit cigarette butt.

In summary, we encourage all visitors to be safe when out and about in the park during this dry, hot summer. Remember the basics, plenty of water, sun-screen, wide brimmed hat, long sleeves and pants, and sturdy shoes when out hiking in the summer. Also, it is advisable to take advantage of the park’s early hours of operation on the weekend and hike early to avoid the heat. (John Nunez, FMSP)

Child Activist Stands Up to Orogrande Mine:

When 10-year-old Caitlyn Larson and her family heard there was activity and large equipment moving near the old Cinco de Mayo mine in the Jarilla Mountains, they became concerned.

"(People) told us someone tore a big hole into the Cinco de Mayo," Caitlyn said.

As the family drove out to see it for themselves and take a hike in the area, the Larsons saw the landscape they knew had changed. Roads had been widened and pathways expanded, leaving many plants torn up and burms in the way of regular roadways.

Large-scale mine-related equipment sat at the bottom of the mountain containing the Cinco de Mayo, Iron Duke, Barbara and Virginia mining claims.

The Larsons found, according to a press release issued by the Iron Mining Group, the company is purchasing 180,000 metric tons of iron ore from OroGrande Iron Ore Co., LLC. The first delivery of 60,000 metric tons is to be made to IMG by July 31.

According to the press release, the group also plans to take 5.98 million metric tons of iron ore from the area over the next three years.

The release also says the low-grade iron ore, once extracted, will be taken by train to Sonora, Mexico, where it will then be shipped to China.

Caitlyn, seeing the machines and the changes in the landscape, became concerned for the plants, wildlife and history of the area. Not only have many varieties of plants, including rare cactus, been disturbed by the activity at the mine, but a couple of golden eagle nests are situated in the area.

"Eagles, owl, bighorn sheep and mountain lions have been seen in this area," said Guy Larson, Caitlyn's father. "It's amazing what's up here."

The Larsons are a mining family and want to make it clear they are not against mining, Guy said.

"We just want to see everything considered," Guy said. "What about the history? What are they going to do about the eagles?"

At the very least, Guy said, the mining company is required to have its permit posted at the site.

Orogrande was a bustling mining community in 1915 when the mines in question were active, Guy said. There were three bustling towns in the area at the time

Orogrande, Brice and Oyasi.

Caitlyn's concern about the wildlife and history turned her into an activist. She created a press release and sent letters to the Bureau of Land Management, President Barack Obama, Gov. Susana Martinez and others.

"If the destruction created in the last seven days is any indication of the work they plan to do in the next 90 days (and possibly the next three years, as reported by IMG), there will be no mountains left," Caitlyn wrote June 6 in her release. "They will have been completely destroyed, pulverized and sent to China." (Elva K. Osterreich, Alamogordo Daily News, 6/20/11)

Update: The mining company is under a "cease and desist" order from BLM. The company does not have a mining permit from the State of New Mexico and they have not conducted an environmental assessment. Most importantly they did not have permission from BLM to conduct mining operations on BLM land. Talk about arrogance! The mining company stated they were unaware they needed permits. Per BLM, it will take about a year to conduct an "evaluation".

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

JULY 14th: N.E. El Paso Civic Association Meeting with guest speakers, Texas State Representatives Dee Margo and Joe Pickett. 7 – 9 pm at Community Center, Transmountain Apartments, 5317 Transmountain Rd.

El Paso Museum Of Archaeology:

Enrollment Still Open for Archaeology Summer Day Camps
Spaces are still available in the following camps:

July 12 through 15, 2011, 9 am to Noon, for children ages 10 to 12 years, entering 5th through 7th grade

July 26 through 29, 2011, 9 am to Noon, for children 7 to 9 years, entering 2nd through 4th grade

August 9 through 12, 2011, 9 am to Noon, for children ages 10 to 12 years, entering 5th through 7th grade

The camp registration fee is $55 for El Paso Museum of Archaeology members and $70 for non-members. Registration is accepted on a first-come first-served basis as attendance is limited to twelve students per camp. For information and the camp registration form contact the museum at 915-755-4332 or guidamr@elpasotexas.gov.

Archaeology Summer Day Camp is an interactive, hands-on course held on the museum’s grounds and in the galleries with a field trip. The program is designed to educate participants about the science of archaeology, its tools, and American Indians of the El Paso-Juárez region from prehistory to today. Campers will learn respect and appreciation for prehistoric, historic and contemporary Indian people.

Continuing Exhibit extended through October 9, 2011: Settlement Legacy: Native Americans of the Pass of the North
Free Admission

Guest Curator Nicholas P. Houser, local anthropologist and historian, tells the dramatic story of the Manso, Suma, Piro, and Tigua Indians who, over four centuries ago, founded the missions and pueblos that evolved into today’s sister cities, El Paso-Ciudad Juárez.

War, Women, and Religion: The Spread of Salado Polychrome in the North American Southwest by Todd VanPool, Ph.D.
July 23, 2011, 2:00 to 3:30 pm
Free Admission

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the Salado religion spread across the US Southwest. It was associated with distinctive pottery, also found in El Paso, that was part of a new religious system developed during massive migration into the area. Many of the immigrants were female war refugees and their children fleeing intense violence to the north. The influx of refugees into pre-existing communities created intense competition among females for economic resources and mates. In this presentation, Dr VanPool suggests that the Salado religion reflects religious innovation by females aimed at mitigating this conflict.

Todd L. VanPool is an Associate Professor of Anthropology at the University of Missouri--Columbia. He earned his BA at Eastern New Mexico University and his Ph.D. from the University of New Mexico. He has conducted archaeological field work throughout New Mexico and northern Chihuahua, and is currently leading the excavation of the 76 Draw site near Deming with his colleagues, Christine S. VanPool and Gordon F.M. Rakita.

Exploring the Music of the Americas: A Family Workshop by the musical group Ceiba
August 13, 2011, 2:00 to 4:00 pm,
Free Admission

Families with children age six years and up are invited to participate in a creative, interactive exploration of music and art inspired by ancient and modern Latin America from México to the Andes led by the El Paso musical group Ceiba.

Adults and children will listen and respond to music and create together, speaking and writing in small groups and making art in response to the music they hear. Ceiba will play a variety of musical pieces and ask participants to respond to questions such as what did you hear, where did you go in your mind while listening, what did you feel, and how would you draw that music. Children will take home the art they make. Both English and Spanish will be spoken during this workshop.

Ceiba musicians perform on a variety of instruments from indigenous cultures of Latin America such as the charango, rain stick, various flutes of wood, ceramic, and bamboo, percussion instruments made of turtle shell and gourd, as well as well as a variety of other percussion and stringed instruments such as the jarana, guitarra de golpe, vihuela, tiple, cuatro, and guitar. Information: Marilyn Guida, 915-755-4332, guidamr@elpasotexas.gov

AUGUST 13, 10:00 AM:
Master Gardeners/Master Naturalist Speaker Dr. Corral, Fort Bliss Plant Biologist
Free Admission

AUGUST 21, 2:00 PM: Sue Sitton, Fort Bliss Archaeologist
Free Admission

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: Lone Star Legacy Endowment Fund, c/o Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation, 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.

FMWC Board

President: Scott Cutler

Vice President: Jane Fowler

Secretary: Judy Ackerman

Treasurer: Pat White

At Large Members:

Raul Amaya and Nick Havelick

May 2011

2011-05-20T17:25:00.000-07:00

Contents:

FMWC Next Meeting

NEWS

Transmountain Corridor

Petitions

Castner Range

FMSP NEWS

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

Ardovino’s Dessert Crossing Farmers’ Market

El Paso Museum of Archaeology

Free Tours of the Museum

2011 Summer Archaeology Day Camps

New Mexico Wilderness Alliance:

Track Your Wild Path:

Organ Mountains Plein Air Painting Workshop:

LONE STAR LEGACY

FMWC IN CYBERSPACE

FMWC BOARD

Next Meeting: WEDNESDAY, May 18, 2011

MEETING LOCATION: Our meeting will be held at The Garden Center, Memorial Park, 3105 Grant St. from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Map:
http://www.cichlidpress.com/elpasocactusclub/graphics/gardencenter.jpg

NEWS

Transmountain Corridor:

Austin law firm of Loweree, Frederick, Perales, Allmon & Rockwell submitted comments on behalf of the El Paso Regional Group (Rio Grande Chapter) of the Sierra Club on April 1, 2011, to TxDOT regarding TxDOT’s recently submitted Environmental Assessment (EA) of the proposed Transmountain Freeway Project. The law firm noted that the EA failed to adequately analyze the noise, visual, vegetation, wildlife, and cumulative urbanization-inducing impacts of the proposed Project. The EA also did not take a “hard look” at the impacts to Franklin Mountain State Park which “Section 4(f)” of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regarding “parkland” requires. These failings, viewed individually or, especially, in sum, result in an EA that cannot justify the “will not impact” conclusion the TxDOT EA reaches and cannot be accepted because it is unsupported. A full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) must be prepared.

The law firm comments were prepared in collaboration with David Simon, who served as the Director of the New Mexico State Park System from 2003 through 2010 and is a recognized authority on the impacts of urbanization on high-desert terrains and, especially, on parks in those terrains.

Word from Jim Tolbert on the petitions to preserve land in the Transmountain Corridor: “Keep collecting and asking others to collect. We are over 1548 – but those have not been checked and we can bet that many are not valid. Please get me petitions as you can so we can check them and not have to rush through them all at once. “ Petitions are available for downloading at our website.

Castner Range (Richard Teschner, Castner Conservation Conveyance Committee):

Texas House, Senate Pass FMWC/Frontera “4-C’s”-Sponsored Resolution Supporting Conservation of Castner Range

Thursday, May 5, 2011. Austin, Texas. Today the Texas State Senate unanimously passed a resolution which expressed its support for the conservation of El Paso’s eleven-square-mile/7,000-plus-acre Castner Range, a “closed” U.S. Army property between the eastern boundary of the Franklin Mountain State Park and the U.S. 54 Patriot Freeway. And two days earlier the Texas House of Representatives passed—also unanimously—an identical resolution supporting the conservation of Castner Range.

The resolution was written and promoted by the members of the joint Franklin Mountains Wilderness Coalition/Frontera Land Alliance “Castner Conservation Conveyance Committee” (aka “the 4-C’s”)—members Judy Ackerman, Steve Bonner (SONRI Corporation), Scott Cutler, Doug Echlin, Mike Gaglio, John Moses, Richard Teschner, Kevin Von Finger and Pat White. In the House, the resolution was sponsored by District 77 Representative Marisa Márquez (D-El Paso, ably assisted by her Chief of Staff Haley Greer); in the Senate the resolution was moved forward by State Senator José Rodríguez (D-El Paso), his Chief of Staff Corinne Chacón and his office’s Communications Director Emily Amps Mora. The 4-C’s greatly appreciate the support and hard work of Representative Márquez and Senator Rodríguez and their staffs. Ongoing efforts toward our common goals are being aided by a $300,000 Office of Economic Adjustment/Department of Defense grant to collect data concerning the application of a conservation conveyance onto the area. The grant was obtained for the 4-C’s in 2009 by U.S. Congressman Silvestre Reyes (D-El Paso), who was honored with Frontera’s “Rock Solid” award at its annual “Taste of Frontera” celebration in February 2010.

The joint resolution runs to over two pages and makes points that the readers of this newsletter have long been familiar with: that under the stewardship of the U.S. Army, Castner has been allowed to rest in its natural state since 1971, when munitions operations ceased; that since 1995 (and in particular recently) the Army has been clearing old artillery rounds from Castner’s surface; that the range contains “some of the most geologically complex and visually striking parts of the Franklins and is prized for its Mexican gold poppy”; that Castner is “the only known site in Texas where several rare plants can be found” as well as “the greatest concentration of springs in the Franklins”; that the El Paso City Council and the El Paso County

Commissioners Court have unanimously passed resolutions in recent years advocating that Castner be left undeveloped and conserved for recreational use; and that “the Franklin Mountains State Park management plan takes the range into account, envisioning a network of trails in the canyons and lower elevations.”

The joint resolution stipulated that the chief clerk of the House and of the Senate “forward official copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to the commanding general of Fort Bliss, to the secretary of the U.S. Department of Defense, to the president of the [U.S.] Senate and the speaker of the House of Representatives … and to all the members of the Texas delegation to Congress.”

FRANKLIN MOUNTAINS STATE PARK NEWS (John Nunez)

Greetings all from the crown jewel of El Paso: Franklin Mtns. State Park!

The latest news obviously at the park and all state parks is the issue regarding the state budget crisis. All park staff are waiting to hear how each park will be affected by the budget crisis. There have been rumours of park closures, but there will be no speculation till the park managers get the official word by June 1st to see how exactly the parks will be affected. We are hoping for the best.

Business as usual at the park. Park staff have been kept busy with the steady flow of people coming out to enjoy all the wonders the park has to offer. With increased visitation, however, there can be some negative consequences. After the crowd left on Easter, there was a great deal of trash that needed to be cleaned and picked up. Park Ranger Felipe Camacho was busy doing cleanup all day after Easter.

A major problem we are facing is the destruction of the Ron Coleman trail and the overall destruction of Smuggler's

Canyon. Unfortunately, when people hike the Ron Coleman trail they rarely stay on the trail causing several offshoot trails that are extremely dangerous. Another set back is after all the hard work we have done to repair the switchbacks and erosion barriers, they have been destroyed by people trying to make shortcuts. Some damage is the result of people being absolutely irresponsible with the mindset of "let’s go out and destroy everything we see in sight." The enclosed pictures* will show exactly what we are dealing with. Signs have been ripped out, some have been tagged with graffiti and some have been kicked and broken to pieces. As the pictures show, "graffiti artists" have left their mark. Another major problem we are experiencing is when military training occurs on the Coleman trail. Some soldiers have been disrespectful to park staff and park volunteers when they are approached about not staying on trail or for not paying the park use fee. Some have been caught hiking off trail and leaving empty US Govt. sand bags. We are not specifically targeting any group of people, but these are just some of the examples of the destruction that has been continuously occurring on the Coleman trail.

Another target area is the newly opened trailhead at North Hills. Park staff and volunteers have witnessed first hand people coming through parts of the fence that have been cut. Others have been seen walking right past the kiosk and pay station making rude comments about paying. What people don't realize is that area was set to be developed. The majority of the park's funding comes from the entrance fees.

All of us at Franklin have been working with each other to help improve the signage all around the park. Park rangers have been finishing up the trailhead kiosks and are near completion. Also new park trail signage will be installed in the Northeast side and all the signs at Tom Mays are currently being repaired.

It is that time of the year where all of us are busy with tours. Lately there have been large school groups attending the tours that we offer at Franklin. Tours are an excellent opportunity to teach people of all ages the many benefits that await them when they come out and hike in the Franklin Mountains. For many, it is the first time they have ever hiked in the Franklins. All park staff take pride in teaching people all that they can do to enjoy nature in their backyard.

With so much going on at the park and across the state, we are always busy and rarely is there ever a dull moment. Every day is different with many challenges ahead, but all of us at Franklin Mtn. State Park will continue working hard and take advantage of the fact that we leave the at the end of the day feeling a sense of great accomplishment.

*Photos available in our e-newsletter.

More FRANKLIN MOUNTAINS STATE PARK NEWS

All the latest news and information about upcoming events at the Park are available at the Park’s great website. Check it out!!

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

Starting 28 May, Every Saturday, 7am - Noon

Ardovino’s Dessert Crossing Farmers’ Market

Franklin Mountains Wilderness Coalition has had great success with our booth at Ardovino’s Dessert Crossing Farmers’ Market on Saturday mornings from 7am to noon. This year we will team with The Frontera Land Alliance to share the booth. You can join in the fun by helping to staff the booth. FMWC President Scott Cutler is working with Richard Teschner of the Frontera Board to coordinate volunteering activities. If you would like to volunteer, please contact Richard at teschner@utep.edu. He will send you the sign-up sheet which indicates the dates that are still open.

El Paso Museum of Archaeology

Exhibit, Programs, Tours

May – August 2011

El Paso Museum of Archaeology Continuing Exhibit extended through October 9, 2011:

Settlement Legacy: Native Americans of the Pass of the North

Free Admission

Guest Curator Nicholas P. Houser, local anthropologist and historian, tells the dramatic story of the Manso, Suma, Piro, and Tigua Indians who, over four centuries ago, founded the missions and pueblos that evolved into today’s sister cities, El Paso-Ciudad Juárez.

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Dr. Mario Garza speaking on the Coahuiltecans: The Struggle for Legitimacy in a Hispanic World

This lecture is presented by the El Paso Archaeological Society in partnership with the El Paso Museum of Archaeology and is made possible in part by a grant from Humanities Texas, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Specifically, the award has been drawn from a federal grant made available through We the People, an initiative designed by the National Endowment for the Humanities to strengthen the teaching, study, and understanding of American history and culture.

Free Tours of the Museum

Saturday, May 14, 2011, 1:00 pm

Museum Tour for Adults

Saturday, May 21, 2011, 1:00 pm

Museum Tour for Families with Elementary-School Age Children

Sunday, May 22, 2011, 2:00 pm, Free Admission

Zip Tour of the Settlement Legacy exhibit

Free Lecture with Sign Language interpreters for the hearing impaired at 2:00 pm in conjunction with the exhibit:

2011 Summer Archaeology Day Camps

9 am to 12 pm, Tuesday through Friday

For ages 7 to 9 years/Grades 2-4 (must have completed first grade)

June 28 to July 1 or July 26 to 29

For ages 10 to 12 years/Grades 5-7, July 12-15 or August 9-12

An interactive, hands-on course about the science of archaeology and the prehistory of the Americas held on the museum’s grounds and in the galleries with a field trip (to be announced). Cost $70 for non-members, $55 for museum members per child. Space is limited to 12 students per camp. Registration taken on a first come, first served basis. For information and registration form: 915-755-4332 or guidamr@elpasotexas.gov.

June 11, 10:00 am

Master Gardeners/Master Naturalists Speaker To Be Announced, Free Admission.

June 19, 2:00 pm

El Paso Archaeological Society, speaker, Dr. Arthur Harris, Professor of Biology, UTEP, Free Admission

August 13, 10:00 am,

Master Gardeners/Master Naturalists, speaker Dr. Corral, Free Admission

August 13, 2:00 pm,

Family Workshop with Ceiba, Exploring the Music of the Americas, Free Admission

August 21, 2:00 pm,

El Paso Archaeological Society, speaker to be announced

Year Round:

Teachers and Group Leaders: Schedule a Free Tour of the museum for your School or Group with two weeks advance reservation, call 915-755-4332

New Mexico Wilderness Alliance:

If you haven't already picked up a copy of the 2011 Wild Guide, now's the time. Don't miss out on any more action! Order your guide online or contact craig@nmwild.org because just a few of these fun-packed, beautifully designed books are left!

Track Your Wild Path:

May 22 in Santa Fe - This free family event at Santa Fe's Museum Hill features interactive art projects with local artist Daniel Richmond. Get to know the endangered animals that inhabit our state's wild lands. Plus get free admission to Santa Fe museums! Learn more online or contact demis@nmwild.org

Organ Mountains Plein Air Painting Workshop:

May 20-21

Student art show to follow May 22 -

Let yourself be inspired by the stunning backdrop of the Organ Mountains at this outdoor painting workshop taught by critically acclaimed local artists Bonnie Mandoe and Nancy Begin. Beginning to intermediate painters of all ages encouraged to attend. The class will be held at beautiful Aguirre Springs Recreation Area outside Las Cruces; lunch will be provided Friday and Saturday.

Learn more & get registration info online or email Bonnie at bdmandoe@gmail.com

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.

FMWC BOARD

President: Scott Cutler

Vice President: Jane Fowler

Secretary: Judy Ackerman

Treasurer: Pat White

At Large Members:

Raul Amaya

Nick Havlik

March 2011

2011-03-13T14:25:00.001-07:00

NEWSLETTER
March 2011

Contents:
FMWC Next Meeting
Message From Our President
Petition Drive And North West Open Space
5th Annual Poppies Celebration 2011
Poppies Schedule Of Events
Volunteer For Poppies!
Borderland Mountain Bike Association
Teaming With Wildlife
Park News
Mark Your Calendars
Poppies Day Proclamation
TXDOT Public Hearing Transmountain Rd
El Paso Museum Of Archaeology:
Earth Day Celebrations
FMWC Board
Lone Star Legacy
FMWC In Cyberspace

NEXT MEETING: 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. THURSDAY, March 17, 2011

MEETING LOCATION: The Garden Center, Memorial Park, 3105 Grant Map:
http://www.cichlidpress.com/elpasocactusclub/graphics/gardencenter.jpg

MESSAGE FROM OUR PRESIDENT, Scott Cutler

First, I would like to thank all who were able to attend the annual meeting in January. It was one of the largest crowds we have had in quite a few years and I hope everyone enjoyed the company and the presentation by Steve Bonner. He updated us on the current status of the federal grant to study how a conservation conveyance can be applied to surplus military properties. It is hoped this will translate to a mechanism that will permit Castner Range to be preserved as open space.

I would like to take this opportunity thank our out-going at-large board members Jim Tolbert and Matt Carroll for their service to the group and participation in the board meetings. Their help is much appreciated.

Please welcome our two new at-large members: Raul Amaya and Nick Havelick. We greatly appreciate their willingness to attend the bi-monthly board meetings and participate in the board’s decision making processes and look forward to working with them in the coming year.

It is hard to believe but the 5th annual Poppies celebration is fast approaching. Please see the information below about how you can help make this event a success. It is a huge undertaking and volunteers are always needed. If you have time to help out, please do. In any case, I hope you will be able to come and enjoy this important event that keeps the idea of preserving Castner Range as open space at the forefront of everyone’s minds.

PETITION DRIVE AND NORTH WEST OPEN SPACE
For the latest information on this topic, check Jim Tolbert’s Blog, elpasonaturally.

5TH ANNUAL POPPIES CELEBRATION 2011

Franklin Mountains Poppies Preservation Celebration, takes place on Saturday, March 26, 2011at the El Paso Museum of Archaeology, 4301 Transmountain Road. Free parking is at EPCC NE Campus on Gateway North. NO parking for the public at the museum or on Transmountain Road! We have ADA Free Shuttle service from EPCC NE Campus to Museum 9:30 am to 6:30 pm.2011 marks the fifth year for the Franklin Mountains Poppies Preservation Celebration – a FREE Family Fun Event that will include a full day of programming with Children’s Activity Center, nature talks and walks, wildlife displays and visits with a real wolf and a Golden Eagle, educational exhibits, demonstrations, art vendors, film festival, live music and food. El Pasoans care deeply about the Franklin Mountains – one of our area’s greatest assets. We are frequently blessed with a stunning wildflower display over particular parts of the Franklin Mountains when the Mexican golden poppies burst forth on Castner Range. In addition to the poppies, the Festival is an opportunity to enjoy the beautiful outdoors and all our mountains have to offer. The grounds of the El Paso Museum of Archaeology boast examples of more than 200 native plants. Witness unparalleled views of the Franklin Mountains, the Hueco Bolson that stretches from the Franklin east to the Hueco Mountains, and on clear days, Mt. Sierra Blanca.

This spectacular event is made possible by our sponsors: El Paso Electric, El Paso Natural Gas, El Paso Regional Economic Development Corporation (REDCo), El Paso Community College, El Paso Times, El Paso Natural Gas, Bowen Ranch, COSTCO, Slakabilly, Texas Commission on the Arts, and Ysleta del Sur Pueblo.

Organizing sponsors include Chihuahuan Desert Education Coalition, El Paso Archaeological Society, El Paso Cactus and Rock Club, El Paso County Master Gardeners, El Paso Museum and Cultural Affairs Department, El Paso Museum of Archaeology, El Paso Native Plant Society, El Paso/Trans-Pecos Audubon Society, El Paso Water Utilities, El Paso Zoo, Environmental Protection Agency, Franklin Mountains Wilderness Coalition, Friends Of The Rio Bosque, League Of Women Voters Of El Paso, Rio Grande Council of Governments, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Trans Pecos Chapter Of The Texas Master Naturalists, United Inter-Tribal Nations.Everyone is welcome to come out and enjoy the beauty of the mountains and the poppies during this FREE Family Fun event. For more information, please call the El Paso Museum of Archaeology at (915) 755-4332. Check http://www.franklinmountains.org/ for the latest information.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS 2011 FRANKLIN MOUNTAINS POPPIES PRESERVATION CELEBRATION:

Outside Activities:
10am-4pm Information Exhibitors10am-6pm Art VendorsLeyton Cougar with Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary in Ramah, New Mexico will have a socialized live wolf from his sanctuary at the celebration.

At the Bandstand (under the carport):
10am-10:30am Welcome Presentations from Event Committee and Public Officials
10:30am United Inter Tribal Nations morning blessing with traditional drum and dance
11 am Special Presentation by the Southwest Environmental Education Center
Noon Ysleta del Sur Pueblo traditional drum and dance1pm Ceiba, Native Folk Music
2pm Cheryl Garing, Plants of the Franklin Mountains
2:30pm Katherine Palafox, Keep El Paso Beautiful
3pm Rick LoBello and Meet Takota, The El Paso Zoo's new Golden Eagle Ambassador for Conservation of the Chihuahuan Desert, Why we need to save the Castner Range and how you can help.
4pm-6pm Slackabilly (Band)

Children’s Activity Center (Gazebo) 11 – 4:
Continuous fun, educational activates for children of all ages including sand art, potato stamps and beanbag toss. Face painting all day in the Exhibit area.
Feature Activities:
11:00am – Journal Making
1:00pm – Basket Making

Tours - All tours will be on the Museum grounds and last less than an hour. The start point - the gazebo.
10:00am Indian Uses of our Desert sponsored by the Museum of Archaeology
11:00am Identification of Native Plants sponsored by the El Paso Native Plant Society
12:00pm Indian Uses of our Desert sponsored by the Museum of Archaeology
1:00pm West TX Cacti Tour El Paso sponsored by the Cactus and Rock Club
2:00pm Indian Uses of our Desert sponsored by the Museum of Archaeology
3:00pm Identification of Native Plants sponsored by the El Paso Native Plant Society
4:00pm Indian Uses of our Desert sponsored by the Museum of Archaeology
5:00pm West TX Cacti Tour sponsored by the El Paso Cactus and Rock Club

Inside Film Activities:
10 am–11am - Lords of Nature: Life in a Land of Great Predators, Green Fire Productions 11am-noon – Legends of El Paso Mountains, CAPSTONE PRODUCTIONS INC.
Noon –1pm – What is the Future for Castner Range? By FMWC.
1pm-2pm – El Paso’s Mount Cristo Rey, CAPSTONE PRODUCTIONS INC.
2pm – 3pm – Lords of Nature: Life in a Land of Great Predators, Green Fire Productions
3pm-4pm - Ghost Stories of El Paso Vol. 2, CAPSTONE PRODUCTIONS INC. (1 hr) w

VOLUNTEER FOR POPPIES!

We are calling for Volunteers for 5th Annual Franklin Mountains Poppies Preservation Celebration on Castner Range. This is a great opportunity to acquire volunteer hours AND be an integral part of this fun filled event. Please fill out volunteer applications available at the El Paso Museum of Archaeology website: http://www.ci.el-paso.tx.us/arch_museum/ and return them to Socorro Diamondstein: diamondsteinsq@elpasotexas.gov or drop-off at: Museums and Cultural Affairs Dept, City Hall, 1st Floor, 2 Civic Center Plaza, El Paso, Texas 79901. For more information call Socorro at (915) 541-4481.

Volunteer Duties Include:
• Direct people to the shuttle loading areas
• Parking lot attendants
• Food vendor assistants (helping serve Buffalo Stew, must have a food handler’s card)
• Assist event goers to separate and recycle their trash
• Assist children of all ages with arts and crafts activities
• Help exhibitors to set up and/or tear down their exhibit spaces
• Shuttle bus tour guide as event attendees travel from the parking lot to the event (a script is provided).

BORDERLAND MOUNTAIN BIKE ASSOCIATION:

The Borderland Mountain Bike Association has been quietly working in the background on a few projects. Our biggest project is about to become a reality as the city has allowed us to construct a parking lot at the end of Redd Rd. near the water tanks. This will be a nice addition to the area as parking at this time is limited to the road or the dentist office. Parking on the road will not be possible when Helen of Troy is completed. The lot will have 27 spaces and the club will be installing signage to the trails and a trail map will be installed next to the water tanks. Financial donors to this project will have their name printed on the map/information kiosk. If you would like to donate, contact Brent Sanders at brentep@yahoo.com.

Geobetty.com, the title sponsor of January's Puzzler race has officially launched their website. It is really cool in that it provides printable and downloadable maps of all the great rides and hikes in El Paso. They are also hosting their first virtual race where anyone can enter for free! Just register at geobetty.com, upload the race file to your gps device, go ride the route as fast as you can, and send your new file back to geobetty between March 7 and April 30. They are giving away a $100 prize to one lucky contestant. Also, if you have a favorite ride that you don't see on their website, upload it from your gps device onto their page and become a contributor to the new site.

The Coyote Classic is coming AGAIN March 20! For 20 something years the Coyote Classic has been the opening event for the New Mexico Off Road Series. The courses are currently available on geobetty. Early registration ends March 14. Register http://www.newmexicosportsonline.com/events/details.aspx?id=213
BMBA Blog: http://bmba.wordpress.com/

TEAMING WITH WILDLIFE:

Fish and wildlife conservation have been on the funding chopping block. Please consider Teaming with Wildlife, a coalition of more than 6,300 organizations supporting increased public funding for wildlife conservation and related education and recreation. Organization membership will help ensure that state wildlife agencies and their conservation partners have the funding they need to fully implement their wildlife action plans, conserving wildlife and natural areas for future generations. Go to https://tex.tpwd.state.tx.us/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.teaming.com for more details.

PARK NEWS (John Nunez)

Well, it certainly has been busy, yet lots fun here at Franklin Mountains State Park! This last weekend all of us at the park were happy to be a part of the Texas Outdoor Family Program. Hosted by Texas Parks and Wildlife, this event was all about teaching families how to be well prepared for a successful camping trip. Ten local families, (approximately 40 people), participated in the event which included courses on how to cook in the outdoors, set up camp and enjoy nature responsibly. For those that have never had the opportunity to enjoy the wonders of camping, this event was the perfect introduction to camping in the great outdoors. Parks and Wildlife staff Cassie and Lindsey from the Austin and Dallas areas hosted the event and provided tents, lanterns, camp stoves and water to the families that participated. Park volunteers George Murray and Richard Love also helped out with the set up and photography of the event.

In preparation for the event, Park staff has been working for the past month on the conversion of some of the picnic sites near the Aztec Cave trailhead and at the end loop near the Schaeffer Shuffle trailhead into campsites. Ten picnic sites are now set up with tent pads for campers increasing our campsite availability to 15 campsites. Hard work it was, but a great deal of fun and a great workout for all of us that were on the project!

Obviously there is a new look to the park lately with the extra campsites but that has not been the only addition to the park. The Lower Sunset, West Cottonwood, Aztec Cave, Nature Walk, Upper Sunset and Schaeffer Shuffle trailhead kiosks are now complete! Lead ranger Robert Pichardo recently installed the interpretive panels that display information and maps in English and Spanish giving the trailheads a polished look.
Now that the days are starting to warm up, more and more people are coming out to enjoy all that the park has to offer. Lately park volunteers Robert Cosell, George Murray, and Heath Shawhart, have been giving tours on the weekends mostly to folks who have never visited the Franklin Mountains before. Park staff, along with the much appreciated help from dedicated volunteers, has led guided tours to some of the area’s schools.
It is rewarding to see more people come out and enjoy El Paso’s natural wonder for the first time. It is often heard from people who live in El Paso say that they had never visited the park before. It is the goal of all of us that work and volunteer at the park to encourage people to come out and enjoy a hike through their park.

Please see our e-newsletter for photos of the recent activities at the park provided by volunteer Richard Love. Enjoy!

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

Tuesday, Mar. 15, 2011:
El Paso City Council will proclaim March 26, 2011 as “Franklin Mountains Poppies Preservation Day”. Join us at City Hall by 9:00 a.m. to show your support for preserving Castner Range, the only place in Texas where Mexican Gold Poppies bloom.

Tuesday, Mar. 22, 2011:
Public Hearing - Loop 375 TransMountain Rd. Project I-10 to east of the Franklin Mountain State Park Entrance. The Open House starts at 6 p.m. and the Public Hearing starts at 7 p.m. The location is Canutillo High School Cafeteria, 6675 South Desert Blvd. El Paso, TX.

Your participation is critical to ensure the Transmountain road expansion meets the needs of El Pasoans. How do YOU want this road to look? TXDOT is asking for your comments.

This is not a Question and Answer session. TXDOT will give a briefing and ask for your comments, verbally or in writing. You do not have to be present to comment. See the TXDOT website http://www.txdot.gov/public_involvement/hearings_meetings/elp_375_032211.htm for more details.

TXDOT: “The purpose of the hearing is to provide information about the proposed improvements to Loop 375 from I-10 to east of the Franklin Mountains State Park entrance, a distance that includes approximately 3.6 miles of main lanes and approximately 2.10 miles of frontage roads (from Northwestern Drive to Paseo Del Norte Drive).

The proposed improvements will consist of expanding the current two-lane undivided roadway to a four-lane divided roadway with two-lane frontage roads. The improvements also include grade separated intersections at Northwestern Drive, Resler Drive, Plexxar Drive and Paseo del Norte Drive as well as two direct connectors from Loop 375 west to I-10 east and from I-10 west to Loop 375 east. As part of this project shared hike-and-bike trail will be constructed separate from the roadways, near the Loop 375 right-of-way line, between the intersections of Northwestern Drive and Paseo del Norte Drive. Access to the LP 375 main lanes and frontage roads will be by means of entrance and exit ramps at various locations between intersections. The right-of-way (ROW) footprint and geometric design provides for expansion to six main lanes from Northwestern Drive to east of Paseo del Norte Drive.”

EL PASO MUSEUM OF ARCHAEOLOGY:

Teachers and Group Leaders: Schedule a Free Tour of the museum for your School or Group with two weeks advance reservation, call 915-755-4332

El Paso Museum of Archaeology Continuing Exhibit through August 14, 2011:
Settlement Legacy: Native Americans of the Pass of the North
Free Admission - Guest Curator Nicholas P. Houser, local anthropologist and historian, tells the dramatic story of the Manso, Suma, Piro, and Tigua Indians who, over four centuries ago, founded the missions and pueblos that evolved into today’s sister cities, El Paso-Ciudad Juárez.

Three Free Lectures at 2:00 pm in conjunction with the exhibit:
Saturday, March 12, 2011, Nicholas P. Houser, Guest Curator, speaking on the Manso, Suma, Piro, and Tigua Indian settlements of El Paso-Ciudad Juárez

Saturday, April 2, 2011, Dr. David Carmichael speaking on the origins and migrations of the Mescalero Apache

Sunday, May 15, 2011, Dr. Mario Garza speaking on the Coahuiltecans: The Struggle for Legitimacy in a Hispanic World

Saturday, March 19, 2011, 1:00 pm, Free Admission

Museum Tour for Adults - These free one-hour, docent-led tours of the El Paso Museum of Archaeology will introduce participants to the people of El Paso’s ancient past from the Paleoindians who lived here 14,000 years ago to the Mescalero Apache people of today. Visitors will also see prehistoric artifacts from several regions of México. To enjoy the gardens, wear suitable clothing, shoes, and sun protection.
Reservations are not necessary but contact the museum if you plan to attend, 915-755-4332; guidamr@elpasotexas.gov.

March 15-18, 9:30 am to 12:30 pm
Spring Archaeology Camp, $70 per child for non-members, $55 per child for members
For children 7 to 12 years old, child must have completed first grade, pottery making and other activities, limited to twelve students, advanced paid registration required, contact for registration form and payment: 915-755-4332; guidamr@elpasotexas.gov

March 20, 2011, 2:00 pm, Free Admission
El Paso Archaeological Society Speaker:
Larry Baron speaking on the Tarahumara/Anasazi Connection

April 2, 2011: The City of El Paso Environmental Services Department is sponsoring a funfilled family day and educational event to kick-off Earth Day Celebrations in El Paso. Our event will be free and open to the general public. It will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Album Park, 3001 Parkwood Drive in East El Paso. The outdoor event aims to promote recycling, waste reduction and the preservation of the environment and of our natural resources.

FMWC BOARD

President: Scott Cutler
Vice President: Jane Fowler
Secretary: Judy Ackerman
Treasurer: Pat White
At Large Members: Raul Amaya and Nick Havelick

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, 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 *El Paso Youth Symphony * Friends of the Rio Bosque *Jolly Elders * League of Women Voters of El Paso * Mesilla Valley Audubon Society * Mountain Park Community Association * Photography Enthusiasts of El Paso * Southern New Mexico Group of the Sierra Club * Southwestern Environmental Center * Skyline Optimist Club of El Paso * Trans Pecos Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalists * Vista Hills Rotary Club

January 2011

2011-01-10T17:53:00.000-08:00

NEWSLETTER January 2011
Contents:

Dues Are Due
Annual Meeting
Please check newsletter
Petition
Map
Natural Open Space
Remembering John Green
Park News
Mark Your Calendars
Poppies
Museum of Archaeology
TX Wildlife Trail
Lone Star Legacy
Cyberspace
FMWC Board

FRANKLIN MOUNTAINS WILDERNESS COALITION

http://www.franklinmountains.org/

Dues Are Due

With the New Year we ask that you consider renewing your support of the Franklin Mountains Wilderness Coalition. Your donation will help us in our efforts to protect the Franklin Mountains and provide support to the Franklin Mountains State Park. Please complete the membership card available on our website, http://www.franklinmountains.org/ under the “How to Join” tab. Then, sent it to FMWC Treasurer, Pat White, 10525 Texwood, El Paso, Texas 79925 and enclose a check made payable to Franklin Mountains Wilderness Coalition. Thank you

ANNUAL MEETING January 19, 2011
(Scott Cutler):

Happy New Year! As we begin 2011, FMWC will hold its annual meeting on Wednesday, January 19th. This will be a great opportunity to visit with friends and learn about the Coalition’s many activities in 2010. The highlight of the evening will be a presentation by Mr. Steve Bonner of SONRI, Inc. Steve is working with the Coalition and The Frontera Land Alliance on the federal grant that Frontera received to study and define how the conservation conveyance tool can be used to transfer surplus military lands to conservation organizations for the protection of open space. This has great potential to help preserve Castner Range. Steve will present us with an update on where things stand in the process. It should be a very informative and fun evening. I look forward to seeing you on the 19th!

Meeting Details
When: Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Time: 6 – 8 pm
Where: Jaxon’s Restaurant, 1135 Airway Blvd.
Costs: $16 per person – includes non-alcoholic beverage, salad, baked potato, tip, and tax. Dessert is extra.

Menu options
Grilled chicken
Santa Barbara beef
Veggie fajitas

Please make your reservations and menu selection with our Treasurer, Pat White, at 591-3562 or pat_white@hotmail.com

Reservations must be made by January 16 and a check received by Pat to confirm your reservation. Send check made payable to Franklin Mountains Wilderness Coalition to Pat White, 10525 Texwood, El Paso, Texas, 79925.

Please check for your hard copy and e-mail newsletter!

In January of each year, FMWC sends a hard copy of the newsletter to all our members. If you did not receive your newsletter in the mail, we do not have your US postal address. Please send your address to Secretary, judy Ackerman, j.p.ackerman@sbcglobal.net or 3344 Eileen Dr, El Paso, TX 79904. If you did not receive your e-mail version of the newsletter, please send judy your e-mail address. Thank you for helping to keep our data up to date!

YOUR PRESENCE URGENTLY NEEDED:
(Jim Tolbert):

Please plan to attend City Council meeting!

Tuesday, January 11, 2011, City Council will decide whether to zone 792 acres along Transmountain Road next to the State Park as Natural Open Space or allow that land to be developed with commercial and low-density homes and permit the construction of a major multi-lane arterial that will run the length of the Franklin Mountains State Park in Northwest El Paso.

Your presence at the meeting in support of Natural Open Space is critical!

Keep Getting Petition Signatures
(Jim Tolbert):

We are coming to a critical deadline for both of our petitions to preserve land in the Scenic Transmountain Corridor. Next Tuesday, January 11, 2011, City Council will decide whether to zone 792 acres along Transmountain Road next to the State Park as Natural Open Space or allow that land to be developed with commercial and low-density homes and permit the construction of a major multi-lane arterial that will run the length of the Franklin Mountains State Park in Northwest El Paso.

FMWC President, Scott Cutler, recently responded to questions about the petitions this way: “The Coalition has, since its inception in 1978, worked to protect open space not only for the spiritual renewal and healthful activities open space provides people but also to provide habitat for wildlife as well which also enhances the human experience in the out of doors.”

City Council is still waiting for TxDOT to complete an Environmental Assessment. Because it may be another 6 to 8 weeks before that EA is finalized, we plan to continue to collect signatures for a few more weeks. If you are a registered voter in the City of El Paso, you can voice your opinion to our City Council.

Go to http://www.franklinmountains.org/ for more info. Please print out both petitions in full-page landscape configuration

http://www.iloveparks.com/fmwc/PDFs/Initiative%20Petition%20Form.pdf & http://www.iloveparks.com/fmwc/PDFs/Initiative%20Petition%20Form2.pdf , sign and send them to: Jim Tolbert, 2701 Frankfort Ave., El Paso, TX 79930 so that they reach him before the end of the month. If you can collect more than your own signature, be sure that those who sign are registered voters residing in the City of El Paso. Notarizing is not necessary but will keep the Municipal Clerk from tossing a full page of petition signatures if only one mistake is found.

Of course, if you can get the petitions to Jim before January 11th, that will be the best thing to do. Thank you!

Editor’s Note: Jim Tolbert has done a series of informative posts about this topic on his excellent site, El Paso Naturally, at http://elpasonaturally.blogspot.com/ - I urge you to use the valuable background presented there.

TXDOT highway plan and proposed NOS

Natural Open Space
(Rick Lobello):

On April 6, 2010 I presented to City Council a PowerPoint on how Natural Open Space benefits our community. Helping people understand why we need to protect our environment is an important part of my job at the El Paso Zoo. What follows is an updated summary of my presentation on natural open space.

1. Natural Open Space helps people enjoy the benefits of the natural world.

Here in El Paso we have lots of natural open space on the high mountain ridges of the Franklin Mountains, but little natural open space in the lower elevations immediately surrounding the mountain range where most people prefer to hike and walk. Lower elevation natural open space is also critical to many species of plants and animals that live only in lower elevation habitats or need both lower and higher elevations areas.

Protecting natural open space is not only a problem in El Paso, but around the world. To varying degrees humans have already altered nearly half of the earth’s land surface. If current land development trends continue this number could easily reach 70% in the next thirty years.

2. The availability of natural open space helps to prevent nature deficit disorder by giving people more opportunities to explore the natural world, especially children.

Nature deficit disorder is a growing trend in this country where the average American child spends 44 hours a week with electronic media. Effects of Nature Deficit Disorder include: Childhood obesity, attention disorders and depression and long term inability to cope with stress and adversity.

3. Natural Open space is important to the water cycle, nature’s ability to produce oxygen and capture CO2 and other ecological services such as pollination and the services provided by millions of different species of microbes.

A single tablespoon of healthy soil might contain over a billion beneficial soil microbes!!! How many microbes live in one acre of natural open space in El Paso is anyone’s guess. The number is too big for most of us to fathom. Microbes provide amazingly complex ecological services. These services include reprocessing materials into available forms (i.e., mineralization) and into microbial cells and humus. Soil bacteria microbes fix atmospheric nitrogen and help plants to grow in areas where nitrogen is scarce. Other minerals like sulfur and phosphorus require microbial transformation in the soil that surrounds the roots to make them more available to plants. They also improve aeration by loosening dense and compacted soils.

Most importantly microbes decompose organic waste materials such as leaves and manure into organic humus. Our desert needs this humus to store both moisture and nutrients in the soil. Without healthy soils most plant species could not survive and the entire desert ecosystem as we know it would likely collapse.

Microbes are also important to balancing soil acidity and alkalinity, creating the carbon dioxide plants need, as well as producing vitamins, toxins, and hormones that both feed and protect the plant system.
Most people looking out across the desert landscape are not aware of the role microbes play in the desert and or in their everyday lives. Trying to imagine all that microbes do for us in maintaining the ecosystem is like trying to imagine all the stars and galaxies in the night sky.

4. Natural Open space provides habitat for thousands of species of animals and plants native to our Chihuahuan Desert and a part of our natural heritage.

Protecting Natural Open Space and a wide variety of habitats at all elevations requires strategic planning designed to protect these habitats and wildlife corridors important to species needing to move from one elevation to the next in search of food and water. Animals also need natural open space for protection from the powerful rays of the sun, wind and rain. To adequately raise their young natural open space is needed to protect many animal species from human disturbance and natural predators.

At this time strategic plans for the continued development in El Paso and the surrounding area focus almost solely on the needs of humans and not on the natural environment. “Smart growth” elements in planning may appear in part to be green, but do not address the habitat needs of most species of native wildlife including a careful analysis of wildlife corridors needed to maintain sustainable populations of larger animals like mule deer, javelina, coyotes, foxes and bobcats.

We need natural open space because we are connected to the natural world in countless ways. Every time we allow another acre of natural open space to be transformed by development activities including urban sprawl, wider roads and mining, we weaken the ecosystem and its services, all critical to our own survival.

(The long-tailed weasel is one of the most secretive animals living in the Franklin Mountains. Lowland areas like those being developed along the Trans Mountain Scenic Corridor are important to many desert wildlife species like the long-tailed weasel that prey upon pocket gophers and ground squirrels. ©Will Wilson)

REMEMBERING JOHN GREEN
(John Sproul):

It was late March in 1979. HB 867, the bill to establish Franklin Mountains State Park, was about to get its first test, a hearing before the House Environmental Affairs Committee. Four members of the Wilderness Park Coalition (now Franklin Mountains Wilderness Coalition) had traveled to Austin to speak in support of the bill. John Colburn, Joan Duncan, Carrol Hedrick and Richard Worthington had marshaled their facts and honed their arguments. They were ready to make their case.

They also had one other tool in their toolkit, a slide presentation prepared by Coalition member John Green. It was entitled “The Franklin Mountains: El Paso’s Wilderness Heritage.”

Legislative hearings can be long, drawn-out affairs and can test the patience and concentration of the committee members. The Environmental Affairs Committee had already heard two hours of testimony on other bills before HB 867 came before them. Would the committee members stay focused? Would they hear the message of the El Pasoans? Would a group of East Texas legislators see the special value in an arid West Texas landscape?

State Representative Ron Coleman, the bill’s sponsor, spoke first. Next was John Colburn, who gave the slide presentation. Here, the message came through clearly and dramatically, thanks to John Green’s artful photography. The legislators “got it.”

At the end of the hearing, the committee referred HB 867 to its Urban Parks Subcommittee. Referral to a subcommittee can be a death knell for proposed legislation, but not this time. Impressed by the El Pasoans’ testimony and the remarkable landscape brought to life through John Green’s photos, the committee ultimately reported the bill favorably to the full House.

HB 867 was on its way. More hurdles lay ahead, some quite formidable. But each was cleared, and a jewel of a park was born.

In the ensuing years, the Franklin Mountains Wilderness Coalition dealt with many other challenges. John Green, one of the Coalition’s most loyal and dedicated members, was always there to help. His passions were archaeology, botany and photography. He applied all three as an eloquent voice for the Franklin Mountains.

John Green passed away November 18, 2010 at the age of 83. In the Franklin Mountains, his legacy lives on.

PARK NEWS
(John Nunez):

Happy New Year from all of us at Franklin Mountains State Park!

Park visitation has been higher than usual this holiday season due to the pleasant weather we were blessed with throughout November and most of December. It has been great to see so many people come out and enjoy the mountains! With the recent snow sprinkled across the mountains, we have seen many people come out to enjoy the mountains and snow as well.

Park rangers have been busy with the usual park maintenance. The rangers will begin to re-paint all the picnic sites and metal tables at the Tom Mays Unit. Park Manager Cesar Mendez just received the green light from our Region 1 Headquarters to go ahead and convert some of the picnic sites near the Aztec Cave and End Loop area to campgrounds. Some of these campsites will be ADA accessible as well. Work is expected to begin soon.

In early December, work on clearing out overgrowth on the Nature Trail was completed with the assistance of the TDCJ trustee work crew. Also more work has been done to our Wildlife Viewing Area (Bird Blind), with much help from our volunteers Richard Love and George Murray. They are out there almost every day to make sure the Bird Blind is ready for the birds and visitors alike.

Park rangers have been working on the park vehicles as well. This type of work is ongoing since a couple of our work trucks are well over the 200,000 mile mark. As mentioned previously, due to budget cuts, it may be a while before park staff could expect to receive a new work truck. Much credit goes to Rangers Felipe Camacho, Alvaro Garcia and Lead Ranger Robert Pichardo for their hard work and ingenuity for keeping the work trucks running.

Budget cuts are being anticipated for the coming year at the park. Park staff will be limited as far as patrolling the back country so we ask volunteers or coalition members to report any suspicious activity that may be witnessed while out and about in the mountains. Please report any suspicious activity to the park at either 566-6441 ext #21 or 487-1982 (booth phone #).

Many thanks to our volunteers for all their help with giving guided hikes at the park and for helping with patrolling and educating the public about hiking safety and etiquette. Park volunteer George Murray has been assisting park staff with several guided tours throughout November and December. New volunteer Heath Shawhart gave a guided tour for some visitors to the West Cottonwood mine shaft in December. Since the park is currently under staffed, park rangers have been very grateful to our volunteers for helping out with the tours.

Park staff is anticipating the Puzzler mountain bike race on January 16, 2011. The race will begin in the northeast side at the Round House at the Bowen Ranch towards the North Hills area up to the Tin Mines and cross over Mundy's Gap towards the Tom Mays Unit. The race will continue to the Northern Pass trail up and over the ridge to Hitt Canyon (the Bone yard) and then south back to the Round House. Park staff will assist with water stations and keeping track of the racers throughout the race. All at Franklin Mtn. State Park are more than happy to offer assistance for such an exciting event!

Other than that, business as usual at the park. Park rangers are continuing with the signage project. The main focus now is to finish restoring and installing new signs at the Tom Mays Unit and around the northwest area of the park. With the assistance of volunteers, park staff will also continue with installing signs in the Tin Mine Unit as well.

With everything going on at the park, it is never a dull moment for all park staff. Every day is different and exciting! Many thanks to our volunteers! Cheers!

MARK YOUR CALENDARS:

5th Annual, 2011 Franklin Mountains Poppies Preservation Celebration on Castner Range

will take place from 10 am to 6 pm on Saturday, March 26th at the El Paso Museum of Archaeology, 4301 Transmountain Road and will include a full day of programming: Nature talks and walks, wildlife displays and a visit with a real wolf, film festival, educational exhibits, demonstrations, art vendors, live music and food. NEW this year is a dedicated children’s activity center. We will have convenient free ADA accessible shuttles from El Paso Community College NE campus. Previous year’s celebrations have attracted thousands of attendees from near and far to this Free Family Fun day.

We need volunteers to assist with a wide variety of activities and we are looking for Vendors and Non-profit Exhibitors to participate. Non-profit organizations who are actively involved in event planning can reserve their exhibitor booth for free. Contact Maria Aragon or Ben Fyffe of the Museum and Cultural Affairs Department (MCAD) 541-4481or MCAD@elpasotexas.gov for more information.

El Paso Museum of Archaeology:

Wed., Jan. 12, 1:00 pm, Free Museum Tour for Adults

Sat., Jan. 15, 2:00 pm, Free Zip Tour of the Traditions and Symbols exhibit with artists Oscar Moya and Lydia Limas

Sun., Jan. 16, 3:00 pm, Free Showing of The Mystery of Chaco Canyon, presented by the El Paso Archaeological Society

Wed., Jan. 19, 1:00 pm, Free Museum Tour for Adults

Sun., Jan 23, 1:00 pm, Free Museum Tour for Families with Elementary School Children with family-friendly docent Art

Sat., Jan. 29, 1:30 to 3:30 pm, Family Workshop: Metal Embossing/Repujado with Maria Almeida Natividad, small charge, reply for details, ADVANCED PAID RESERVATION REQUIRED, Limit of 25 participants age 6 and up

Sun., Jan. 30, 1:00 pm, Free Museum Tour for Families with Elementary School Children with family-friendly docent Art

FAR WEST TEXAS WILDLIFE TRAIL, TPWD News Release, 12/20/2010:

Some of Texas’ most remarkable natural history and most iconic wildlife can be found at sites featured on the Far West Texas Wildlife Trail whose debut this month completes a statewide wildlife trail system launched 15 years ago to bolster birding and other forms of nature tourism.

The Great Texas Wildlife Trail system’s ninth and final trail spans the vast reaches of West Texas – from El Paso to the Permian Basin to the Big Bend -- and features 10 driving loops and 57 sites. Sites located along the 940-mile circuitous route highlight the region’s tallest mountains, grandest rivers, starriest skies, vast sand dunes, sprawling desert and an encyclopedic roster of much of the state’s most noteworthy flora and fauna.

“West Texas is a huge area still somewhat unfamiliar to many travelers who don’t know where to go to see the best of what the region offers,” says TPWD nature tourism manager Shelly Plante. “The trail map makes the vast area more manageable and provides guidance on where to go and how to contact chambers of commerce for information on where to stay and dine. It’s a wonderful complement to the historical commission’s Texas Mountain and Texas Pecos trail maps, putting all of West Texas’ cultural and natural resources at your fingertips.”

The colorful, 27 x 36-inch map points the way to such West Texas landmarks as the Franklin and Guadalupe mountains, Big Bend National Park, Indian Lodge, the McDonald Observatory, Hueco Tanks State Park, Wyler Aerial Tramway and Chinati Hot Springs. Each Far West Texas Wildlife Trail roadside site is marked by the trail’s brown sign sporting the outline of a scaled quail. Also highlighted on the state’s newest wildlife trail are top local and regional parks, nature-rich golf courses, nature trails and nature centers.

Travelers can refer to the map, which is marked with the 57 sites broken down into 10 loops, to find out which sites charge a fee and which are open daily and allow camping, are day-use only or require calling ahead of time to visit. Each site listing provides a synopsis of best spots to view indigenous and migratory bird species, as well as West Texas critters such as horned lizards, roadrunners, bighorn sheep, mule deer, bobcat and the occasional mountain lion.

The new West Texas map and the other eight in the state’s suite of wildlife/birding trail maps can be purchased for $2 each from the Texas AgriLife Extension Bookstore. The set of nine maps can be purchased together at the discounted price of $10. The maps will guide you to more than 900 distinct birding and wildlife viewing sites throughout Texas. Each map includes driving loops, and each site is designated with a unique highway sign and site number corresponding to the map. The maps also have information about the wildlife likely to be found at each site. For more information, visit TPWD’s Great Texas Wildlife Trails website.

For information on the Texas Heritage Trails visit the Texas Mountain Trail Region (www.texasmountaintrail.com) and Texas Pecos Trail Region (http://www.texaspecostrail.com/ ) online.

Photo Editors: For j-peg images of the new West Texas trail sign, scenics and maps of the four trails, please visit:

http://archive.tpwd.state.tx.us/newsmedia/news_images/?g=far_west_texas_wildlife_trail

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: Lone Star Legacy Endowment Fund, c/o Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation, 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.

The Franklin Mountains Wilderness Coalition

Borderland Mountain Bike Association • Border Toasters, Toastmasters International • Bordersenses • Celebration Of Our Mountains • Centro San Vicente • Chihuahuan Desert Education Coalition • Chihuahuan Desert Wildlife Rescue • Eco-Club EPCC • El Paso Archaeological Society • El Paso Cactus And Rock Club • El Paso County Master Gardeners • El Paso Native Plant Society • El Paso Regional Group Of The Sierra Club • El Paso/Trans-Pecos Audubon Society • El Paso Youth Symphony • Environmental Advocates at UTEP • Friends of the Arroyo • Friends Of The Rio Bosque • Jolly Elders • League Of Women Voters Of El Paso • Mesilla Valley Audubon Society • Mountain Park Community Association • Photography Enthusiasts Of El Paso • Southern New Mexico Group Of The Sierra Club • Southwest Environmental Center • Skyline Optimist Club Of El Paso • Sunrise Neighborhood Association • Trans Pecos Chapter Of The Texas Master Naturalists • Vista Hills Rotary Club • Voter Education Project, Inc •

NEWSLETTER November 2010

2010-11-12T10:50:00.000-08:00

FRANKLIN MOUNTAINS WILDERNESS COALITION

http://www.franklinmountains.org/

Contents:
Next Meeting

President’s Message

News

Castner Range

Wolf Stamp

TX Master Naturalist Class

Park News

Ranger Nuñez

Volunteer Richard Love

Mark Your Calendars

Museum of Archaeology

Protect Otero Mesa

Volunteers

Board

Loan Star

Cyberspace

Next Meeting: Wednesday, November 17, 2010

MEETING LOCATION: The Garden Center, Memorial Park, 3105 Grant
http://www.cichlidpress.com/elpasocactusclub/graphics/gardencenter.jpg

TIME: 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

MESSAGE FROM OUR PRESIDENT, SCOTT CUTLER:

Welcome to the November edition of the Franklin Mountains Wilderness Coalition newsletter.

As most of you may be aware, there has been a flurry of discussion regarding how the City's public lands, managed by the Public Service Board, should be zoned. Members of FMWC and other organizations have been advocating that the City Council rezone the land as Natural Open Space, a zoning designation that would keep the land in its natural state. The City Planning Commission will be reviewing the measure by City Council to preserve 900 acres along Transmountain Rd to preserve the scenic vistas. Your attendance at the meeting will help show the CPC that the public supports this innovative approach to keeping our public land public.
Details:
Date: November 18, 2010
Place: El Paso Public Library, 500 N. Oregon, El Paso, TX 79901 (NEW Location)
Time: 1:30pm

And if you haven't already signed the petition urging the City Council to rezone as open space its public lands around the Franklin Mountains, please do so online at: http://www.iloveparks.com/fmwc/

This issue and many more will be discussed at our next meeting on November 17. I hope you will be able to attend and learn more about what the Coalition is doing.

NEWS

Castner Range

A meeting of the Fort Bliss Restoration Advisory Board (RAB) took place on November 10 at the Eastside Police Command Station. The company implementing the Wide Area Assessment of Castner Range (a test of UXO detection methods for use on Army lands) talked about how the assessment method has been going, the techniques being used, and what has been found. The work will continue for another few months after which the corporation will write up their results and eventually give a presentation of their findings to the public - probably at another RAB meeting.

Of particular interest to Coalition members was the presentation by consultant Steve Bonner on the Office of Economic Adjustment federal grant to The Frontera Land Alliance for a study of how conservation conveyances could be applied to surplus military property. As with the Wide Area Assessment, Castner Range will be the model used to develop the guidelines for implementing the conveyance process. The project is expected to be completed in the last quarter of 2011. The Coalition, closely partnering with Frontera to get the grant, had a very strong presence in the audience with more than half of the attendees connected with FMWC. Thanks to all who were able to attend and show that strong support continues for the preservation of Castner Range.

New Mexico Wilderness Alliance Awards First Conservation Wolf Stamp Grant

NMWA is excited to announce that it has awarded its first-ever Conservation Wolf Stamp Grant to filmmaker and conservationist Elke Duerr for her Wild Wolf Film project. The grant of $2,500 supports Ms. Duerr’s Wild Wolf Film a multi-year outreach effort educating the public on Mexican Gray Wolf reintroduction and “advancing the coexistence of wilderness and civilization.” “Ms. Duerr has shown the heart and passion needed by us all if we are to save this magnificent creature,” said NMWA Executive Director Stephen Capra…Upon receiving the award, Duerr commented: “Thank you to the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance for acknowledging my efforts to aid in the recovery of the Mexican Gray Wolves by awarding me a grant. It is my heart’s desire to create awareness for the interconnectedness and beauty of all life on this planet and to help implement creative solutions to a healthy coexistence between wolves and humans. We all belong in the web of life.” Read about Elke Duerr’s Wild Wolf Film project on the artist’s website
http://www.wildwolffilm.com/.

The grant is the first to be awarded from NMWA’s Conservation Wolf Stamp Fund, generated from the sale of our Conservation Wolf Stamp; similar to the Duck Stamp sold by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, except no hunting is related to the sale of the Wolf Stamp. All proceeds go into the Conservation Wolf Stamp Fund, administered by NMWA and distributed directly to projects and organizations working for Mexican Gray Wolf Recovery. NMWA will award further grants to worthy projects in the coming months and looks forward to releasing a new Wolf Stamp for sale each year. To learn more about the Wolf Stamp, visit the NMWA website at http://www.nmwild.org/blog/wolf-stamps-available-order-today/

2011 Master Naturalist Class

We hope to start the next master naturalist class on Wednesday Feb. 09, 2011. It will run thru May 14th. It is never too early to give your friends and enemies a poke to let them know so that they can start arranging their schedules.
The classes will be on Wednesdays from 6:00 P.m. until 9:00 p.m.

PARK NEWS
From Ranger John Nuñez

Greetings from Franklin Mountains State Park!

First, I would like to mention that we recently lost one of our former rangers. Unfortunately, Gilberto Vargas, who was the Maintenance Technician IV at the Wyler Aerial Tramway State Park passed away on November 1st. Ranger Vargas was at the Tramway for thirty years. I had the pleasure of working with Gilbert when I worked at the Tram and I must say he will be greatly missed. He was well known for his great sense of humor and wisdom. Our best goes out to Gilbert’s family and to those who were his friends. He will be greatly missed.

September and October have been some eventful months for us at the park. We have been busy since the beginning of September with our Volunteer Appreciation Dinner. This event was held on September 11. This is an event we hold annually as a way to say thanks to our volunteers for all their help. This year was a special year since we had two winners for the Volunteer of the Year award. This year we all voted that Richard Love and Robert Newman were both more than qualified for this award. Richard is at the park almost daily to ensure that the Wildlife Viewing Area (bird blind) is well maintained and he is out capturing the amazing beauty of the wildlife in the park with his camera. Robert has been helping us almost daily with building and maintaining the many miles of mountain bike trails in the park. He’s been working on the mountain bike trails since 1998 and has helped us decide the best way to build a bike trail and the best design for hiking trails. It is common for Robert to hike an area several times to flag the best possible routes for new trails. All of us at are very grateful to Richard and Robert, and all of our volunteers for their assistance.
On Saturday, September 18, the Park hosted the Chihuahuan Desert Education Coalition Fiesta with roughly 850 people in attendance. It was another successful event where we had the opportunity to introduce the many wonders of our park and surrounding areas to the general public.

We recently hosted an event with the Borderland Mountain Bike Association on October 23. The Twelve Hours of Old El Paso mountain bike race was held on the northeast side of the park near the Bowen Ranch and the Old Tin Mines. The race had roughly 150 participants and went well into the evening hours with a celebration afterwards at the Bowen Ranch Round Room.

Speaking of mountain bikers, Park Ranger Jesse Kapenga recently departed the park to pursue a Master’s Degree in Political Science at UTEP. We regretted to see Jesse leave since he was very helpful, especially with the mountain bike trails. However, we support his decision to continue with his education. I’ll see you around UTEP Jesse, good luck with your endeavors!

Volunteers Richard Love, George Murray and Robert Newman along with Lead Ranger Robert Pichardo, Rangers Alvaro Garcia and John Nuñez have been working on installing park trailhead signs throughout the northeast side of the park and at the Tom Mays Unit. We are making progress, but still have a ways to go.

As part of the Celebration of the Mountains, we have been busy giving tours throughout the park. This has been a great opportunity for staff and volunteers to introduce the Park to newcomers to the area. Due to the great weather we have been having lately, many people are starting to venture out and explore the Park and take advantage of the many tours available through the Celebration of the Mountains. Visitation has been high, to the point where there are not any parking spaces available at the trailheads. Good job, El Paso, explore your mountains!

Well, the coming months will be just as busy. Park staff and volunteers will continue with working on the signage, giving tours and park vehicle maintenance.

Park Volunteer Richard Love writes

If you are a bird watcher or a wildlife photographer or just love to get out in the beautiful fall days that happen here in the southwest, boys and girls, you are in luck. The fall and winter birds are in the Park and are in prime condition. We have birds that are visiting the Wildlife Viewing Area that have not been in the area in a while. We had a flock of Pine Siskins

Pine Siskin 1

that have decided to call the Park home for a while. I have had some excellent photo ops with them. We have several Ladderback Woodpeckers

Ladderback Woodpecker 1
visiting, unfortunately they are trying real hard to dismantle the bird blind. Brave little guys attack the blind with me in it. What a thrill, in all my years that is a first. The Lesser Goldfinches are in numbers not seen before. A new sparrow like bird, in the process of being identified, will raise the life list for the bird blind to over 65 different birds. Last week I spotted a large flock of Canada Geese flying over the Park. This is the second flock I have seen this year. For the people who are fans of our resident birds, the quail

Gamble's Quail 1
raised lots of their hatchlings to adulthood. The other resident birds are here and also in prime condition. The days are cooling down and the weather is near perfect for mountain biking, hiking, and just load up the grill and picnic. This is the time of the year for getting out and enjoying the beautiful autumn days. For a time the tiny Texas Antelope Squirrels left the Wildlife Viewing Area. Many of the children who come ask why did the little squirrels leave. They were gone most of the summer but now have returned. The large rock squirrels are frantically trying to fill up the den with nuts for the winter. The last phase of remodeling the bird blind is about 70% complete. Then there will be some surprises for next year at the wildlife area. Get out and visit the park. Meet the rangers and the volunteers. We have some new volunteers and they are working on giving tours and leading people into the wonderful world of the Park.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS:

El Paso Museum of Archaeology:

Sundays, November 14 and 28, 2:00 pm

Zip Tours of the exhibit Tradiciones y Simbolos, Traditions and Symbols, Free Admission, A Zip Tour is a brief introduction to the exhibit in which ten members of the Juntos Art Association of El Paso explore Hispanic-American traditions through their art. The exhibit’s theme of traditions and symbols addresses contemporary, historic and prehistoric Mexican-American, Mexican and Native American culture. Reservations are not necessary, but contact the museum if you plan to attend, 915-755-4332; guidamr@elpasotexas.gov.

Sunday, November 21, 2010, 3:00 pm

Chinese Interactions with Inner Asia and Beyond before the Silk Road By Ken Hammond, Ph.D. Free Admission. Professor Hammond's talk will examine recent archaeological evidence from China and Inner Asia which suggests that there was extensive interaction between these zones well before the period generally associated with the rise of the Silk Road trade around the 2nd century BCE. Presented by the El Paso Archaeological Society in partnership with the El Paso Museum of Archaeology.

DECEMBER 4: Your Voice Needed to Protect Otero Mesa

The Obama administration needs to hear from all New Mexicans one more time, urging the President to create the Otero Mesa National Monument. It is with your voice that we can actually see this occur before the end of the year. Please join us on Saturday, December 4th, from 1:00 to 3:00 in Downtown Albuquerque at the KiMo Theater, on the corner of Central and 5th, at our Otero Mesa National Monument Rally. We would love to have your support at this crucial event. It is important to RSVP if you are planning to attend. For more information and to RSVP, please contact Nathan Newcomer at nathan@nmwild.org or 505-843-8696 x 106.

Volunteers

FMWC Booth and Korina Navarro at EcoSummit 2010.
We can always use volunteers: you can help man our booth at an event; meet with elected officials or attend civic meetings; coordinate outreach to community organizations; distribute our rack cards; contribute to bi-monthly newsletters. Please contact Judy at j.p.ackerman@sbcglobal.net, 755-7371 or Kathy at kmcconaghie@gmail.com, 227-5330 if you are interested in volunteering.

FMWC BOARD

President: Scott Cutler

Vice President: Jane Fowler

Secretary: Judy Ackerman

Treasurer: Pat White

At Large Members: Matt Carroll & Jim Tolbert

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: Lone Star Legacy Endowment Fund, c/o Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation, P.O. Box 191207, Dallas, TX, 75219. Mark your donation to the endowment fund for Franklin Mountains State Park.

FMWC Newsletter Archive

New and historic versions of FMWC newsletters are now available online at
http://www.franklinmountains.blogspot.com/, thanks to Judy Ackerman.

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.

The Franklin Mountains Wilderness Coalition

Borderland Mountain Bike Association • Border Toasters, Toastmasters International • Bordersenses • Celebration Of Our Mountains • Centro San Vicente • Chihuahuan Desert Education Coalition • Chihuahuan Desert Wildlife Rescue • Eco-Club EPCC • El Paso Archaeological Society • El Paso Cactus And Rock Club • El Paso County Master Gardeners • El Paso Native Plant Society • El Paso Regional Group Of The Sierra Club • El Paso/Trans-Pecos Audubon Society • El Paso Youth Symphony • El Paso Zoo • Environmental Advocates at UTEP • Friends of the Arroyo • Friends Of The Rio Bosque • Jolly Elders • League Of Women Voters Of El Paso • Mesilla Valley Audubon Society • Mountain Park Community Association • Photography Enthusiasts Of El Paso • Southern New Mexico Group Of The Sierra Club • Southwest Environmental Center • Skyline Optimist Club Of El Paso • Trans Pecos Chapter Of The Texas Master Naturalists • Vista Hills Rotary Club • Voter Education Project, Inc •

September 2010

2010-10-08T19:22:00.000-07:00

NEWSLETTER September 2010
Contents:
Next Meeting
President’s Message
News
Protect Scenic Trans Mountain Corridor
FMWC Newsletter Archive
Congressman Reyes & Anti-Litter Campaign
Transmountain Road Cleanup
Castner Range
Open Space Presentation
Park News
Mark Your Calendars!
Celebration of Our Mountains
Museum of Archaeology
Chihuahuan Desert Fiesta
Mountain Bike Event
A Desert Without Borders
FMWC BOARD
Loan Star Legacy
Cyberspace

FRANKLIN MOUNTAINS WILDERNESS COALITION

http://www.franklinmountains.org/

Next Meeting: September 15, 2010
Meeting Place and Time
MEETING LOCATION: Our meeting will be held at The Garden Center, Memorial Park, 3105 Grant from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Map: http://www.cichlidpress.com/elpasocactusclub/graphics/gardencenter.jpg

We can always use volunteers: you can help man our booth at an event; meet with elected officials or attend civic meetings; coordinate outreach to community organizations; distribute our rack cards; contribute to our bi-monthly newsletters. Please contact Judy at 755-7371 or Kathy at 227-5330 if you are interested in volunteering.
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MESSAGE FROM OUR PRESIDENT, SCOTT CUTLER

A great deal has happened since the last newsletter. Work has continued on the federal appropriation to study how a conservation conveyance can be applied to surplus military property with an eye towards implementing one for Castner Range. We are partnering with The Frontera Land Alliance in this effort.

We hosted two stakeholder meetings to present options for enhancing the open space qualities of Arroyo 41A which will hold the Mountains to River Trail. Attendance was very good at both presentations, with representatives from the local agencies and developers present. The feedback from all the attendees was positive and we hope to be able to present something similar for the general public.

The Coalition hosted a cleanup of our section of Transmountain Road with a very strong turnout. It was without a doubt our most successful and well attended cleanup to date.

Within the last few weeks, the Coalition has begun a petition drive to urge the City to rezone all City owned open space lands as Natural Open Space. A petition is on our website for all to sign but we would also urge everyone to print out petitions and get your friends, co-workers, anyone you can, to sign the petition. Jim Tolbert is the contact person for this effort – more details in the article below.

Thanks to Judy Ackerman, Richard Teschner, and a host of other volunteers, we have maintained a weekly presence at the Ardovinos' Farmers Market on Saturdays. This has been a great outreach opportunity for the Coalition to get its message out to many people. If you have time, contact Judy or Richard to see about helping out on a Saturday by manning the booth. Its easy and a fun way to spend a Saturday morning.

As always, your support of the Coalition is greatly appreciated.
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NEWS

PROTECT SCENIC TRANS MOUNTAIN CORRIDOR IN NORTHWEST EL PASO
(Jim Tolbert):

New Save El Paso’s Franklin Mountains campaign has begun. Please go to our website to sign the petition or download hard copy petitions. You may also go directly to this link to sign the online petition:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/save-el-pasos-franklin-mountains/.

The petition says: “The Public Service Board land north and south of Trans Mountain Road is slated for commercial and residential development, changing this naturally scenic corridor, critical wildlife habitat, and potentially invaluable recreational land forever. The coming expansion of Trans Mountain Road to a much wider Freeway, with four lanes with frontage roads on each side, by the Texas Department of Transportation will accelerate this process. The only way to help protect this beautiful corridor of Trans Mountain scenic corridor on the west side of the Franklin Mountains is re-zoning all publicly owned land of the City of El Paso as currently managed by the Public Service Board (land that is owned by you, the taxpayer) as Natural Open Space (NOS).

Therefore, we the undersigned urge the El Paso City Council to re-zone, as Natural Open Space, all publically-owned land between the Gas Line Road and the Franklin Mountains State Park as shown on the City’s Northwest Master Plan both north and south of Trans Mountain as Natural Open Space (NOS).

Editor’s Note: Jim Tolbert has done a series of informative posts about this topic on his excellent site, El Paso Naturally, at http://elpasonaturally.blogspot.com/ - I urge you to use the valuable background presented there.

FMWC Newsletter Archive:
New and historic versions of FMWC newsletters are now available online at
http://www.franklinmountains.blogspot.com/, thanks to Judy Ackerman.
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Congressman Reyes Joins Transmountain Anti-Litter Campaign
(Mike Gaglio, Richard Teschner):

On a clear, bright and sunny August morning, Congressman Silvestre Reyes joined members of the Franklin Mountains Wilderness Coalition and the Frontera Land Alliance to help clean up TxDOT right of way along the Coalition's adopted segment of TX Loop 375 near the entrance to the Tom Mays unit of the Franklin Mountains State Park in El Paso, Texas. Congressman Reyes' efforts to support conservation have directly benefited the El Paso community. Through efforts spearheaded by the Coalition and supported by Reyes, The Frontera Land Alliance will soon receive a Department of Defense grant to study how a relatively new conservation tool known as a Conservation Conveyance (10 USC 2694a) might be applied to Castner Range at Ft. Bliss. Castner Range is a more than 7,000-acre firing range—defunct since 1971—nestled in the heart of the Franklin Mountains in El Paso. The area boasts several mountain peaks, sheer cliffs, tree-lined canyons, three natural springs, Native American rock art and, most noticeably, a series of unfettered bajadas at the mountain foothills that bedazzles residents and visitors every spring with a stunning bloom of orange and yellow Mexican Poppies. In 2009, Congressman Reyes drafted language in the 2010 National Defense Authorization Act that allowed the conservation conveyance grant to be realized. In addition, he co-sponsored H.R. 1831, the Conservation Easement Incentive Act. Reyes stands committed to supporting conservation of the special places and wide open spaces that Frontera has pledged to protect.Return to top

Transmountain Road Cleanup
(Judy Ackerman):

The cleanup on Sunday 22 Aug 2010 was a huge success! About 45 volunteers participated including our Soon-to-be State Senator, Jose Rodriguez. Thank you to Jose for bringing his truck to haul people, trash, water and spare bags! Several volunteers came all the way from Las Cruces including Raul Gonzales (Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum), Sally Rose Sanchez-Gonzales and Joel Hoffman (both on the board of the Friend of the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks Wilderness). Several members of the Sunrise hikers, FMSP workers (on their own time), and High School students joined the cleanup.

Thanks to everyone’s sweaty efforts, we collected 40 bags of trash and 9 bags of recyclables along with several tires and other large items. Now we need someone to take ownership of this successful program and organize cleanups four times each year. We are responsible for two miles along both sides of the road, from Resler, east to the entrance of the Tom Mays section of the Franklin Mountains State Park. Debbie Martinez is our contact at TXDOT’s Adopt-A-Highway program. She is at the office at 4201 Hondo Pass and you can reach her at 915-757-5901 or
Debbie.martinez@txdot.gov.

Some of the interesting “finds” were assorted butterflies, a snake skin, and many large walking sticks out for a stroll. Discussions along the road included naming of native plants, getting field trips into High School Biology classes and the need to maintain natural open space on the west side of the State Park.

Lessons learned: Next time, have a sign-in roster. (Master Gardeners always have a liability waver that all must sign.) Also recommend volunteers ware long pants and shirts for protection from thorny plants.

Jose Rodriguez suggests that future cleanups encourage whole families to attend followed by free day at FMSP for those who bring a full bag of trash.
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Castner Range
(Judy Ackerman):

Restoration Authority Board Meeting August 4 notes: Next RAB meeting agenda will include information on Conservation Conveyance (CC) and is tentatively scheduled for 10 Nov at NE El Paso Command Center. CC was not on the Aug. agenda because the person in charge of that was away on a work study. The next meeting will also include another WAA update.

Total 25 attendees. 8 RAB members. 4 FMWC members (John Moses, Richard Teschner, Pat White and Judy Ackerman). Bliss staff included Vicki Hamilton, Donita Kelly, Ron Baca and others.

The main agenda item was a 1 hour summary of the 6 hour Wide Area Assessment (WAA) meeting held in June 2010, at the Radisson. Victoria Kantsios gave the presentation (URS Corporation, 2450 Crystal Drive, Suite 500, Arlington, VA 22202, (703) 418-3030 (Office), (404) 702-1141 (Cell), (703) 418-3040 (Fax),
victoria_kantsios@urscorp.com) about the ongoing WAA. The purpose of the WAA is to test technology to determine the location of munitions NOT to remove hazardous material or clear Castner Range.

The helicopter-borne magnetometry did not work because there is too much iron in the local geology and because plant heights did not allow low enough flight. The ground-based geophysics, using a man-portable (litter and hand held) EMI array, worked very well, but can only operate where slopes are less than 18%. They identified about 21,000 anomalies and 16 target areas high densities of anomalies.

URS combined the new data with historical data from: Historical Range fans, LIDAR data collected during the WAA, 1994 Surface Investigation, 1997 Surface Clearance, and 2004 Surface and Subsurface Clearance. USR will conduct intrusive investigation (digging by hand) in locations where they expect high (target) and low (non-
target) concentrations of ordnance. They will dig at pinpoint locations or at most, a one meter radius. If they discover hazardous material, they will remove it for detonation or, if necessary, destroy in place. Intrusive investigation will begin in September 2010 through mid December, if necessary continuing in January and February 2011.
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Open Space Presentation
(Jim Tolbert):

Open Space Advisory Board Chairman, Charlie Wakeem’s presentation to the Public Service Board regarding the duties, goals, financing and strategic planning of OSAB. This historic and important presentation lays out the future direction of OSAB and defines its ongoing relationship to PSB –
http://www.scribd.com/doc/37107572/Wakeem-Open-Space-Presentation-to-to-City-of-El-Paso-Public-Service-Board
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PARK NEWS

From Park Volunteer,
(Richard Love):

Here is another two months have gone by. A lot going on in the park at the Wildlife Viewing Area. We are in the middle of a remodel of the bird blind and working feverishly to get it completed by the start of the CDEC festival. Even though there is construction going on, this year’s hummingbird migration is over the top. We have seen Black-throated, Rufous, Broad-tailed and Calliopes. There are great numbers swarming the feeders daily. A photographer’s dream. Although it is early, most of the summer birds are leaving and a few of the fall/winter birds are arriving. I photographed a prime condition Curved-bill Thrasher. He has made daily visits to the water. As the 18th is getting closer we are getting ready for the 3rd annual CASI Chili Cook Off. There will be Chili tasting at the cook’s stations 5 minutes after the turn in time. Cups and spoons are available for a small $2.00 donation. The Park is in prime condition after the several nice rains we had, everything is green and there are still lots of wildflower blooms left. Still a ton of great wildflower and butterflies photos to be had along all of the trails. All of the volunteers were saddened to lose our volunteer cordinator Kelly to McKenny Falls State Park in Austin. We all wish her well and our loss is McKenny Falls gain. We will be looking to see all of you at the festival. Be sure to visit the WVA and check out the new blind and the hummingbirds. (Editor’s note: check out Richard’s photos in our e-newsletter. Thanks, Richard!)
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MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

Celebration of Our Mountains begins this weekend. Check out the schedule at
http://www.celebmtns.org/. Know that more hikes and events are being added all the time. Take advantage of these events. See why so many want to preserve the beautiful land around us and why conservation can mean economic gain for the City of El Paso.

SEPTEMBER 11: Hummingbird Workshop at El Paso Water Utilities Carlos M. Ramirez TecH2O Water Resources Learning Center. Mark Klym, coordinator of the Texas Hummingbird Roundup and co-author of Hummingbirds of Texas will partner with Texas Parks and Wildlife Urban Biologist Lois Balin to present a workshop aimed at teaching you more about these birds, their garden needs and their natural history. For more information, contact Diane Perez at 915-621-2000.
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SOUTHWEST ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER has a full slate of events scheduled. Please check out this valued Coalition member at
http://www.wildmesquite.org/

SEPTEMBER 12: El Paso Museum of Archaeology, 2:00 p.m. Free Admission. Carl Lumholtz: Norwegian Explorer in North and West Mexico by R. Ben Brown, Ph.D.

SEPTEMBER 18: 6th Annual Chihuahuan Desert Fiesta/Franklin Mountains State Park Lone Star Legacy at Tom Mays Park. Free family oriented event from 9 am – 3 pm. Speakers, activities, exhibits, chili cook off, etc. Go to
http://www.chihuahuandesert.org/ for more information and full schedule.
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SEPTEMBER – OCTOBER: Free Tours of the El Paso Museum of Archaeology: For Families with Elementary School Age Children, 1:00 pm on 9/18, 9/26, 10/09 and 10/24. Adult Tours, 10 am on 9/22, 9/29, 10/13, 10/20. Free docent-led tours offered in conjunction with Celebration of Our Mountains and Texas Archaeology Month (October).

OCTOBER 2: El Paso Museum of Archaeology, 9 am – 3 pm. Free Admission. Jody Folwell’s Demonstration and Interpretive Talk about traditional and contemporary pueblo pottery-making techniques in the museum’s auditorium.

OCTOBER 2 – 24: El Paso Museum of Archaeology, Free Admission. Ancient Traditions, Modern Expressions. Exhibit of Santa Clara Pueblo artist Jody Folwell’s pottery and photographs. Free Zip Tours of the exhibit will be presented on October 6th at 2 pm, October 16th at 2 pm and October 23 at 2 pm. Reservations not needed.
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OCTOBER 23: 12 Hours of Old El Paso is back for 2010! Join us for the coolest mountain bike event this fall from 10am to 10pm. Remember, 12 Hours of Old El Paso is more than a wicked mtb endurance race, it's 12 hours of riding some awesome single track with your best buds, making great memories and sharing old ones by the campfire, quenching your thirst with some frosty cold beer, and of course, munching down on some of Dawson's should-be-famous burritos.

Of all the fun filled times you've had on your bicycle – I promise you this - 12 Hours of Old El Paso will be at the top of that list. You'll want to come back every October, year after year to race on the trails you love, alongside people who personify the word camaraderie.

Register now at
http://newmexicosportsonline.com/events/details.aspx?id=172
or come into the store and register in person, $60 per racer fee. We look forward to race day and wish you all happy trails until then. The Bicycle Company, 3800 N Mesa Suite D5, El Paso, TX 79902, (915)544-2453
http://www.the-bicycle-company.net/ Return to top

NOVEMBER 13: The Chihuahuan Desert Education Coalition invites you to attend "A Desert Without Borders" Chihuahuan Desert Conference November 13, 2010 at the Carlos M. Ramirez TecH2O Water Resources Learning Center in El Paso. The mission of the conference is to promote education about the Chihuahuan Desert and to encourage educators and researchers working in the Chihuahuan Desert to network and share knowledge. Conference goals include creating opportunities to learn about the Chihuahuan Desert, providing network opportunities and to provide a space and time for researchers to present their findings.

Registration fees are $60. Registration fees include breaks and lunch and an "Evening Social Event" with refreshments at the El Paso Zoo, plus a one year (new individual or extended) membership with the Chihuahuan Desert Education Coalition.
http://www.chihuahuandesert.org/conference.html
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FMWC BOARD
President: Scott CutlerVice President: Jane FowlerSecretary: Judy AckermanTreasurer: Pat WhiteAt Large Members: Matt Carroll Jim Tolbert

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: Lone Star Legacy Endowment Fund, c/o Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation, P.O. Box 191207, Dallas, TX, 75219. Mark your donation to the endowment fund for Franklin Mountains State Park.
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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.

The Franklin Mountains Wilderness Coalition

Borderland Mountain Bike Association • Border Toasters, Toastmasters International • Bordersenses • Celebration Of Our Mountains • Centro San Vicente • Chihuahuan Desert Education Coalition • Chihuahuan Desert Wildlife Rescue • Eco-Club EPCC • El Paso Archaeological Society • El Paso Cactus And Rock Club • El Paso County Master Gardeners • El Paso Native Plant Society • El Paso Regional Group Of The Sierra Club • El Paso/Trans-Pecos Audubon Society • El Paso Youth Symphony • El Paso Zoo • Environmental Advocates at UTEP • Friends of the Arroyo • Friends Of The Rio Bosque • Jolly Elders • League Of Women Voters Of El Paso • Mesilla Valley Audubon Society • Mountain Park Community Association • Photography Enthusiasts Of El Paso • Southern New Mexico Group Of The Sierra Club • Southwest Environmental Center • Skyline Optimist Club Of El Paso • Trans Pecos Chapter Of The Texas Master Naturalists • Vista Hills Rotary Club • Voter Education Project, Inc •
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July 2010

2010-08-04T12:57:00.000-07:00

{FMWC} E-Newsletter July 2010

FRANKLIN MOUNTAINS WILDERNESS COALITION
http://www.franklinmountains.org/

Next Meeting: July 21, 2010
Time: 6:00 – 8:00 pm
ATTENTION - NEW MEETING LOCATION:
Our meeting will be held at The Garden Center, Memorial Park, 3105 Grant from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Map:
http://www.cichlidpress.com/elpasocactusclub/graphics/gardencenter.jpg

We can always use volunteers: you can help man our booth at an event; meet with elected officials or attend civic meetings; coordinate outreach to community organizations; distribute our rack cards; contribute to our bi-monthly newsletters. Please contact Judy at 755-7371 or Kathy at 227-5330 if you are interested in volunteering.

Time again for Farmers Market at Ardovino’s Saturdays. We can use volunteers for our booth. Call Judy, it’s fun!

MESSAGE FROM OUR PRESIDENT,
SCOTT CUTLER

The Franklin Mountains Wilderness Coalition continues to work on two important issues: Castner Range and the Mountains to River Trail. The Coalition, in partnership with The Frontera Land Alliance, will soon have all the pieces in place to begin working on its study forging guidelines that the military can use to apply conservation conveyances to properties it no longer needs for its mission, as part of Castner Range preservation. Additionally, the Coalition held a stakeholders meeting on July 12 for corporations and governmental agencies with some connection to the Mountains to River Trail (MRT) system. It was attended by over 30 people from a wide array of agencies with presentations on the history of the Mountains to River Trail concept, conservation options, and design techniques that could be used to preserve the integrity of the MRT as it was envisioned.Your support of the Franklin Mountains Wilderness Coalition is greatly appreciated and provides us with the means to continue working on these issues that are so important to the community.Thank you.

NEWS

The New Mexico Wilderness Alliance is pleased to offer a limited edition of the first Conservation Wolf Stamp sold in the United States. The 2011 stamp pictured here is not a postage stamp, and is the first in a series of annual wolf stamps offered to collectors.

The Mexican wolf is the most endangered wolf in the world, with a total population of less than 50 in the wild in 2009.

The Mexican Wolf Stamp is a conservation project created by the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance. The concept is similar to the Duck Stamp sold by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, except no hunting will be related to the sale of the Mexican Wolf Stamp.

Instead a Wolf Conservation Fund, administered by the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance, will raise money for the conservation of the Mexican wolf by funding projects in the U.S. and Mexico for Mexican Wolf Recovery.

The cost is $20 (+$2 for S/H) for a 3x5 inch stamp, designed by New Mexico artist, Virginia Maria Romero. Stamps can be ordered online by going to http://www.nmwild.org/. For further information: contact Trisha London at (505)843-8696 or trisha@nmwild.org.

PARK NEWS
From John Nunez:

We would like to welcome Park Intern Jacob Bilbo to our staff. Jacob is a UTEP student studying Environmental Science. Jacob has been assisting park staff from office to field work and has been quite helpful.

These past two months have been just as busy as ever. Park rangers have been busy with all sorts of activities and projects here at the park. Park Rangers Felipe Camacho and Alvaro Garcia have successfully repaired two of the park vehicles. Since the park's budget is tight, park staff has to do its best to keep the work trucks running. Thankfully, they have the skills needed to properly maintain our vehicles.

Park Rangers John Nunez, Alvaro Garcia and Jesse Kapenga have been busy replacing and installing new signage throughout the park. We’re about half way done with the first batch and are anticipating the arrival of another sixty or so new signs. We have been utilizing help from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice work crews and El Paso County Community Service. We’ve also been busy making repairs at the campsites at the Tom Mays Unit and ongoing trail work. Lead Ranger Robert Pichardo, along with Ranger Garcia have been working on repairs of the park facilities. Rangers Garcia and Nunez have been installing gabian baskets throughout the Ron Coleman Trail to prevent erosion and to deter hikers from cutting across switchbacks. Ranger Kapenga has been working with Park Volunteer Robert Newman on the mountain bike trails on the west side of the park. Trail work is a big part of what we do at the park and we enjoy making the park more accessible to park visitors.

Park Interpreter Kelly Serio and Volunteer George Murray have been hosting Moonlight Hikes at the Tom Mays Unit. These hikes have become very popular and we are seeing an increasing number of participants. The next Moonlight Hike will be on the 24th of July. We encourage everyone to come out and enjoy the park in a different "light." Along with the Moonlight Hikes, park staff have been busy with hosting tours throughout the summer months. These tours have been great opportunities to introduce the park to a large number of new visitors. It has been rewarding to see the looks on people's faces when they walk a trail for the first time in our amazing mountains! We also utilize these opportunities to educate the public of the importance of preserving the Franklin Mountains and about the history of our park and our mountains.

On June 13th, FMSP hosted the El Paso Rattler Outdoor Challenge. This was a race for mountain bikers and runners that began at the Tom Mays Unit and ended with a canoeing race on the Rio Grande near the Borderland region of the Upper Valley. It was a successful first time venture and plans are being made for another race in the future. This year’s race involved approximately 80 participants. The course include several miles of the mountain bike trails in the Tom Mays Unit with a major part of the course being right through the arroyo that is part of the proposed Mountain to River Trail. This was another opportunity for visitors to realize the importance of preserving this arroyo.

During the summer months we encourage all park visitors to be safe on the trails and come prepared. We constantly remind visitors to bring plenty of water and to wear the proper clothing for hiking in this season. Yet there have been several instances where park visitors have come without enough water or have found themselves off trail and in dangerous parts of the mountain. Please be careful out there!

The coming months will be just as busy and exciting as we see increasing numbers of people at the park, especially new visitors. It is great to see people enjoying our mountains and we encourage everyone to come out and explore the Franklin Mountains State Park!

FROM PARK VOLUNTEER, Richard Love:

It has been a short summer so far. The hot dry weather has been hard on the bird population. Some of last year’s birds haven't made it back yet. A couple of new birds came around, but were just traveling through. We had a beautiful western tanager come through and a bronzed cowbird. The hummingbirds were late arriving, but are here in numbers right now. In fact until October will be fun hummer watching. The resident quail covies hatched several broods of little ones. The fall quail population should be amazing this year. After finding several signs that we had a nocturnal animal visiting the Wildlife Viewing Area we did some stealth photography and found we had a rather large skunk visiting nightly. He has been a model neighbor so far. The rain finally came on July 12th - early in the AM about 2 inches fell. The ground was so dry and the rain spread out most of the night no damage was done at the park. The rains came in time and enough that we should have another round of blooms before fall. Start planning now for the big doings on September 18th. Let’s make this festival the best one yet.

gambles quail

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

El Paso Zoo: Frog Fest, Saturday, July 17Ribbit, Ribbit, Ribbit! Our El Paso Zoo is jumping in again to join other Association of Zoos and Aquarium zoos nationwide to celebrate frogs and bring awareness of man-made problems for all amphibians. So, hop on down to the El Paso Zoo to find out how you can help frogs. Ribbit! Frog Fest at the Zoo will be from 10 am to 4 pm where Zoo staff and volunteers will host a variety of frog discovery stations in and around the El Paso Water Utilities Discovery Center. Zoo visitors will also be able to see a variety of live frogs including a number of species native to El Paso. Everyone will be invited to help frogs by learning how to create safe places for them in El Paso in our backyards and by helping to protect local desert and wetland habitats where frogs breed and lay their eggs after summer rains.
For more info: http://www.elpasozoo.org/Press-Release-5.php

El Paso Museum of Archaeology:

Unknown México: On view July 20 through September 12, 2010, Free Admission - - Dr. Richard Durschlag, Curator of the El Paso Museum of Archaeology, will present three Zip Tours of the temporary exhibit, Unknown México, at 2:00 pm on the following dates: Saturday, July 24, 2010; Wednesday, August 11, 2010; and Saturday, September 4, 2010. A Zip Tour is a brief informal introduction to an exhibit.

Exhibit Description: The photo-text panel exhibit, Unknown México, is panorama of the peoples of ancient West México whose cultures were markedly different from the more well-known Aztec and Maya civilizations. The West Mexico cultures included in this exhibit, located in the current Méxican states of Nayarit, Jalisco, and Colima, span several time periods from 500 BC to Twentieth Century folk art of the Cora and Huichol Indians. This exhibit was organized by Humanities Texas, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, and is based on an original exhibition of artifacts at the Houston Museum of Natural Sciences.

A Musical Journey into Ancient and Modern Latin America A Family Workshop by Ceiba: Saturday, July 31, 2010, 2:00 to 4:00 pm; No Reservations Needed; Free Admission - - Families with children age six years and up are invited to participate in a creative exploration of music and art inspired by ancient and modern Latin America, from México to the Andes, led by the El Paso musical group Ceiba. This program is being held in conjunction with the museum’s temporary exhibit Unknown México, about ancient and contemporary West Mexico.

Adults and children will listen and respond to music and create together, speaking and writing in small groups and making art in response to the music they hear. Ceiba will play a variety of musical pieces and ask participants to respond to questions such as what did you hear, where did you go in your mind while listening, what did you feel, and how would you draw that music. Children will take home the art they make. Both English and Spanish will be spoken during this workshop.

Ceiba musicians perform on a variety of instruments from indigenous cultures of Latin America such as the charango, rain stick, various flutes of wood, ceramic, and bamboo, percussion instruments made of turtle shell and gourd, as well as the guitar and a variety of drums.

8th Annual Butterfly Flutterby at the Chihuahuan Desert Nature Park - - The Asombro Institute for Science Education invites you to celebrate butterflies at the 8th Annual Butterfly Flutterby at the Chihuahuan Desert Nature Park on Saturday, August 21, 2010 from 9 am to noon. Butterflies are delicate creatures that grace our world and delight people of all ages. Learn all about butterflies at the park! For the kids there will be arts and crafts, butterfly sponge toss, and face painting. Make a butterfly watering plate to attract these dainty creatures to your yard. Families can enjoy strolling along the Desert Discovery Trail or browsing our bucket auction (tons of great items up for grabs). All proceeds from the bucket auction benefit the Asombro Institute’s education programs and site development. Admission is $2.

The Chihuahuan Desert Nature Park is located northeast of Las Cruces. From I-25 in Las Cruces, head east on Highway 70. Take the Mesa Grande Road exit (at Oñate High School). Make a U-turn under the highway to head west and stay in the right lane. Turn right (north) on Jornada Road. Follow Jornada Road for 6.4 miles and turn left at the Chihuahuan Desert Nature Park sign. Follow the entrance road to the parking area and trailhead.

The Asombro Institute for Science Education is a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing scientific literacy by fostering an understanding of the Chihuahuan Desert. The Asombro Institute provides hands-on science education programs for more than 12,000 students throughout southern New Mexico and west Texas each year. Anyone interested in learning more about the Asombro Institute for Science Education, membership, and volunteer opportunities should call the Institute office at 575-524-3334 or check our web site at http://www.asombro.org/ .

FMWC BOARD

President: Scott Cutler

Vice President: Jane Fowler

Secretary: Judy Ackerman

Treasurer: Pat White

At Large Members: Matt Carroll and Jim Tolbert

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: Lone Star Legacy Endowment Fund, c/o Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation, 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.

The Franklin Mountains Wilderness Coalition

Borderland Mountain Bike Association • Border Toasters, Toastmasters International • Bordersenses • Celebration Of Our Mountains • Centro San Vicente • Chihuahuan Desert Education Coalition • Chihuahuan Desert Wildlife Rescue • Eco-Club EPCC • El Paso Archaeological Society • El Paso Cactus And Rock Club • El Paso County Master Gardeners • El Paso Native Plant Society • El Paso Regional Group Of The Sierra Club • El Paso/Trans-Pecos Audubon Society • El Paso Youth Symphony • El Paso Zoo • Environmental Advocates at UTEP • Friends of the Arroyo • Friends Of The Rio Bosque • Jolly Elders • League Of Women Voters Of El Paso • Mesilla Valley Audubon Society • Mountain Park Community Association • Photography Enthusiasts Of El Paso • Southern New Mexico Group Of The Sierra Club • Southwest Environmental Center • Skyline Optimist Club Of El Paso • Trans Pecos Chapter Of The Texas Master Naturalists • Vista Hills Rotary Club • Voter Education Project, Inc •

May 2010

2010-05-01T12:46:00.000-07:00

{FMWC} E-Newsletter May 2010

FRANKLIN MOUNTAINS WILDERNESS COALITION
http://www.franklinmountains.org/

Next Meeting: May 19, 2010
Time: 6:00 – 8:00 pm
Location: El Paso Public Library’s Main Branch located downtown at 501 N. Oregon St. in the Auditorium. The main branch’s location map and parking information are available online at:

http://www.elpasotexas.gov/library/ourlibraries/main_library/main_library.asp

We can always use volunteers: you can help man our booth at an event; meet with elected officials or attend civic meetings; coordinate outreach to community organizations; distribute our rack cards; contribute to our bi-monthly newsletters. Please contact Judy at 755-7371 or Kathy at 227-5330 if you are interested in volunteering.

MESSAGE FROM OUR PRESIDENT, SCOTT CUTLER

Through the efforts of Congressman Reyes and his staff, and the tireless work of the Coalition's Judy Ackerman, FMWC has received an appropriation to study how a conservation conveyance could be applied to Castner Range. The Coalition, partnering closely with The Frontera Land Alliance, is currently working to submit the needed paperwork to allow FMWC and Frontera to begin the study. The outcome will be a roadmap that not only Fort Bliss but any Army installation can use to apply a conservation conveyance to appropriate surplus lands. This is very exciting work and has the potential to produce some very useful procedures that can directly bear on the preservation of Castner Range.

On the other side of the mountain, the Coalition has been working to protect the Mountains to Rivers Trail from encroachment and continues discussing the issue with our elected officials and city staff. It is hoped that these educational efforts will make all stakeholders aware of the value of an extensive natural trail system through Arroyo 41A. We are hopeful that broad support from all members of the community will bring about the preservation of all of Arroyo 41A.

Your continued support of the Franklin Mountains Wilderness Coalition is vital to our being able to effectively work to preserve these important locations. If you would like to get involved, please contact me to discuss how you would like to assist us.

NEWS

FMWC Organizational Members (Judy Ackerman): A hearty warm welcome to new organizational member Sunrise Neighborhood Association. We’re looking forward to hearing from you and working with you on issues of common concern.

Castner Range (Judy Ackerman): Fort Bliss has published their Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on Army Growth and Force Structure Realignment. The paragraph on Castner Range states, “The Army has no plans for future use or disposal of Castner Range. Consequently, Castner Range is not discussed any further in this document.” However, in response to several public comments the EIS says, “At this time Fort Bliss is performing a detailed survey of Castner Range to determine the extent and quantity of unexploded ordnance (UXO) both at the surface and subsurface level. This will determine what efforts will be required to remove UXO and make it safe for addressing the various options for the use or disposal of Castner Range at a later date. Until that occurs, Castner Range will remain a closed range and off-limits to the public. Fort Bliss plans to complete all site investigations at Castner Range by 2010, which is a comprehensive process entirely separate from the GFS Draft EIS. Following completion of site investigation activities, Fort Bliss will execute follow-up phases/actions as required by the individual site cleanup strategies and appropriate regulatory controls.”

The Final EIS is 720 pages and may be available on line at http://www.bliss.army.mil/About%20Ft%20Bliss/NEW-EIS/index_EIS.htm . For further information, contact Mr. John Barrera, Fort Bliss Directorate of Public Works, Environmental Division, ATTN: IMWE-BLS-PWE; B624, Pleasonton Road, Fort Bliss, TX 79916-6812; 915-568-3908 or e-mail bliss.eis@conus.army.mil
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RAB Openings (Judy Ackerman): There are openings on the Ft Bliss Restoration Advisory Board (RAB) for applicants from El Paso, Doña Ana or Otero County. The RAB is an interface between Ft Bliss and the local community particularly on environmental restoration issues. They meet four times per year. “The mission of the Fort Bliss Restoration Advisory Board (RAB) is to promote the restoration of the Chihuahuan Desert ecosystems on Fort Bliss through collaborative efforts with the US Army Air Defense Center and Fort Bliss, cooperating and regulatory agencies, and other stakeholders in West Texas and Southern New Mexico.”
Please contact Judy or Kathy for an application if you’re interesting in applying for the RAB or see our e-newsletter for a link to a downloadable application.
Friends of the Arroyo (Matt Carroll): We thank all those who participated in our April 17 cleanup. Our area of the Arroyo is beautiful now with many flowering plants and colorful insects. We invite you to visit.

Sustainability (Rick LoBello): There is not a whole lot we can do from here to save the Gulf of Mexico, but there is much that we can do to save our Franklin Mountains and the surrounding Chihuahuan Desert. Please help others in El Paso better understand our Sustainability Plan.

When I was on a committee to help draft the city of El Paso’s first Sustainability Plan I insisted that the plan include important goals designed to help protect our native wildlife and habitat. As a result the plan includes four very important goals directly related to each other: 1)Complete a biodiversity inventory 2) Identify and prioritize habitat that will be protected; 3) Develop a mechanism and resource base to enable natural areas preservation, acquisition and possible enhancements; and 4) Develop a mechanism to increase the knowledge base of our wonderful natural area site for citizens and visitors, so that ecotourism benefits are realized [bat roosts, lakes and ponds, trails & scenic views, etc.] .

Marty Howell reported to City Council on April 20 summarizing progress made on the goals of the City of El Paso Sustainability Plan. He is looking for funding and a Department to take the lead on the biodiversity survey goal. You can download the entire plan at www.elpasotexas.gov/sustainability

PARK NEWS

Greetings from Franklin Mountain State Park (John Nuñez): April was another busy month for our park. Visitation has been high and there has been much work to do. After months of hard work by park staff and volunteers led by PRII Jesse Kapenga and park volunteer Robert Newman, the Lower Sunset Trail will soon be officially open for park visitors to enjoy. Hikers and mountain bikers are already enjoying this fantastic trail with its amazing views. However, the trail is still under construction and should be approached with caution. Additionally the Lower Sunset trail will be connected to the large group picnic site at Tom Mays. This new route will follow an old route that was a trail some thirty years ago.

The new trailhead kiosks are almost done with the last one to be installed at the proposed Stanton St. trailhead. We anticipate the finishing touch for the project to be complete by September when the informative panels arrive.

The park has been busy with guided tours this spring hosting several tours for area school groups. Park Interpreter Kelly Serio hosted a Moonlight Hike on April 24th through the Tom Mays and Nature trails. With help from park volunteer George Murray, roughly 30 people of all ages enjoyed their hike through the moonlit mountains on a pleasant April evening.

Park Rangers Alvaro Garcia, Jesse Kapenga and John Nuñez are about to embark on the first phase of a large, ongoing project. The project will begin with the installation of wooden signs throughout the entire park this month. There are roughly 60 signs that need painting and assembling before installation begins. Most of which will be installed in the area west of the North Hills Subdivision.

Park Rangers Robert Pichardo, Felipe Camacho and Alvaro Garcia have been very busy with fixing the park work trucks. Two vehicles are in need of major engine work and will hopefully be finished by the end of this month. Due to budget constraints, it may be several years before the park receives a new vehicle.

Park police officers Barton and Rincon have been busy with patrolling the park and assisting with rescues. Park ranger Raul Gomez notified PPO Barton of a wildfire at the former Fusselman trailhead. Roughly 1 acre of mountainside was burned. Officers Rincon and Barton have also been on the lookout for poachers and other violations in the backcountry. Portions of the park fence on both the Northeast and West side of the park have been cut by trespassers.

With all the activities happening at the park, park staff has had the opportunity to enjoy the vast display of wildflowers all over the park. This year park ranger Alvaro Garcia and park volunteer Richard Love hosted a wildflower photography class. Despite the blustery weather, 3 participants enjoyed learning the many methods involved for taking great wildflower pictures. Speaking of wildflowers, ranger Garcia submitted 3 photographs for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Inside Tracks magazine contest. This was an opportunity to show the rest of the state the unique beauty of the Franklin Mountains State Park.

Park staff has witnessed an increase in visitation this past year and look forward to more people enjoying the park. The Easter holiday weekend was so far the busiest weekend the park has experienced this year. Park staff was tied up all day Monday cleaning up trash throughout the Tom Mays area. With all the special events that Franklin Mountain State Park has hosted, the people of El Paso are beginning to come out and enjoy their state park.

Volunteer Update from FMSP (Richard Love): My how time flies. Another spring is here and just as predicted the wildflowers and cactus flowers are beautiful this year. We had a great Poppy Festival and the poppies were in attendance this year. In the Park the winter birds have all moved on and the spring birds have arrived. We are having large numbers of hikers and mountain bikers on the weekends. The Wildlife Viewing Area is getting more visitors each week as more people hear about our great bird watching. We have just seen our first hummingbirds at the WVA. Below are Claret Cup, Feather Dalea, and Fendler's Bladderpod.

Claret Cup

Feather Dalea

Fendler's Bladderpod

There are several late evening hikes scheduled in the coming months. If you haven't been on one of these great hikes, call Kelly at 566-6441 x 21 and schedule one of them. If you have never been in the desert after dark you can't believe the difference: the sounds, the smells , the feeling of the vastness of the mountain are wonderful. We attended the Earth Day Party at the Zoo last month. The turnout was great and we have several new prospects for Junior Rangers. This is a great program for children 8 - 12 years old. What a way to spend the summer and go back to school next fall sporting the new Junior Ranger patch, and best of all have all the knowledge that you have gathered over the summer. We had a workshop for budding Wildflower Photographers. The weather decided to not cooperate on this day, but a few brave souls came out in spite of the winds and cold.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

MAY 16: El Paso Museum of Archaeology, 3:00 pm, Free Admission: 5,000 years of Local Native American Life Illustrated at Hueco Tanks by archaeologist Tim Roberts - Tim Roberts, the west Texas Cultural Resources Coordinator for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, will present an overview of the rock imagery at Hueco Tanks on Sunday, May 16th at 3:00 pm at the El Paso Museum of Archaeology. Hueco Tanks State Park and Historic Site is known to have abundant Native American imagery on rock outcrops. Over 3,000 figures have been identified. Current evidence indicates that the first of these images were painted or carved by Desert Archaic people perhaps as early as 5,000 years ago. Desert agriculturalists added to the gallery of prehistoric imagery between A.D. 200 and 1450, followed by historic tribes that continued to place images on the rocks of Hueco Tanks well into the nineteenth century.

NOVEMBER Chihuahuan Desert Education Coalition Conference: We have posted information on http://www.chihuahuandesert.org/ on how interested people can propose presentations for our Chihuahuan Desert Conference in November. The deadline is July 1 so please help spread the news. PDF invitations with one page flyers suitable for posting on bulletin boards are available for download. Just contact Kathy for the link.

Board members Kelly Serio and Alex Mares are also looking for people to lead Optional Tours for conference attendees on Sunday, November 14. To lead a tour you must be a CDEC member or a member organization.

For more information contact Kelly at Kelly.Serio@tpwd.state.tx.us or Alex at alex.mares@state.nm.us.

On May 21-22, 2010 the El Paso Zoo will observe Endangered Species Day in order to recognize the national conservation effort to protect our nation’s endangered species and their habitats. Learn more at chihuahuandesert.org

Conservation Action Plan: A small group is forming in El Paso and beyond dedicated to encouraging people to take conservation actions. Please pass the word on to others about this new group and to sign up to get on our email list. Check out the corresponding Facebook group to learn what some members from outside El Paso are also up to. More information at www.iloveparks.com/can.html

FMWC BOARD
President: Scott Cutler

Vice President: Jane Fowler

Secretary: Judy Ackerman

Treasurer: Pat White

At Large Members: Matt Carroll Jim Tolbert

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: Lone Star Legacy Endowment Fund, c/o Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation, P.O. Box 191207, Dallas, TX, 75219. Mark your donation to the endowment fund for Franklin Mountains State Park.

One line of Park Ranger Nuñez’s article really caught my attention. Park staff were busy the Monday after Easter weekend cleaning up trash at Tom Mays. Let’s all do our best not to mess up our mountain park and pick up our own trash. Thank you, Kathy Mc.

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.

The Franklin Mountains Wilderness Coalition

Borderland Mountain Bike Association • Border Toasters, Toastmasters International • Bordersenses • Celebration Of Our Mountains • Centro San Vicente • Chihuahuan Desert Education Coalition • Chihuahuan Desert Wildlife Rescue • Eco-Club EPCC • El Paso Archaeological Society • El Paso Cactus And Rock Club • El Paso County Master Gardeners • El Paso Native Plant Society • El Paso Regional Group Of The Sierra Club • El Paso/Trans-Pecos Audubon Society • El Paso Youth Symphony • El Paso Zoo • Environmental Advocates at UTEP • Friends of the Arroyo • Friends Of The Rio Bosque • Jolly Elders • League Of Women Voters Of El Paso • Mesilla Valley Audubon Society • Mountain Park Community Association • Photography Enthusiasts Of El Paso • Southern New Mexico Group Of The Sierra Club • Southwest Environmental Center • Skyline Optimist Club Of El Paso • Trans Pecos Chapter Of The Texas Master Naturalists • Vista Hills Rotary Club • Voter Education Project, Inc •

March 2010

2010-03-01T12:32:00.000-08:00

{FMWC} E-Newsletter March 2010

FRANKLIN MOUNTAINS WILDERNESS COALITION
http://www.franklinmountains.org/

NEXT MEETING: March 17, 2010

Our meeting will be held at the El Paso Public Library’s Main Branch located downtown at 501 N. Oregon St. The meeting will begin at 6:00 p.m. in the Maud Sullivan room. The main branch’s location map and parking information are available online at:
http://www.elpasotexas.gov/library/ourlibraries/main_library/main_library.asp

VOLUNTEERS

We can always use volunteers: you can help man our booth at an event; meet with elected officials or attend civic meetings; coordinate outreach to community organizations; distribute our rack cards; contribute to our bi-monthly newsletters. Please contact Judy at 755-7371 or Kathy at 227-5330 if you are interested in volunteering.

MESSAGE FROM OUR PRESIDENT, SCOTT CUTLER

The fourth annual Poppies Celebration will take place Saturday, March 20th. This should be the biggest celebration yet with a wide array of educational booths (including a wolf and an eagle) and vendors. It looks like there will even be a nice display of poppies! A great number of organizations have put a tremendous amount of effort into planning this event and we are expecting thousands of people to show up. With all of these visitors, we will need volunteers to help set things up and keep the event going. If you have some time to volunteer, please contact me at 581-6071.

FMWC has renewed its commitment to clean up a stretch of Transmountain Road as part of the Adopt-A-Highway program. We have a beautiful length of highway to care for and it’s a great opportunity to publicize the Coalition with the signs and the cleanup. The site starts at the entrance of the Tom Mays Unit of Franklin Mountains State Park and goes west for two miles. We have agreed to do three cleanups in 2010 and four in 2011 and 2012.

We are looking for someone to act as the Coordinator for Cleanups. Our Coordinator would contact the Adopt-A-Highway office with cleanup dates; arrange for bags and vests; and draft an email for distribution to our members announcing each event and asking for participation. One phone call and email every three months with help available to pick up the materials for each clean up. If you’re interested, please contact me at 581-6071 for details.

NEWS

FMWC Organizational Members (Judy Ackerman): FMWC is a COALITION. Each member organization designates a representative to the FMWC Board. Any non-profit organization that supports preservation of the Franklin Mountains can join. We have 30 very diverse local organizational members that give FMWC its strength and demonstrate West Texas and Southern New Mexico commitment to protecting our mountains.

We list our member organizations and their contact information on our website and on our stationary. Significantly, we identify our member organizations when we request funding from Congress. It is to your advantage to participate in FMWC decision making by attending our meetings.

We encourage representatives from our member organizations to share FMWC newsletters and alerts with the membership of their individual organizations and to submit articles and event calendars for this newsletter.

If you belong to a local non-profit, invite them to join FMWC. If your member organization’s contact info has changed, please send the updated information to our secretary at j.p.ackerman@sbcglobal.net.

Reyes Acts to Preserve Castner (Judy Ackerman): Congressman Reyes and his staff have succeeded in securing $300,000 to study a Conservation Conveyance on Castner Range in the fiscal year 2010 federal budget! The Office of Economic Adjustment (OEA) administers the funds. The OEA’s mission is to assist communities that are affected by closure or expansion of military bases. FMWC representatives are working with El Paso’s land trust, The Frontera Land Alliance, to preserve Castner Range as natural open space. The end goal is that Castner Range become part of the Franklin Mountains State Park once it is cleared of dangerous unexploded ordnance.* We are several steps closer to our goal thanks to Congressman Reyes.

*Interested in more details of this process: contact Kathy at kmcconaghie@gmail.com for email copies of the January 14th Technical Project Planning meeting minutes and presentation.

Preserving El Paso’s Open Spaces: Palisades Canyon was purchased by the Public Service Board. Excerpt from “On the Water Front”, a message from Ed Archuleta: ...Palisades Canyon – 200 beautiful acres at the tip of the Franklin Mountains...located near Robinson Avenue in the Kern Place area...a gateway to the Franklin Mountains State Park for El Pasoans who use its trails for mountain biking and hiking...” (Entire message can be seen at http://www.epwu.org/OnTheWaterFront/water_front0210.html )
Our City Council is also working towards preservation of several hundred acres of privately owned mountain land and FMWC will continue to monitor and assist in these endeavors.

1 Arroyo 41A from Upper Sunset Trail, by judy Ackerman

Mountain to River Trail: Our team continues to monitor progress on preservation of Arroyo 41A and the proposed Mountain to River Trail from the impacts of quarry operations and residential developments. Stanley Jobe, the holder of the quarry lease on GLO land, provided workers who assisted rangers on building a new trail. Park Superintendent, Cesar Mendez, really likes the new trail that they are creating which ends at Picnic Area 39 or connects further down with the Avispa Canyon portion of the Lower Sunset which goes past Schaeffer Shuffle and back to the same picnic area. Mr. Jobe reported that surveying of the buffer around 41A has been done and the GLO is currently studying the situation.

2 Photo by Richard Love

PARK NEWS

Park Volunteer Richard Love writes: “Here we are three months into the new year and the moisture/snow keep gracing our mountain. March 20th the Poppy Festival happens and this should be a banner year. As early as the end of February we were seeing and getting reports of poppies blooming along the roadside at lower elevations. All of you Photographers dust off the cameras and macro lenses this is going to be the year to fill your portfolios with the poppies and other wildflowers that have been missing for the past several springs. The late spring Cactus blooms should be really special this year. In March and April in the park Kelly and I are going to do two classes on wildflower photography. These are going to be geared for the beginner and non professional photographers. The dates are not set as of this article, but you can call Kelly at 566-6441 or email her at kelly.serio@tpwd.state.tx.us to be included in the fun. Kelly has filled her calender with hikes, classes, moonlite hikes and all kinds of fun events, and can schedule your group for tours and hikes. Volunteers!! If you are available for any of these classes and would like to help or even learn some new skills please consider contacting Kelly. We were not real happy during the month of February. Four of our mountain's residents were killed by cars on Transmountain Road. Please tell all of your friends to drive carefully when on any of the roads around the mountains. Not only would it help keep our deer population alive, but prevent literally hundreds of dollars damage on your cars. The Wildlife Viewing Area has a newly remodeled water feature. The old design was very hard to keep clean and very hard to work on.

The spring birds haven't begin to come in yet but around the park we have seen some special visitors. Mid February one of the golden eagles visited the area. It is a very beautiful Raptor and presented itself close enough to identify without binos. A pair of Loggerhead Shrikes visited and hung around for a couple of weeks. They may still be there but choosing to stay out of sight. The weather conditions have been just right all though February for some gloriously beautiful sunrises. For all of us early risers on the west side there have been some light shows unbelievable.”

3 Photo by Richard Love

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

MARCH 16: Poppy Proclamation designating March 20, 2010 as Franklin Mountains Poppies Preservation Day to be presented to Franklin Mountains Wilderness Coalition at City Council meeting.

MARCH 20: 2010 Franklin Mountains Poppies Preservation Celebration, 10 am – 6 pm at the El Paso Museum of Archaeology, 4301 Transmountain Rd. Fourth annual festival, FREE Family Fun Event. Full day of programming with nature talks and walks, wildlife displays, visit with a real wolf and meet Takota, the El Paso Zoo’s new Golden Eagle Ambassador for Conservation of the Chihuahuan Desert, educational exhibits, demonstrations, art vendors, live music and food. FREE parking at Cohen Stadium and overflow parking at EPCC. NO parking at museum or on Transmountain Rd. FREE shuttle to and from the museum from 9:30 am to 6:00 pm. Full schedule of events available at http://www.elpasotexas.gov/arch_museum/_documents/Schedule%20of%20events%20Poppy%20Festival.pdf

MARCH 21: El Paso Museum of Archaeology, 3:00 pm, Free Admission: Clovis Caches: Windows into Ice Age Technology by David Kilby, Ph.D

MARCH 27: El Paso/Trans-Pecos Audubon Society Field Trip to Swan Pond, Leasburg Dam & Mesilla Valley Bosque State Park
Time: 7:30 a.m. (Bring Lunch)
Meet at: The Shell Station and Dairy Queen at the intersection of Transmountain Road & I-10.
Reservations and Information: Ursula Sherrill
526-7725; usherrill@miners.utep.edu

MARCH 30: Natural Open Space Zoning Ordinance at City Council meeting

MARCH 31: El Paso Museum of Archaeology, 6:30 pm, Free Admission: An Australian Rock Art Saga: Finding Yidumduma by David M. Lee

MARCH 31: Walkin’ Jim Stoltz – Forever Wild
Benefit concert for the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance
7:00 pm, UNM Continuing Education Center
1634 University Blvd NE, Albuquerque
Tickets: $15 ($12.50 Advance)
Children 14 and Under: $10 ($7.50 Advance)
Call 505-843-8696 for more information

APRIL 10: El Paso/Trans-Pecos Audubon Society Field Trip to Percha Dam
Time: 7:30 a.m. (Bring Lunch)
Meet at: The Shell Station and Dairy Queen at the intersection of Transmountain Road and I-10.
Reservations and Information: Ursula Sherrill
526-7725; usherrill@miners.utep.edu

APRIL 14: New Mexico Wilderness Alliance 2nd Annual Patagonia Wild and Scenic Environmental Film Festival at the Rio Grande Theatre in Downtown Las Cruces from 6:00 – 8:30 pm. Part of a 100 town and city national tour hosted by various environmental organizations, this event is used as a way to raise awareness of local and regional campaigns; to encourage local citizens to get involved (and) features films on a range of issues: Fresh celebrates the farmers, thinkers and business people who are re-inventing our food system, and offering a sustainable vision for our food and planet in the future. Flathead Wild explores the “threatened” beauty of the Flathead River Valley in British Columbia, based on the photography of the International League of Conservation Photographers. A Year in the Desert: Anza Borrego showcases the seasons in California’s largest State Park, and the struggle to keep it open against all odds. The Fun Theory: Piano Staircase posits change for the better through increasing the “fun factor”—like putting giant piano keys on stairs to get people singing up the stairway, instead of plodding up the escalator.

The NM Wilderness Alliance works with coalitions to protect important natural treasures, including the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks Wilderness Legislation for mountain ranges near Las Cruces and El Paso.

General Admission is $8 for Adults & $5 for Students. Children are FREE.
For further information please contact Nathan Small in Las Cruces at: nathansmall@nmwild.org or [575] 527-9962/ [575] 496-9540.

APRIL 17: El Paso/Trans-Pecos Audubon Society Field Trip to Big Bend – still in planning stages, contact Ursula Sherrill for more information.

APRIL 24: FeatherFest at Keystone Heritage Park -10 am – 4 pm - An "Open House" event with tours of the archaeological site, information about Chihuahuan Desert plants, birds of the Keystone wetland, refreshments and more - $3.00 admission fee
MAY 1 – 2: El Paso/Trans-Pecos Audubon Society Birdathon 2010 - This event is the primary fundraiser for El Paso Audubon Society. Historically, portions of the proceeds from the Birdathon have also been donated to organizations that benefit wildlife of the Northern Chihuahuan Desert, such as Franklin Mountains State Park, Rio Bosque Wetlands Park, & Chihuahuan Desert Wildlife Rescue. If you would like to participate in the annual bird count, now is a good time to begin sharpening your bird identification skills and talking with friends and
relatives you think may like to sponsor you. Contact Ursula Sherrill for more info.

Texas State Parks “Adventure Camping Program”

The increasingly popular Texas Outdoor Family program is branching out to deliver adventurous programs for families who are looking for something more than an introductory how-to camping experience.Four Texas state parks, including Big Bend Ranch, this spring will host Texas Outdoor Family Adventure workshops designed to familiarize families with the outdoors and teach them how to tent camp, cook outdoors and get the most out of their outdoor experience. These events will occur in some of the Texas State Park System’s larger, more remote sites.Texas Outdoor Family adventure campouts dates are March 25-28 at Big Bend Ranch, April 17-18 at Palo Duro Canyon, April 24-25 at Lost Maples State Natural Area and May 15-16 at Colorado Bend State Park.The Big Bend Ranch adventure camp will include a guided canoe trip down the Rio Grande and a two-day desert camping program in the interior of Texas’ largest state park that encompasses more than 300,000 acres near Presidio. The cost for the Big Bend Ranch camp is $86, plus $53 for canoe rental.Highlighting the Palo Duro Canyon campout will be a three-hour guided hike through the “Grand Canyon of Texas” to its famous geologic wonder known as The Lighthouse. The theme of the Lost Maples adventure camp will be an introduction to backpacking in which state park rangers will teach families the basics of successful backpacking. Participants in the Colorado Bend adventure campout will experience cave exploration, guided hikes to scenic Gorman Falls and river canoeing. “These new programs are aimed at families who are looking for more adventurous camping experiences,” explains Chris Holmes, Texas State Parks outdoor education coordinator. “We recognize that many families want to expand their outdoor recreation knowledge, but are uncomfortable going alone to a remote site with limited facilities. This series of adventure camping allows the families to be in a safe environment with knowledgeable rangers to guide and assist at any time.”TPWD’s Texas Outdoor Family program launched in the summer of 2008 has taught hundreds of families throughout the state, most of them from urban environments, how to safely enjoy the great outdoors.

The outdoor family workshops are designed to combat "Nature Deficit Disorder," a phrase coined by Richard Louv in his 2005 book, "Last Child in the Woods." Louv cites studies that show that playing outdoors strengthens a young person’s mind and body, leading to better performance in school and interactions with others. The first-of-its-kind Texas program has gained national attention from such national organizations as Leave No Trace and the National Association of Interpretation, spurring spinoff programs in other states.The program was begun to try to eliminate barriers to families wishing to share the outdoor experience together. The campouts are designed for persons who have never camped before or may not have camped for many years, as well as for those who don’t have the necessary equipment or see the outdoors as being boring or dangerous. By providing quality gear to be used for the overnight stay and park-specific programs and activities, TOF’s outdoor specialists show how anyone can enjoy camping with no hassles. Texas state parks, with ample campsites and a law enforcement presence, prove the ideal setting for the structured campouts.During a typical outdoor family workshop, participants are welcomed on Saturday morning to the host state park, where they have reserved a campsite and receive assistance with pitching camp and operating propane lanterns and other camping equipment. After an afternoon filled with fun outdoor activities, such as geocaching and cooking an outdoor meal, participants enjoy an evening presentation on night sounds to prepare them for what they might hear while snuggled in their tent.The adventure campouts cost $55 per family. Program sponsor Toyota helps keep the program affordable by providing funding for equipment.Visit the Texas Outdoor Family Web page for more information, including the complete schedule of this spring’s weekend workshops. Texas Outdoor Family is now on Facebook, where participating families post their pictures and share stories of their outdoor adventures.Families can register by calling (512) 389-8903 between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. and speaking to a Texas Outdoor Family representative or by sending an e-mail to tofsp@tpwd.state.tx.us. After registration, a confirmation packet with details, including a suggested shopping list, will be sent.

FMWC BOARD

President: Scott Cutler

Vice President: Jane Fowler

Secretary: Judy Ackerman

Treasurer: Pat White

At Large Members: Matt Carroll Jim Tolbert

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, Toastmasters International • Bordersenses • Celebration Of Our Mountains • Centro San Vicente • Chihuahuan Desert Education Coalition • Chihuahuan Desert Wildlife Rescue • Eco-Club EPCC • El Paso Archaeological Society • El Paso Cactus And Rock Club • El Paso County Master Gardeners • El Paso Native Plant Society • El Paso Regional Group Of The Sierra Club • El Paso/Trans-Pecos Audubon Society • El Paso Youth Symphony • El Paso Zoo • Environmental Advocates at UTEP • Friends of the Arroyo • Friends Of The Rio Bosque • Jolly Elders • League Of Women Voters Of El Paso • Mesilla Valley Audubon Society • Mountain Park Community Association • Photography Enthusiasts Of El Paso • Southern New Mexico Group Of The Sierra Club • Southwest Environmental Center • Skyline Optimist Club Of El Paso • Trans Pecos Chapter Of The Texas Master Naturalists • Vista Hills Rotary Club • Voter Education Project, Inc
(Return to Top)

January 2010

2010-01-01T12:15:00.000-08:00

{FMWC} E-Newsletter January 2010

FRANKLIN MOUNTAINS WILDERNESS COALITION
http://www.franklinmountains.org/

NEXT MEETING: January 20, 2010

Our meeting will be held at the El Paso Public Library’s Main Branch located downtown at 501 N. Oregon St. The meeting will begin at 6:00 p.m. in the Auditorium. The main branch’s location map and parking information are available online at:
http://www.elpasotexas.gov/library/ourlibraries/main_library/main_library.asp

VOLUNTEERS

We can always use volunteers: you can help man our booth at an event; meet with elected officials or attend civic meetings; coordinate outreach to community organizations; distribute our rack cards; contribute to our bi-monthly newsletters. Please contact Judy at 755-7371 or Kathy at 227-5330 if you are interested in volunteering.

MESSAGE FROM OUR PRESIDENT, SCOTT CUTLER

Two issues loomed large in 2009 for the Franklin Mountains Wilderness Coalition. Preservation of Castner Range maintained a large part of our focus. The Coalition worked with Congressman Reyes’ office to include an appropriation in the 2010 Defense Appropriation Bill that would provide funds to plan how to put in place a conservation conveyance to preserve Castner. As of this writing, the House has approved the bill while the companion Senate bill is still under consideration. We continue to keep in touch with our Congressional representatives to help insure that the appropriation is kept within the final bill.

The second issue involved the City’s proposed Mountain to River Trail on the west side of the Franklins. A quarry on Government Land Office land adjacent to, and including part of the trail, presented a real threat to the integrity of the trail. Members of the Coalition stepped forward and put together an impressive petition campaign to inform the public and our elected officials of this issue and the negative impacts that would result. It now appears that the holder of the quarry lease has, through discussions with Representative Ann Morgan Lilly, agreed to preserve the arroyo within the lease so that the trail can be put in place as envisioned. While the outcome will hopefully be good, we will continue to monitor the situation and act as needed. Many thanks to the Coalition’s Mountain to River Trail committee for their hard work in putting together this great petition campaign.

If you haven’t noticed, the Coalition has a new set of officers for the coming year. They are listed below.

This newsletter is also our reminder to renew your membership or ask you to become a new member. Please send your renewal to our new treasurer, Pat White, 10525 Texwood, El Paso, TX 79925.

As always, I thank you for your support of the Franklin Mountains Wilderness Coalition. With your support and participation we all will be able to preserve many wonderful places on our Franklin Mountains.

DUES DUE

Dues are due in January. So this month we sent a hard copy of the newsletter to all our supporters with our membership application form. You can get the form on line at the “How To Join” link, http://franklinmountains.org/ or use the attachment. Please send your new or renewing membership to our new treasurer, Pat White, 10525 Texwood, El Paso, TX 79925.

If you did not receive a hard copy of this newsletter in the mail, we do not have your US Postal address. Please send your address to judy Ackerman: j.p.ackerman@sbcglobal.net .

NEWS

Mountain to River Trail (Kathy McConaghie): My thanks to Ursula, Heather, Jim, Rick, Kevin, and Bill for their hard work on this campaign. The petition campaign has ended. If you have hard copy petitions please do not discard them. As Scott says, there is positive news on Arroyo 41A and the Mountain to River Trail but it is an ongoing situation, which a team is monitoring. Action will be initiated or campaigns modified according to developments. We will keep you advised. We are also looking hard at the larger issues of open space planning, sustainability practices and public lands usage as related to the Franklins.

Castner Range (Judy Ackerman): We have been sending email updates to our members as meetings and events are announced. A recent announcement: “The US Army is currently performing various activities at the Fort Bliss Castner Range (west of US 54, north and south of Transmountain Road) as part of the Wide Area Assessment Field Demonstration Project. The project team has remobilized and will finalize site preparation activities for the geophysical survey work. We will be flying low altitude (1-3 meters above ground surface) helicopter-borne magnetometry 11-16 January 2010. Local residents should not be alarmed to see a low-flying helicopter at Castner Range. Due to terrain constraints, the flight path will be concentrated on the eastern portion of the site, the area closest to US-54.” There is a Fort Bliss Restoration Advisory Board (RAB) meeting with Castner on the agenda January 13 and the second Technical Project Planning Meeting on January 14. Updates will be provided as information becomes available. Pictured below: Helicopter-Born Magnetometry, Ground-Based Geophysics and Frag found on Castner Range (pictures by Bob Gourdoux – deleted in this version)

Palisades Canyon Preservation: It is likely that El Paso Water Utilities Board will approve the purchase of the 202 acre Palisades Canyon property at their meeting on January 13. The acreage will be conserved by the PSB with possible transfer to the Park at a later date. Kudos to Risher Gilbert, Jack Maxon, Richard Teschner, John Moses, and many others for their hard work. Fingers crossed for more good news for the Franklins! For BREAKING NEWS see http://elpasonaturally.blogspot.com/2010/01/psb-votes-to-purchase-palisades-canyon.html.

FRANKLIN MOUNTAINS STATE PARK NEWS

Park Volunteer Richard Love writes: “Well, another two months have come and gone and we are in the middle of winter. The weather this year has been wonderful, four snow storms in one month is almost unheard of. There was snow on the mountain for the whole month of December. Get ready for an abundance of wildflowers this spring. The Poppies should have a banner year and all wildflowers a photographer’s dream. The spring cactus bloom should be awesome. All of you photographers break out the macro lens and get ready. The birds and small animals at the Wildlife Viewing Area have been steady but the snow seems to have scattered many of the birds. Park visitation during the holidays was brisk, with several visitors a day. We are seeing several Deer and an occasional Coyote throughout the park. The next event in the park will be the Puzzler Mountain Bike Race, on the 17th of January. If you are a mountain bike rider or a fan of the sport don’t miss this one. If you want to schedule a hike or a photo trek contact Kelly at 915 566-6441. This year the Park and the environmental community need all the support and backing we can muster. There are many very important issues coming to the forefront that can make or break our beloved mountain. Maybe this is the year that we can finally get a commitment from the government on Castner Range. See all of you at the Bike Race and the Poppy Festival or just drop by the Park.”

All the latest news and information about upcoming events at the Park are available at the Park’s great website. Check it out!!

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

Texas Master Naturalist Trans-Pecos Chapter: We are now accepting applications for our next class which starts Feb 10th. Class size is limited so hurry. Contact Matt Santillan at Texas Agrilife Ext. phone 915-860-2515

El Paso Archaeological Society: January events at the Museum of Archaeology begin at Sunday Speaker Series --January 17, 2010, 3:00 pm: A. C. (Art) MacWilliams Illustrated Presentation: Cerros de Trincheras: Living on Hills in the Desert (Free admission)

-- January 24, 2010, 2:00 to 3:30 pm: Fun Learning Aztec and Maya Math, A Workshop for Children by Carlos Aceves (Free admission, materials fee $2.00, call 915-755-4332 to reserve a seat)

-- January 30, 2010, 2:00 pm: Zip Tour of the exhibit Rarámuri: The Foot Runners of the Sierra Madre guided by photographer and guest curator Diana Molina (Free admission) The exhibit is on view through Sunday, February 14, 2010

Borderland Mountain Bike Association: 3rd Annual El Paso Puzzler, January 17 at Bowen Ranch, 35 and 50 Mile MTB Race, Toughest MTB Race in Texas! Go to http://www.elpasopuzzler.com/ for more information. Registration closes January 15.

2010 Franklin Mountain Poppies Celebration: Thanks to the expertise of Dawn Thurmond of MCAD (Museums and Cultural Affairs Department) and Poppies Planners this year’s Poppies Celebration promises to be bigger and better than ever. The rains and snows of fall and winter are good omens for poppies blooming in the Spring. The 2010 Franklin Mountain Poppies Preservation Celebration on Castner Range will be Saturday 20 March 2010. We need volunteers for many jobs including information booth, parking coordinators, VIP contacts and many more. If you can assist, please contact Dawn Thurmond: ThurmondD1@elpasotexas.gov , 915-755-4332, 915-541-4280. The next meeting of the Poppies Planners is 9 AM, Thursday, 4 Feb 2010, at the Museum of Archaeology, 4301 Transmountain Rd.

FMWC ON FACEBOOK

The Coalition is up and running on Facebook. All member organizations are linked to our page. Please become a fan of our page if you have a Facebook account or open an account to keep up with us – it’s easy! We plan to use the page for breaking news and other announcements and as a site to share stories and photos – would really love to see some more fan photo postings! This is a great site for networking and getting the news out. Call Kathy McConaghie at 227-5330 if you would like further information on how to get started. Hope to see you there! Coalition's Facebook home page at http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/Franklin-Mountains-Wilderness-Coalition/224824046647?ref=ts .

FMWC BOARD

President: Scott Cutler

Vice President: Jane Fowler

Secretary: Judy Ackerman

Treasurer: Pat White

At Large Members: Matt Carroll Jim Tolbert

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, Toastmasters International • Bordersenses • Celebration Of Our Mountains • Centro San Vicente • Chihuahuan Desert Education Coalition • Chihuahuan Desert Wildlife Rescue • Eco-Club EPCC • El Paso Archaeological Society • El Paso Cactus And Rock Club • El Paso County Master Gardeners • El Paso Native Plant Society • El Paso Regional Group Of The Sierra Club • El Paso/Trans-Pecos Audubon Society • El Paso Youth Symphony • El Paso Zoo • Environmental Advocates at UTEP • Friends of the Arroyo • Friends Of The Rio Bosque • Jolly Elders • League Of Women Voters Of El Paso • Mesilla Valley Audubon Society • Mountain Park Community Association • Photography Enthusiasts Of El Paso • Southern New Mexico Group Of The Sierra Club • Southwest Environmental Center • Skyline Optimist Club Of El Paso • Trans Pecos Chapter Of The Texas Master Naturalists • Vista Hills Rotary Club • Voter Education Project, Inc

November 2009

2009-11-01T11:26:00.000-08:00

{FMWC} E-Newsletter November 2009

FRANKLIN MOUNTAINS WILDERNESS COALITION
http://www.franklinmountains.org/

NEXT MEETING: November 18, 2009

Our meeting this month will be held from 6 - 8 p.m. at the El Paso Public Library’s Richard Burges Branch located in Northeast El Paso at 9600 Dyer St.

Map available at:
http://www.elpasotexas.gov/library/ourlibraries/our_libraries.asp

You might notice the e-news looks different this month. Well, Judy's out of town so I'm in charge. Sorry, folks, but I'm not as techno-savvy as she is, so there's no contents with links and all that "fancy" stuff this month. Richard Love's photos of the park visiting birds are attached to this email as are BMBA's trailblazing photos. My apologies that the photos are not next to the text. Please check them out anyway and please read on because there's some important and interesting news in here. Thanks, Kathy McConaghie, Newsletter Editor

Please try to attend the meeting but, if you can’t, please make use of the contact information in this newsletter and volunteer to help in the Coalition’s efforts. There are plenty of areas to choose from:

Help Man the Booth: We set up the FMWC display board and literature at various events such as Ardovino’s Farmers Market, the Chihuahuan Desert Fiesta, and the Environmental Summit. It is great fun to talk to people about our Franklin Mountains and FMWC.

Politics: We meet with our elected officials to tell them about FMWC and the work we do.

Poppies Planning: The Franklin Mountains Poppies Preservation Celebration on Castner Range 2010 will be March 20, 2010, but planning is underway now. We need volunteers to help coordinate: Transportation, Parking, Exhibitors, Vendors, Education, Media and VIPs, Information Booth, Event Day Troubleshooter, Equipment/Furniture Coordinator, Sound systems, Photography, Video, Testimonials, Food, Set-up, and Clean-up. For more info call 915-755-4332 or write lobellorl@elpasotexas.gov

Outreach: Do you know an organization that needs a speaker or might join FMWC? Give us an introduction! Do you have a place to display or distribute our rack cards? Ask and we will send you some.

Newsletter: Articles, photos and stories are accepted for our bimonthly newsletter any time – please email to Kathy McConaghie at kmcconaghie@gmail.com, call me for pickup at 915-227-5330, or postal mail to 272 Shadow Mountain, Apt. 12, El Paso, Texas 79912. We’d love to share your mountain news, memories and stories!

MESSAGE FROM OUR PRESIDENT,
SCOTT CUTLER

Protecting anything of value often entails challenges. The Franklin Mountains Wilderness Coalition has recently taken on a new challenge: an effort to generate public awareness of the proposed Mountain to River Trail on the west side of the mountain and threats to its integrity. This multi-use trail is to occupy the last unobstructed arroyo going from its mountain source within the State Park to the Rio Grande. Quarry operations on leased General Land Office property adjacent to the trail will negatively impact this trail. The Coalition is working to insure this unique arroyo and planned trail system are not altered by the quarry.

At the same time, we are maintaining our long standing efforts to have Castner Range protected as open space and see it added to the Franklin Mountains State Park. Discussions with Congressional representatives are ongoing for funding to create a conservation conveyance that would secure the land as open space. The Coalition is also working with its partner organizations to produce the 4th Annual Poppies Celebration on Castner Range at the Museum of Archaeology.
These are busy times for the Coalition. A dedicated cadre of volunteers is giving their all to further these projects, efforts that will protect and enhance the quality of visitors’ experiences with the Franklin Mountains. If you would like to get involved with either of these projects, please contact me at 581-6071.

Thank you for your support of the Franklin Mountains Wilderness Coalition.

PLEASE SIGN OUR ONLINE PETITION NOW AT
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/3/help-save-el-pasos-franklin-mountains

FMWC ELECTION 2009 RESULTS
Thanks to all members who voted in our recent election and congratulations to the members who were elected to our Board of Directors. President: Scott CutlerVice President: Jane FowlerSecretary: Judy AckermanTreasurer: Pat WhiteAt Large Members: Matt Carroll Jim Tolbert

PARK NEWS
Park Volunteer Richard Love writes:
“Well, here we are in the fall season, the first freeze and the first snowfall in the park have come and gone. The Volunteers from the park, the Master Naturalists and our Urban Biologist are in the middle of the annual deer survey. It has been very productive. The park had a fine festival and Chili Cook-off in September. The numbers of guests were up this year and we hope will continue to rise. The fall migration of birds was high this year: we spotted several Warblers, a Scrub Jay, and several Red Shafted Northern Flickers visiting the Wildlife Viewing Area. The winter birds are here now and visiting daily. A great opportunity for the photographers to get super shots of Gamble's Quail, Scaled Quail, and with a little patience our Cactus Wren and Lesser Gold Finches. For the next few days some of the shrubs along the trail to Cottonwood Springs, and up several of the canyons are dressed out in fall colors. From now until Thanksgiving is forecast as nearly perfect weather for hiking, biking or bird watching. Now is the time to plan a picnic and outing in the mountains. See you soon.” (Please see photo attachments)

OTHER NEWS:

Mountain to River Trail (Kathy McConaghie): The Franklin Mountains Wilderness Coalition took the unprecedented step of holding two emergency meetings in October to address the issue of a quarry operation gearing up on the western slope of the Franklins below Tom Mays Park. Members had alerted FMWC when the quarry operator bulldozed across Lower Sunset Trail in mid-October and we learned at the October meetings that the planned quarry will directly impact the proposed Mountain to River Trail in the City’s Open Spaces Plan. Hence the emergency meetings and the formation of the Mountain to River Trail Committee.
The committee is comprised of Jim Tolbert, Rick LoBello, Kevin von Finger, Ursula Sherrill, Heather McMurray and Bill Addington. I was honored to be voted chairperson of this fine group of dedicated volunteers. We have worked many hours so far on several aspects of the issue and there is much more to be done. The primary impetus of the committee is organizing a public relations campaign. We will soon have more information available for you but you can start right now at http://www.elpasonaturally.blogspot.com/ or check out recent articles in El Paso, Inc.* and El Diario**

It is inconceivable to me that a 480 acre quarry is about to be dug and blasted across the virtually unspoiled face of an area adjacent to the Tom Mays section of our State Park. A stunning view now visible from major highways, upscale developments, and Upper Valley communities of the unbroken side of our mountain range will be destroyed. The last remaining natural corridor linking the mountains to the river will be forever disrupted, impacting wildlife, watershed, hikers, bikers, etc. I sure am hoping that these things are not inevitable and that our members will feel as compelled to work on this campaign as they were on Castner Range.
We are pleased to announce a petition drive as the first step of many in our campaign. The drive will be very similar to our efforts on behalf of Castner Range. Hard copy petitions, issue information and volunteer signup sheets will be available very soon on our website for you to download. You may also request these documents by contacting me at 915-227-5330 or kmcconaghie@gmail.com. We will be happy to provide copies to individuals or organizations, arrange drop off or pickups, etc.

An online petition link is already available for those of you who would like to sign it. Please go to http://www.thepetitionsite.com/3/help-save-el-pasos-franklin-mountains to sign the petition and forward to your family and friends. The link will be available on our website and we encourage member organizations to share the link with their membership. I’m looking forward to working with you all and making this campaign a resounding success.

*El Paso Inc. article
http://elpasoinc.com/readArticle.aspx?issueid=256&xrec=4586
**El Diario article (in Spanish)
http://www.diario.com.mx/nota.php?notaid=f40efb232a656bd0a1b0dcf8d2674583

Castner Range (Judy Ackerman):
After two years of no comment from the Army on Castner Range, October brought three public meetings. First was the Restoration Authority Board (RAB) meeting on 14 Oct 2009 which outlined two projects: The Wide Area Assessment on the Range and a remediation project the Army will conduct near Hueco Tanks. El Pasoans demonstrated their dedication to preserving Castner – about 60 people attended.

The critical topic was the Wide Area Assessment (WAA) to Characterize Munitions Density at Closed Castner Firing Range. This project started in Oct 2009 and data collection will continue until Apr 2010. On 16 Oct, the Army conducted a more detailed public meeting on the WAA. Due to public comments at the RAB two days before, the Army changed their plans and eliminated an assessment method that would have caused significant environmental damage by using vehicles to tow sensor equipment across Castner Range. Public involvement makes a difference!

The WAA is a demonstration (test) of known technologies to see if they will work to identify positions of munitions on terrain such as Castner. They will collect data about where munitions are located (and not located) for future use in the congressionally mandated process called Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). Data analysis and report writing is scheduled to be complete in May 2011. At that time, the Army will have the most accurate information possible on the location of munitions on Castner, but there are no plans to do the next step – the clean up. We want to ensure that Castner Range is locked into a preservation status with a conservation conveyance BEFORE there is any clean up of unexploded ordnance.

Do you want more information? Get on the Army’s distribution lists for information on Castner Range. For RAB announcements, contact the new Ft Bliss RAB coordinator: Patricia A. Rice, President, Scientific Research & Technology, Inc., (SRT, Inc. Cage Code 1YV11), P.O. Box 13208, El Paso, Texas 79913-3208, (915) 373-2446 (cell), (915) 581-0853 (FAX) Rwrice@aol.com . For WAA information, contact the Project Manager: Ms. Kimberly Watts, U.S. Army Environmental Command, at (410) 436-6843, kimberly.watts@us.army.mil .

Chihuahuan Desert Education Coalition (Rick LoBello): Our website, http://www.chihuahuandesert.org/ has some interesting news on wild birds reported from the El Paso Zoo plus information on how you can now easily renew your membership or become a member online using PayPal.

Please remember to send us your news items and events using guidelines shown on our calendar page.

El Paso Archaeological Society (Kay Luther): In compliance with the city’s requests, EPAS has changed its monthly lectures to the 3rd Sunday of every month at 3:00 PM at the El Paso Museum of Archaeology, 4301 Transmountain Rd. This month on 11-15-09 The El Paso Archaeological Society presents David H. Greenwald, Director of Research at DMG Four Corners Research, Inc. He will be speaking on The Forgotten Few - Looting and Recovery within the Fort Craig Military Post Cemetery, Socorro County, New Mexico. Results of the archival research, excavation & recovery of human remains will be presented in this talk. This is a free presentation. Join us.

Borderland Mountain Bike Association (David Wilson):
New Trail to Complete Huge Loop Around Franklins
Members of the BMBA have begun scraping out the new trail in Hitt Canyon that will soon make it possible to complete a loop around the north Franklin range without having to leave the State Park. Robert Newman received approval for construction a couple of months ago and was the first to start scratching in a path. Five BMBA members met for the first official trail building day on November 8th and cut a significant portion of trail through what is considered to be the most difficult section. The section consisted of long sections of jagged Franklin red granite, huge lechuguilla patches, and plenty of cat claw bushes. Once completely out of that area, trail construction should move quickly.

This trail is going to be a magnificent trail for both bikers and hikers. The views in upper Hitt Canyon are beautiful and the trail winds its way up into some neat side canyons. The BMBA is hoping to have the trail finished by the New Year as they are hosting the 3rd Annual El Paso Puzzler endurance mountain bike race on Martin Luther King weekend (January 17th). The goal is to keep the race out of the BLM land to the north due to excessive amounts of target shooting in that area.

If you would like to contribute some sweat equity to this trail or you know of others that are looking for a good volunteer service project, please contact BMBA President David Wilson at bmbaelpaso@hotmail.com. More trail days are planned for the next few Sundays and can be scheduled for other days if you have a group that wants to help. If you can trim shrubs or wield a garden rake, the BMBA can use you. The club is also offering BMBA Bucks for your efforts. One hour of trail work will earn you $1 in BMBA Bucks which are redeemable at supporting bike shops. (Please see photo attachments)

New Mexico Wilderness Alliance: Sportsmen, business owners, conservationists, local elected officials and other community members hailed the introduction Thursday of The Organ Mountains – Desert Peaks Wilderness Act, by Senator Jeff Bingaman and Senator Tom Udall. The measure will protect nearly 400,000 acres of public land in Doña Ana County, by designating 271,050 acres as wilderness and creating a 109,600-acre National Conservation Area around the Organ and Doña Ana Mtns. and parts of Broad Canyon.

“We applaud Senators Bingaman and Udall for helping ensure that more of New Mexico’s spectacular natural lands will be around for our children’s children to use and enjoy,” said Las Cruces Mayor Ken Miyagishima. “This legislation follows years of discussion and collaboration with community members with many different interests and concerns.”

Bonnie Burn, President of the League of Women Voters, added, “We all share the goal of protecting Doña Ana County’s unique and precious open areas which are key to our quality of life.”

“This important conservation bill comes as the nation celebrates the 45th anniversary of the Wilderness Act and the development of the nation’s wilderness preservation system,” said Stephen Capra, executive director of the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance.
More information at:
http://bingaman.senate.gov/news/20090917-01.cfm

EDITOR’S COMMENT: Why aren’t communities, organizations and elected officials in the El Paso area banding together like these folks in New Mexico to protect our remaining wild areas?

FMWC on Facebook: Apologies to those of you who might have been looking for us on Facebook. We’ve been diverted by some pressing issues but plan to get our account up and running soon. Hope to see you there!

FRANKLIN MOUNTAINS STATE PARK NEWS
All the latest news and information about upcoming events at the Park are available at the Park’s great website. Check it out!!

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.
(Return to Top)

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, Toastmasters International • Bordersenses • Celebration Of Our Mountains • Centro San Vicente • Chihuahuan Desert Education Coalition • Chihuahuan Desert Wildlife Rescue • El Paso Archaeological Society • El Paso Cactus And Rock Club • El Paso County Master Gardeners • El Paso Native Plant Society • El Paso Regional Group Of The Sierra Club • El Paso/Trans-Pecos Audubon Society • El Paso Youth Symphony • El Paso Zoo • Friends Of The Rio Bosque • Jolly Elders • League Of Women Voters Of El Paso • Mesilla Valley Audubon Society • Mountain Park Community Association • Photography Enthusiasts Of El Paso • Southern New Mexico Group Of The Sierra Club • Southwest Environmental Center • Skyline Optimist Club Of El Paso • Trans Pecos Chapter Of The Texas Master Naturalists • Vista Hills Rotary Club • Voter Education Project, Inc •
Welcome to new members: EcoClub EPCC -- Environmental Advocates at UTEP -- Friends of the Arroyo

September 2009

2009-09-01T11:23:00.000-07:00

{FMWC} E-Newsletter September 2009

FRANKLIN MOUNTAINS WILDERNESS COALITION
http://www.franklinmountains.org/

NEXT MEETING: September 16, 2009

Our meeting will be held at the El Paso Public Library’s Main Branch located downtown at 501 N. Oregon St. The meeting will begin at 6:00 p.m. in the Maud Sullivan Gallery. The main branch’s location map and parking information are available online at:
http://www.elpasotexas.gov/library/ourlibraries/main_library/main_library.asp

Please try to attend the meeting but, if you can’t, please make use of the contact information in this newsletter and volunteer to help in the Coalition’s efforts. There are plenty of areas to choose from:

Help Man the Booth: We set up the FMWC display board and literature at various events such as Ardovino’s Farmers Market, the Chihuahuan Desert Fiesta, and the Environmental Summit. It is great fun to talk to people about our Franklin Mountains and FMWC.

Politics: We meet with our elected officials to tell them about FMWC and the work we do.

Poppies Planning: The Franklin Mountains Poppies Preservation Celebration on Castner Range 2010 will be March 20, 2010, but planning is underway now. We need volunteers to help coordinate: Transportation, Parking, Exhibitors, Vendors, Education, Media and VIPs, Information Booth, Event Day Troubleshooter, Equipment/Furniture Coordinator, Sound systems, Photography, Video, Testimonials, Food, Set-up, and Clean-up. For more info call 915-755-4332 or write lobellorl@elpasotexas.gov

Outreach: Do you know an organization that needs a speaker or might join FMWC? Give us an introduction! Do you have a place to display or distribute our rack cards? Ask and we will send you some.

NEWS FLASHES

Preserving Castner Range:

El Pasoans care deeply about Castner Range, the crown jewel of the Franklin Mountains, where, weather permitting, poppies bloom in the spring. Preserving Castner Range is a top priority for FMWC and, thanks to Congressman Silvestre Reyes, we have some progress on this project. Since January 2008, FMWC has been working with the Congressman Reyes’ staff to determine the best way to permanently preserve Castner Range as natural open space. The end goal is to make Castner Range part of the Franklin Mountains State Park, however, the park cannot accept any land that remains contaminated with unexploded ordnance.

We have a new tool to preserve Department of Defense (DOD) land (like Castner Range) – a Conservation Conveyance. The Bob Stump National Defense Authorization Act, passed in 2002, authorizes a Conservation Conveyance to transfer contaminated DOD land to a non-profit conservation organization. The land would be preserved in its natural state until it can be cleaned of contaminants (unexploded ordnance in the case of Castner). Once cleaned, the land would be transferred to the Franklin Mountains State Park.

Congressman Reyes included language in the 2010 National Defense Authorization Act regarding Castner Range Complex at Fort Bliss and expressing interest “[I]n maintaining this land for a conservation purpose.” Congressman Reyes included money for a Castner Range Conservation Conveyance Study in the Department of Defense Appropriations Bill.
(Mike Gaglio, Congressman Reyes, judy Ackerman)
In July, Congressman Reyes’ staff invited Mike Gaglio (The Frontera Land Alliance) and judy Ackerman (FMWC) to D.C. to talk about Castner Range. They met with Assistant Deputy Secretaries of the Army in the Pentagon, senior House Armed Service Committee staff, and Legislative Assistants of Senators Hutchison and Cornyn. Everyone they met was supportive of preserving Castner Range.

We anticipate more information from our new DC contacts after the August Congressional recess. Congressman Reyes and his staff deserve our thanks for their proactive efforts to preserve Castner Range – a natural treasure. You can contact him at 310 N. Mesa, Suite 400, El Paso, Texas 79901, Phone: (915) 534-4400.

Contact Kathy if you’re interested in having more Castner info e-mailed to you.

FMWC on Facebook:

Coalition members recently attended the Social Media workshop hosted by Nonprofit Enterprise Center at the El Paso Community College, perfect timing for our upcoming project to dip our toes into social networking with a Facebook page! Kathy McConaghie will be working on and editing this project – anyone interested in helping maintain the page, submitting photos, essays, etc. please contact her by email kmcconaghie@gmail.com or phone 915-227-5330.

City Sustainability Plan will go before Council on September 15th. Please contact Kathy by email if you would like a copy of the plan emailed to you. Thanks to Jim Tolbert for supplying this information to us. Jim has good blogs at www.elpasonaturally.blogspot.com and www.newmanpark.blogspot.com .

International Park:

Rick LoBello has a story at iloveparks.com summarizing renewed efforts to move the long proposed US Mexico International Park Proposal forward. Rick also has a summary of recent developments, including a new map and historical timeline, at iloveparks.com/peaceparks . We encourage everyone to learn more about this great project. Rick has also recommended two recent articles by Bonnie McKinley about the bears of the international park area - “If there ever was a symbol for this giant park I would say it was the Mexican black bear.” Read more at http://www.bigbendgazette.com/blog/_archives/2009/1/3/4044427.html &http://www.bigbendgazette.com/blog/_archives/2009/1/3/4120740.html

MARK YOUR CALENDARS !

5th Annual Chihuahuan Desert Fiesta:

September 19, at Tom Mays Park in El Paso. FREE entry to Franklin Mountains State Park Tom Mays section all day as members of the community come together to celebrate the Chihuahuan Desert (www.chihuahuandesert.org).

Special presentations at the last picnic area on the left right before the end of the loop road:
10am Kevin von Finger – The Chihuahuan Desert Past and Future
11am Rose Janice – All about the State Reptile of Texas, Texas Horned Lizards
Noon Virginia Morris – Plants of the Franklin Mountains
1pm Rick LoBello – Wildlife of the Franklin Mountains
2pm Cesar Mendez – Franklin Mountains State Park Update

Franklin Mountains State Park will also be hosting a Chili Cook-off sanctioned by the Chili Appreciation Society International. The judged competition will include a public tasting and a “showmanship” category.
The Climbers of Hueco Tanks Coalition will be giving free tutorials on climbing basics. Join Park Ranger, Kelly Serio for an interpretive presentation on birds. There will be an outdoor equipment and basic skills presentation given by Park Rangers.

Park volunteers will sell donated items at the Fiesta from 9 to 3. PLEASE DONATE your good, clean, used hiking/camping/biking equipment and clothing to support your Franklin Mountains State Park.
Proceeds will go to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation’s Lone Star Legacy endowment fund to be used exclusively for the programs and conservation of our beautiful Franklin Mountains State Park. If you have items to donate, please call Jim Tolbert at 915-613-4902 (leave your name and number if nobody answers); or email him at jimhtolbert@elp.rr.com.

If you would like to make a cash donation, please write a check to “Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation” and in the memo put “Franklin Mountains State Park”. Please mail your check to: Franklin Mountains State Park/1331 McKelligon Canyon Rd/El Paso, TX 79930-2649.

Friends of the Arroyo:

September 19th: Before you head up to the Fiesta, Friends of the Arroyo is having a workday the morning of Saturday, Sept. 19. Meet at the bench at the bottom of Virginia St. below Robinson, the Tennis Club parking lot. If you have garden tools such as hedge clippers, pruning shears, hoes or rakes, please bring them, as the supply of tools is limited. Many thanks from Matt Carroll, Senior Leader.

Celebration of our Mountains:.

September 19 through November 8, Get involved in this year's events. Learn more at www.celebrationofourmountains.org

El Paso/Trans-Pecos Audubon Society:

September 21, Monthly Public Meeting at 7:00 p.m. at the Rio Grande Campus of El Paso Community College, 100 W. Rio Grande, Bldg 4010, Room 119. “Rio Bosque Birdlife: Thirty Years of Change.” John Sproul, with UTEP’s Center for Environmental Resource Management, will speak on the changes in the birdlife at El Paso’s Rio Bosque Wetlands Park over the past 30 years. The public is welcome. Refreshments will be served.

El Paso Pride Environmental Summit:

September 25 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Camino Real Hotel, 101 S. El Paso, TX. Cost: Free. Information: the Summit brings together government agencies, local companies, high school students, environmental experts, and El Paso residents to discuss the different environmental issues in the community, find possible solutions, and implement the solutions. There will be continental breakfast and sit down lunch at no charge. Topic: “A New Day in the Sun”, to include renewable energy, solar, city of El Paso sustainability, tires and rubber pavement, and illegal dumping. RSVP REQUIRED: Grace Terrazas 834-4970 –FMWC will have a booth there (thanks, Judy!)

On the River, For the River:

September 26: Southwest Environmental Center's 13th annual On the River, For the River gala fundraiser, scheduled for Saturday, September 26, 5-10:30 pm. You won't want to miss this event. Chef Brian Curry and Andele Restaurant have teamed up to create a gourmet menu to rival the finest restaurants. And don't worry about food lines this year--there will be servers and multiple serving stations along with great music, High Desert Brews, fine wines, silent auction, and mingling with some of the friendliest and most interesting people around, all under the stars at the beautiful Mesilla Valley Bosque State Park. Local NPR radio host Carrie Hamblen will preside over the festivities. Governor Richardson has been invited as the keynote speaker. Guided tours of the park will be offered between 4:30 and 6 pm on the half hour. Tickets are $50 in advance, $55 after 9/23. ($25 is tax-deductible). Tickets are available at SWEC's office, Mountainview Market, Malooly's Flooring Company, Andele Restaurant, Las Cosas Kitchen Shoppe, and Milagro Coffee y Espresso. Great food, great fun, a great cause--it's a winning combination! Get your tickets today! For more info, call (575) 522-5552.

8th Annual Elephant Festival:

September 26, 27 The El Paso Zoo highlights our city’s favorite pachyderms Savannah and Juno in a celebration of elephants worldwide. Go to www.elpasozoo.org/adventure for more information about this delightful and educational event.

Teaching Ecological Complexity Through Field Science Inquiry (Ecoplexity):

September 26, 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Location: Carlos M. Ramirez Tech2o Learning Center, 10751 Montana, El Paso, TX 79935. Cost: No charge. Teachers must make reservations. Contact Diane Perez willie@epwu.org. The Ecoplexity Project is a four-year project funded by the National Science Foundation. The purpose of the project is to provide resources and training for upper middle and high school teachers that will allow them to engage in authentic field research studies with their students. Training emphasizes the use of conceptual models and authentic field research skills.

El Paso/Trans-Pecos Audubon Society:

September 26, Field Trip - “Birds of Keystone Heritage Park.” 7:30 a.m.-9:30 a.m. Since Keystone opened in 1997, over 200 species of migratory and local birds and 22 rare birds have been found in this 52-acre permanent wetland. Keystone attracts a variety of ducks and shorebirds, plus other birds that are passing through. Young and beginner birders are welcome. Bring binoculars, although a few pairs will be available to loan. Call Ursula at 526-7725 for more info.

El Paso/Trans-Pecos Audubon Society:

September 27, Field Trip - “Day Trip to Otero Mesa, NM”. The public is welcome. Call Ursula at 526-7725 for more info.

Meet Your Neighbors – Animals and Plants of the Chihuahuan Desert Lecture Series:

October 8, 15, 22, 29, 7pm to 8pm. Meeting Place: El Paso Zoo in the El Paso Water Utilities Discovery Center, Meet at the Front Gate at 6:45 pm. Leader(s) name(s): Rick LoBello, Education Curator. 915-521-1881, lobellorl@elpasotexas.gov. This four part free lecture series is designed to introduce teens on up to the animals and plants of the Chihuahuan Desert with a focus on those species found within City limits and in local State Parks and wildlife refuges. Session 1 on Thursday October 8 will include an overview of the Chihuahuan Desert and places to explore the desert here in El Paso and the surrounding region. Session 2 on Thursday October 15 will focus on the plant life of the Chihuahuan Desert. Session 3 on Thursday, October 22 will focus on the invertebrates and reptiles and amphibians of the Chihuahuan Desert. Session 4 on October 29 will focus on the birds and mammals of the Chihuahuan Desert.

BOO at the ZOO:

October 24, 25, 31, It's merry not scary - kooky not spooky! It’s the largest outdoor, safe trick or treat event in El Paso! Pumpkin Bowling, Kiddie Mazes, Costumes Galore, Candy at Treat Stations sponsored by local businesses. We invite you to bring the kids to our fun, candy-filled zoo! Watch different animals eat, smoosh or play with pumpkins! Your kids will go away with a full bag of treats and a smile on their faces – you’ll leave with great photos and warm memories of your adorable little ones. (Call 521-1899 for event & booth sponsor info).

Schools Only: TecH2O Water Festival

October 29-30, Time: 9:00 a.m – 11:00 a.m. or 12:00 - 2:00 p.m. Location: Carlos M. Ramirez Tech2o Learning Center, 10751 Montana, El Paso, TX 79935.Cost: No charge. Information: Water Festival is a fun hands-on event to promote water awareness and education that will lead to understanding of the regional water resources and to help protect it through conservation and pollution prevention, by inspiring thoughtful and proactive stewardship throughout the community.

Public: TecH2O Water Festival:
October 31, Time: 9:00 a.m – 1:00 p.m. Location: Carlos M. Ramirez Tech2o Learning Center, 10751 Montana, El Paso, TX 79935. Cost: No charge. Information: Water Festival is a fun hands-on event to promote water awareness and education that will lead to understanding of the regional water resources and to help protect it through conservation and pollution prevention, by inspiring thoughtful and proactive stewardship throughout the community. Children wearing Halloween costumes will receive a prize.

Park News
John Moses would like us to pass along these tidbits:

“Franklin summit hikers who want to walk the ridge south of Ranger Peak onto Comanche Peak need to remember that this is private property and the tower operator there will enforce trespass. The state park boundary ends roughly at the 3 utility poles in the saddle where Thousand Steps Trail heads down to the NW.

Dr. Marc Thompson has retired as Director of the El Paso Museum of Archaeology. He served in that capacity since 1998. It is not known if the city plans to seek replace- ment for him immediately.

If you missed the cover of the August issue of Texas Parks & Wildlife Magazine and the accompanying article entitled "No Hike for Old Men -- Hiking the Spine of the Franklin Mountains" see: http://www.tpwmagazine.com/archive/2009/aug/ed_1/ “

Thanks to the Master Naturalists for passing another great article along: http://www.tpwmagazine.com/archive/2008/jan/getaways1/

And thanks again to Park volunteer, Richard Love, who writes: “Well Summer is winding down and the mornings are a lot cooler up on the mountain. The fall migration is under way and we are seeing new birds every day. The hummingbirds’ migration started real early. The resident Black-chinned hummers were joined by the Rufous hummingbirds. The first part of this month we were visited by the smallest hummingbird in the United States. The Calliope, who usually calls the North Western states and Canada home, visited our feeders for about 5 days before he moved on. Some of the other hummingbirds that visited our feeders are the Broad-tailed ,and Ruby-throated and possibly an Allens hummingbird as the last two are very hard to tell apart. The bird blind has been renamed. It is now officially called The Wildlife Viewing Area. We have a much better water feature with a solar powered water recirculation pump. The water is much cleaner and is a lot more photogenic. Some of the other animals seen recently: Rock Squirrel, Texas Antelope Squirrels and Cotton-tailed Rabbits. In the near future we will be doing some stealth photos to see what might be coming to water at night. There are still early morning hikes that can be scheduled - call Kelly for details. See you all at the Festival on the 19th. “
(Check out Richard’s photos in our e-newsletter - this month features Black-chinned, Broad-tailed and Calliope hummingbirds.)

MORE ZOO NEWS

From Rick LoBello:

Have you seen our javelinas? Are they pigs?
Meet the javelina, one of the newest animals at the Zoo. Javelinas, also called collared peccaries, are related to pigs, but actually are in a family of their own called Tayassuidae. Pigs are in the family Suidae.

Javelina are found throughout much of the tropical and subtropical Americas, ranging from the Southwestern United States to northern Argentina in South America. They feed on fruits, roots, tubers, palm nuts, grasses, invertebrates and small vertebrates. Javelinas live in the desert around the Franklin Mountains but are rarely seen.

New Interpretive Aide Training Program
October 10, 2009 to January 30, 2010
The El Paso Zoo Education Department is happy to announce a new training program for current and new Zoo Volunteers wanting to help with Education Programs in 2010. A new Interpretive Aide volunteer position has been created for those with a passion to help others better understand animals and the natural world at the El Paso Zoo. This training opportunity is free to anyone who is at least 18 years old and is able to meet the qualifications to become an El Paso Zoological Society Volunteer. Interpretation is defined as a mission-based communication process that forges emotional and intellectual connections between the interests of the audience and meanings inherent in the resource. Here at the Zoo our mission is to celebrate the value of animals and natural resources and create opportunities for people to rediscover their connection with nature. Interpretive Aides will help the Education Team at the Zoo accomplish that mission.

Twelve new Interpretive Aide training days are planned on Saturdays from October 10, 17, 24, 31, November 7 & 14, December 5 & 12, 2009 and January 9, 16, 23 & 30, 2010. Those completing requirements for Certified Interpreter, Animal Handling, America’s Interpretive Program, Asia Interpretive Program and Africa Interpretive Program will receive special patches signifying that they have completed all the Zoo requirements for each qualification. From October, 2009 to January 2010 volunteers are asked to attend at least 6 of the 12 sessions. The number of sessions you complete will determine what areas of the Zoo you are qualified to volunteer in, whether it is in the Americas Area, Asia or Africa. Education staff will offer a limited number of make-up sessions whenever possible during the 2010 calendar year for those who can not attend all the sessions they wish to attend. Each applicant accepted into the program will be asked to volunteer at least 8 hours a month helping with the Zoo’s education program or 96 hours from February 2010 to January 2011. To apply to be a candidate for the upcoming training program please contact Education Curator Rick LoBello at lobellorl@elpasotexas.gov by October 2, 2009. For more information call 915-521-1881.

FRANKLIN MOUNTAINS STATE PARK NEWS
All the latest news and information about upcoming events at the Park are available at the Park’s great website. Check it out!!

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, Toastmasters International • Bordersenses • Celebration Of Our Mountains • Centro San Vicente • Chihuahuan Desert Education Coalition • Chihuahuan Desert Wildlife Rescue • Eco-Club EPCC • El Paso Archaeological Society • El Paso Cactus And Rock Club • El Paso County Master Gardeners • El Paso Native Plant Society • El Paso Regional Group Of The Sierra Club • El Paso/Trans-Pecos Audubon Society • El Paso Youth Symphony • El Paso Zoo • Environmental Advocates at UTEP • Friends of the Arroyo • Friends Of The Rio Bosque • Jolly Elders • League Of Women Voters Of El Paso • Mesilla Valley Audubon Society • Mountain Park Community Association • Photography Enthusiasts Of El Paso • Southern New Mexico Group Of The Sierra Club • Southwest Environmental Center • Skyline Optimist Club Of El Paso • Trans Pecos Chapter Of The Texas Master Naturalists • Vista Hills Rotary Club • Voter Education Project, Inc

July 2009

2009-07-01T11:18:00.000-07:00

FRANKLIN MOUNTAINS WILDERNESS COALITION
JULY 2009
http://www.franklinmountains.org/

NEXT MEETING: Wednesday, July 15, 2009
6:00 p.m. in the Maud Sullivan Gallery at the El Paso Public Library’s Main Branch located downtown at 501 N. Oregon St. The main branch’s location map and parking information are available online at:
http://www.elpasotexas.gov/library/ourlibraries/main_library/main_library.asp

Our Coalition’s continued vitality, efficacy and strength depend upon membership participation. Individual member or representative of a member organization - we hope to see you at the meeting!

WELCOME!

Speaking of members: a belated welcome to our new member organizations: Bordersenses, Centro San Vicente, El Paso County Master Gardeners, El Paso Zoo and Voter Education Project, Inc. We also have numerous new individual members but space does not permit welcoming each of you by name. Please know how much we value your commitment.

RECENT EVENTS

Castner Range: Congressman Sylvester Reyes included the following critical policy language in the National Defense Authorization Act.

The committee understands that the Department of Defense ceased operations at the Castner Range Complex at Fort Bliss, Texas, in 1971. In testimony, the Army indicated that Castner Range is “wholly impractical to use for any range activity.”
The committee is interested in maintaining this land for a conservation purpose. The committee encourages the Department to enter into an agreement in furtherance of conveyance with eligible conservation entities.
If you haven’t already, please send Congressman Reyes your thanks: 310 North Mesa, Suite 400, El Paso, TX 79901, 915-534-4400, or e-mail: http://reyes.house.gov/Contact/vyo.htm
And a big thank you to Sito Negron at Newspaper Tree for his article “Incrementally Preserving the Castner Range Status Quo” – check it out at: http://newspapertree.com/news/3983

New Garden: Kudos to the volunteers from El Paso Cactus and Rock Club, Master Gardeners, Master Naturalists, and the Native Plant Society for their hard work this spring creating a new cactus garden for the Lee and Beulah Moor Children’s Home.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

Sunrise Hikes: Did you know that there’s a hiking group that hikes various trails on the Franklin Mountains at sunrise several days a week? The group includes Park volunteers, trail experts and generic citizens and hikes from 6 a.m. until 8 a.m. Interested in learning more about Franklin Mountains hiking trails or joining the group, email Jim Tolbert @ jimhtolbert@elp.rr.com

Farmer’s Market: at Ardovino’s Desert Crossing continues every Saturday through mid October from 7:30 AM–12:00PM: http://www.ardovinos.com/farmersmarket.html for more information, including directions.

Poppies Celebration 2010: The Fourth Annual Franklin Mountains Poppies Celebration at Castner Range – a FREE Family Fun Day – is planned for Saturday, March 20 at the El Paso Museum of Archaeology, 4301 Transmountain Road and will include a full program of nature talks, wildlife displays, educational exhibits, demonstrations, vendors, music and refreshments.
El Pasoans care deeply about the Franklin Mountains – one of our area’s greatest assets. We are frequently blessed with a stunning wildflower display on particular parts of the Franklin Mountains when the Mexican golden poppies burst forth on Castner Range.

Sponsors include El Paso Archaeological Society, El Paso Museum of Archaeology, Franklin Mountains State Park, and Franklin Mountains Wilderness Coalition.
For more information: 915-755-4332 or lobellorl@elpasotexas.gov.
Exhibitors are invited to join in planning the event.

As last year, we will charge a small fee for exhibitor organizations but the fee will be waived for those organizations who are actively involved in planning the event.

Please attend the next planning meeting: Wednesday, 5 Aug 09, at 0900, at the Museum of Archaeology. See you then!

PARK NEWS

Franklin Mountains State Park volunteer, Richard Love, writes: “Well, summer is in full swing, and things are hopping around the bird blind. The hummingbird count is up to ten. They recently had a shock when they came in to eat. The feeder was occupied by a female Ladder-back Wood Pecker. At first I thought she was robbing a drink of nectar, but after watching her for a while I discovered she was moving hole to hole eating the bees and ants that come in. The very next day an Ash-throated Flycatcher was on the Hummingbird feeder after the sweet Bees. With the recent rains and the few flowers that have already opened there have been a large number of Butterflies. I have seen four different butterflies mostly at the End Loop. There was a good year for the different lizards in the park. I have seen lots of juveniles, and they are healthy and colorful. We have had a couple of twilight hikes and have had very good feedback. Weekends and holidays there are guided hikes and tours, and lots of campers using the facilities. In the next few weeks there will be some great additions to the park so keeping track of upcoming events will be easier. In September there will be a CASI Chili Cook Off in conjunction with the Celebration of the Mountains. We’re looking for judges so, if you or a friend have a very high tolerance for hot and spicy food, please call Kelly at 566-6441. Right now after the rains it is a photographers dream - almost any time of day you can find willing (some not so willing) subjects to photograph. Each day that goes by more flowers open. One staple of nature photography is to shoot right after a rain. The colors and the landscape are like no other time. See you soon...” Thank you, Richard, for news of the Park.

Borderlands Photography Exhibit in Las Cruces

Member organization Southwest Environmental Center is hosting a stunning photo exhibit through the end of July at the Center’s Cottonwood Gallery in Las Cruces. On loan from the International League of Conservation Photographers, the 30 photograph exhibit entitled Continental Divide: Borderlands, Wildlife, People and the WALL, shows the diversity of wildlife, cultures and communities that exists in the fragile borderlands, but is now jeopardized by the 630 miles of pedestrian and vehicle fencing dividing the U.S. from Mexico.

The border wall has drawn heavy criticism from conservation organizations including the Southwest Environmental Center, Defenders of Wildlife and the Sierra Club, civil-rights groups, private landowners, tribes and communities along the border for reasons as varied as habitat destruction, infringement on property rights, and damage to historic and cultural sites.

Documenting the region’s wildlife and ecology, the photographs were taken earlier this year by world-renowned ILCP photographers who had visited the borderlands along with a team of writers, filmmakers and scientists to highlight the effects of the wall.

“We hope the exhibit will provide viewers with a more intimate connection to the people and wildlife of the borderlands,” said Krista Schlyer, ILCP exhibit coordinator and expedition leader. “The photographers involved in the expedition saw first hand the damage that border wall and other infrastructure are doing to borderlands communities.”

The Department of Homeland Security – the federal agency tasked with building the wall – waived some 36 laws during its construction, including measures protecting the environment and religious freedoms.

In 2005, Congress passed the REAL ID Act, giving the former Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff the authority to waive laws that slowed new walls and infrastructure – a move which is still being challenged in the courts as a constitutional violation.

Today, some 50 miles of wall continue to be built without the guidance of environmental laws, scientific study or public input. Some segments of wall will cut landowners off from their own property, and place some US homes south of the border wall.

The resulting damage to the region’s fragile ecosystem has not been fully documented, but the ILCP’s photographs and multimedia presentation taken over a two-month period show that the destruction is extensive.

Meanwhile, construction continues.

“In west Texas, the wall was recently built along nearly 90 miles of the Rio Grande, blocking access by mountain lions, bobcats, deer, javelina, pronghorn and many other wildlife species to this critically important resource,” said Kevin Bixby, Executive Director of the Southwest Environmental Center. “This is how animals go extinct—by fragmenting larger populations into smaller ones, and by destroying habitat. We need to find better ways to secure our borders that are not environmentally destructive.”

In late April, U.S. Representative Raúl Grijalava (AZ) introduced legislation aimed at improving border security, while also helping to restore the natural environment. The Border Security and Responsibility Act (HR 2076) includes provisions that would require environmental studies to review the impacts the wall has had on wildlife and the environment, and to identify ways to mitigate the damage that’s already been done.

The exhibit is cosponsored by the Center for Latin American Studies at New Mexico State University, and City of Artists Promotional Association. Later this year Borderlands will travel to Berlin, Germany, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.

For more information contact Roger Turner, SWEC, (575) 522-5552 or roger@wildmesquite.org

FRANKLIN MOUNTAINS STATE PARK NEWS

All the latest news and information about upcoming events at the Park are available at the Park’s great website. Check it out!!

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, Toastmasters International • Bordersenses • Celebration Of Our Mountains • Centro San Vicente • Chihuahuan Desert Education Coalition • Chihuahuan Desert Wildlife Rescue • El Paso Archaeological Society • El Paso Cactus And Rock Club • El Paso County Master Gardeners • El Paso Native Plant Society • El Paso Regional Group Of The Sierra Club • El Paso/Trans-Pecos Audubon Society • El Paso Youth Symphony • El Paso Zoo • Friends Of The Rio Bosque • Jolly Elders • League Of Women Voters Of El Paso • Mesilla Valley Audubon Society • Mountain Park Community Association • Photography Enthusiasts Of El Paso • Southern New Mexico Group Of The Sierra Club • Southwest Environmental Center • Skyline Optimist Club Of El Paso • Trans Pecos Chapter Of The Texas Master Naturalists • Vista Hills Rotary Club • Voter Education Project, Inc •

May 2009

2009-05-01T11:03:00.000-07:00

{FMWC} E-Newsletter – May 2009

FRANKLIN MOUNTAINS WILDERNESS COALITION
http://www.franklinmountains.org/

Next Meeting:
Wednesday, May 20, 2009

New Meeting Place and Time

Our meeting this month will be held at the El Paso Public Library’s Main Branch located downtown at 501 N. Oregon St. The meeting will begin at 6:00 p.m. in the Maud Sullivan Gallery. The main branch’s location map and parking information are available online at:
http://www.elpasotexas.gov/library/ourlibraries/main_library/main_library.asp

This meeting’s agenda concerns important issues, such as the status of the preservation of Castner Range, conservation conveyance and funding, about which critical decisions must be made. We strongly encourage individual members to attend and for each member organization to send at least one representative. We hope and need to see you there!

Recent Events

Land Transfer: A Land Transfer Ceremony was held in April in Northeast El Paso to mark the transfer of 1,659 acres of PSB land to Texas Parks and Wildlife to expand Franklin Mountains State Park. Great news!

Earth Day: On April 22nd, FMWC participated in the first Earth Day event sponsored by the Eco-Club at El Paso Community College Rio Grande Campus. The event was well organized and many students and staff attended. We sold T-shirts, postcards and signed up many potential members. Our e-mail distribution list now has over 400 members! Please let us know if you hear of future events where we can set up our display.

Loop 375 Underpass: Our thanks to Rick Bonart, et.al. for their work on drainage erosion control leading to cooperation between TxDOT and TPWD on an agreement for a future park trail following completion of construction of the TxDOT project. Construction is anticipated late this calendar year or possibly spring next year. As Charlie Wakeem puts it, “Rick accomplished this project ... through persistence and dedication to quality open space and recreation for our community. He was able to bring TexDOT and TPWD together to make it happen. We all should learn from him. “

Cactus Rustling: Rick LoBello recently traveled to Austin at Senator Shapleigh’s request to testify in support of the Senator’s Plant Protection Bill, SB212, which was approved by committee and is now progressing through the Legislature. Show your support to Senator Shapleigh on this matter by contacting him at http://shapleigh.org/ . More information about this issue can be found at www.chihuahuandesert.org. Another good article, John Pickrell’s “Cactus Smugglers Threatening Desert Ecosystems” can be found at http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/04/0421_030421_cactus.html

There was initially some confusion as to whether Rich would be able to testify before the committee. He was eventually able to and has been kind enough to supply us with the gist of it. His words about desert plants and wildlife touch us all and provide good talking points should you wish to contact your elected representatives:

“I would like to offer my full support for SB 212 relating to the sale or transport of certain desert plants in Texas. I came today with the support of many people who care about our desert including members of the Native Plant Society of El Paso, the Chihuahuan Desert Education Coalition, the Franklin Mountains Wilderness Coalition, Frontera Land Alliance and the El Paso Zoo Conservation Committee.

I believe that it is critical to the future of Texas in protecting our natural environment that SB 212 be passed into law. To illustrate the urgency of this legislation I am attaching pictures of a truck recently seen near Sierra Blanca, Texas that was loaded with ocotillo plants headed for Arizona. The people who are involved with this industry are clear cutting our desert and removing large areas of ocotillo and yucca forests as well as the microbial crust layer of soil so important to plant regeneration. In some areas the damage to our desert is so severe that it may never be able to recover back to its natural state and when the soil is removed with the plants, many other species of animals and plants are severely impacted.

Over the past 35 years I have been actively working as an educator, park ranger, researcher and park administrator in the Chihuahuan Desert region of West Texas. Most of my time has been spent living in our national parks where I spent 17 years living in Big Bend National Park and 8 years working at Guadalupe Mountains and Carlsbad Caverns National Parks. During this time I have come to know this important eco-region which has been recognized internationally as a hotspot for conservation.

One of the greatest threats to the natural history of Texas and to our environment in West Texas is the growing impact on the land from those who are destroying the desert for commercial interests centered on the sale of desert plants like yucca and ocotillo. On numerous occasions over the past 20 years I have seen a growing number of trucks on Texas highways hauling these plants to out of state retail establishments where the plants are used for landscaping. While I support the use of native plants for landscaping, I believe that the plants needed for this industry should come largely from nurseries.
Having spent most of my career working in national parks I can assure this committee that no park is an island and without the presence of intact ecosystems on private and public lands outside the parks, the parks themselves are threatened.

Here in West Texas we are experiencing a big problem in protecting the Chihuahuan Desert and our parks when people who gather these plants for the retail industry take plants illegally from public and private lands. SB 212 will give us a regulatory mechanism to help prevent the illegal taking of these plants and is an important step in protecting our natural heritage for future generations.

I urge you to support the passage of this important piece of legislation. As I am sure you are well aware if our world becomes unsafe for native plants and animals it certainly will not be a safe place for people. We are all connected to the natural world and what happens to it ultimately affects our own well being. “

Mark Your Calendars!

The El Paso Zoo will observe national Endangered Species Day on Tuesday May 19th and will offer workshops and presentations about endangered species and how individuals can help. For more information on this event call the Zoo at 915-521-1850 or go to www.elpasozoo.org .

Ardovino’s Desert Crossing opens its 8th Annual Farmers’ Market on May 23rd, 2009. We will have a booth (set up is 6 AM) for Opening Day. Please call Judy at 915-755-7371 if you can help for even 30 minutes. This event is really fun. The Market is open every Saturday through mid October from 7:30 AM – 12:00PM. Go to http://www.ardovinos.com/farmersmarket.html for more information, including directions.

Summer Birds at the Park

Franklin Mountains State Park volunteer, Richard Love, writes: “Well, summer is just around the corner and the birds of summer are arriving daily. This week an Ash-Throated Flycatcher, a pair of Say's Phoebes and a Black-headed Grosbeak female came into the bird blind. Haven't seen the male yet but he will be around. The Scaled Quail have paired off and are no longer running in coveys. We aren't seeing large numbers at one time but a steady stream of pairs are coming in. Other birds are still coming in large numbers.

I mentioned the bird blind earlier and I just supposed that everyone knows about it. We (The Volunteers and Rangers) have built a brand new bird blind that will be officially put into service next week or so. The finishing touches are going on daily. When it is officially opened it will be a great place for research on the birds of the Franklins and to sit in out of the sun enjoying the birds and the antics of the local Texas Antelope Squirrels. Local photographers can use the blind to get really good shots of some hard-to-find birds.

I will try to keep abreast of what birds are coming in and the best way to see them, and keep people notified by news letters and on the bulletin boards at the entrance and booth in the Park. For instructions to find the bird blind ask any Ranger. If you have a small group that wants to bird watch or study the birds call the park office and reserve it for your time frame. Small groups of 4 to 6 people are best - larger groups tend to keep the birds just out of range. Small groups who book the blind can call Erica or Kelly at 566-6441 to arrange to use our binoculars.

Of course, if you are in the park and just want to drop in with your binos or camera, that's fine, too. Here’s some info for photographers: birds and squirrels come in to about 25 feet and closer. Longer lenses (300 to 400 MM) work best if you have them but the 200 MM will work with a little patience.

A word of caution in closing: there are birds and small game around most of the time with a water source nearby so there will be rattlesnakes come to visit. Do not molest the snakes - if you see one report it to a Ranger. The park and the mountains are home to many kinds of wildlife. The snakes are as much a vital part of the system as any of the other wildlife.”

Thanks to Richard for the lovely article and the wonderful photo. The new bird blind sounds like a fantastic addition to the Park.

Stunning Victory for Otero Mesa

Kevin Bixby, Executive Director of our member organization, Southwest Environmental Center, has shared wonderful news: “the United States 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver issued a decision April 28th invalidating the Bureau of Land Management’s oil and gas drilling plan for New Mexico’s Otero Mesa. The court ruled that the BLM’s original Resource Management Plan Amendment, which opened the vast majority of Otero Mesa to oil and gas leasing and limited protection for the desert grasslands, was fatally flawed due to its failure to consider protection for Otero Mesa and the Salt Basin Aquifer. Essentially the BLM has to return to the drawing board, and fix the original Amendment before it can do anything further. The decision was a stunning vindication for the Southwest Environmental Center and other conservation groups that have been fighting to protect the grasslands, wildlife and water of Otero Mesa for the past 7 years.”

SWEC’s article appears below. You can also check out their website at http://www.wildmesquite.org/index.htm for more information. As Kevin points out, “The decision reaffirms the significance of Otero Mesa and reaffirms the case for its permanent protection from oil and gas drilling. The momentum has shifted in our favor, but we need to make sure the victory is permanent. Contact your Congressman (NM and TX). Tell them the Court got it right. Tell them it’s time to introduce and support legislation for permanent protection.”

Anyone who may doubt the importance of banning oil and gas drilling close to important water sources such as the Salt Basin Aquifer should check out this link for a report on contamination of public and private water sources by high pressure natural gas mining in Ohio, Pa. and Colorado:
http://www.propublica.org/feature/officials-in-three-states-pin-water-woes-on-gas-drilling-426

Huge Victory in Battle for Otero Mesa
reprinted by SWEC permission

Court invalidates BLM drilling plan; momentum shifts towards protection
In a stunning victory for the Southwest Environmental Center and other conservation groups that have been fighting to protect the grasslands, wildlife and water of Otero Mesa for the past 7 years, the United States 10th Circuit Court of Appeals issued a decision on April 28 invalidating the Bureau of Land Management’s oil and gas drilling plan for New Mexico’s Otero Mesa.

The court ruled that the BLM’s original Resource Management Plan Amendment, which opened the vast majority of Otero Mesa to oil and gas leasing and limited protection for the desert grasslands, was fatally flawed due to its failure to consider protection for Otero Mesa and the Salt Basin Aquifer.

The ruling came in connection with a lawsuit filed by a coalition of conservation organizations including SWEC, the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance, The Wilderness Society, the New Mexico and National Wildlife Federations, and WildEarth Guardians, and a lawsuit filed by the State of New Mexico.

“This is a major boost in our fight to protect one of New Mexico’s most ecologically valuable and unique places,” Governor Bill Richardson said. “I am pleased that the courts share our steadfast position that the public must have a voice in decisions affecting oil and gas leasing on Otero Mesa.”

The court ruled that the BLM had to consider an alternative that closed Otero Mesa to oil and gas leasing, admonishing the agency that “[d]evelopment is a possible use, which BLM must weigh against other possible uses—including conservation to protect environmental values, which are best assessed through the NEPA process.”

The court went on to write that, “applying the rule of reason, we [the court] agree...that analysis of an alternative closing the Mesa to development is compelled.”

The court also rejected the BLM’s position that there were no significant risks to the Salt Basin Aquifer, which contains millions of acre-feet of potable water, from oil and gas, noting that the agency had not reviewed “relevant data” and characterized the information included in the agency’s own documentation as “point[ing] uniformly in the opposite direction from the agency’s determination, we cannot defer to that determination.”

Perhaps most sigificant was the court’s rejection of BLM’s argument that prohibiting development of Otero Mesa would violate its mandate under federal law to manage for “multiple use.” The court ruled that the multiple use concept “does not mandate that every use be accommoCdated on every piece of land; rather, delicate balancing is required.”

In an Associated Press story, New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Secretary Joanna Prukop was quoted as saying she was pleased with the ruling’s strong language regarding compliance with the National Environmental Protection Act.

“In additional to protecting the fragile ecosystem of the Chihuahan Desert, this decision will apply to development of all kinds on federal lands throughout the 10th Circuit and help assure that environmental impacts are appropriately considered,” she said.

FRANKLIN MOUNTAINS STATE PARK NEWS

For the latest news and information about the Park, visit their great website:
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/findadest/parks/franklin/

MEMBER WEBSITES:
Up to date information on some of our member organizations can be found at:
http://bmba.wordpress.com/ for Borderland Mountain Bike Association

www.trans-pecos-audubon.org for El Paso/Trans-Pecos Audubon Society's newsletter, The Roadrunner.

www.lwvep.org for League of Women Voters in El Paso

Members, we’d love to get the word out about all your websites – please email Kathy at kmcconaghie@gmail.com .

FRANKLIN MOUNTAINS STATE PARK NEWS

For the latest news and information about the Park, visit their great website:
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/findadest/parks/franklin/

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.

The Franklin Mountains Wilderness Coalition

Borderland Mountain Bike Association * Border Toasters, Toastmasters International * BorderSenses * Celebration of Our Mountains * Centro San Vicente * 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 *El Paso Youth Symphony * Friends of the Rio Bosque *Jolly Elders * League of Women Voters of El Paso * Mesilla Valley Audubon Society * Mountain Park Community Association * Photography Enthusiasts of El Paso * Southern New Mexico Group of the Sierra Club * Southwestern Environmental Center * Skyline Optimist Club of El Paso * Trans Pecos Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalists * Vista Hills Rotary Club * Voter Education Project, Inc