Treating Deck Rails
by John Weckerle
As the days grow shorter and things cool off – it’s time to start thinking about winterizing. After all, there are only fifteen Fridays left before Christmas (and we’re sure we made your day by pointing that out). After a couple of hours of vigorous weed-whacking (more on that in a later article) yesterday, we elected to treat the deck rails in preparation for the cold weather. Having done so, we thought we would share the recipe for the stain/sealer we used, given to us by Patrick Neis of Ironwood Construction. It’s easy to make: simply mix 1 quart of mineral spirits, 1 quart of boiled linseed oil (Patrick notes that it’s important that it’s boiled linseed oil, otherwise the preparation will not dry and will remain tacky), and 1/4 cup of transmission fluid (which Patrick says deters boring insects in addition to adding a little color). We used this in Spring this year, and it held out very well over the summer. On fine-sanded redwood, it brought out the red tints in the wood very nicely without the red being overpowering and without over-darkening the wood. On some unsanded, rougher posts, we’ve found that it did darken and redden the wood more noticeably, although the effect is quite pleasant. On very thirsty, grayed-out wood, the reddening is not particularly noticeable.
Grow Your Own – A Season of Change and Challenge
by John Weckerle
It’s September, and autumn is fast approaching at New Mexico Central headquarters. Summer has been a time of adjustment in the garden, with unusual weather and the presence of the greenhouse presenting us with opportunities to learn. Early heat caused the broccoli and cauliflower to bolt; neither provided us with a single meal, although the second planting of cauliflower may provide us with a head or two. Tomatoes have been more productive, although less so than last year, and we are awash in cucumbers. Surprisingly the zucchini and yellow squash have yielded little until recently, and even now are not providing much; this will likely be the first time in years that we’ll have no frozen squash at the end of the season. The first two attempts at string and wax beans were a failure, and we have now found that such beans should not be mulched until they have come up. The third attempt appears to be working – fortunately, with the greenhouse, we should be able to extend the season long enough for some decent production. The leeks and shallots are very healthy, although not ready to harvest yet, and peppers of all varieties have been very productive. The mild green chiles we planted have more heat than expected, though, and the jalapenos thus far have been complete duds; no heat at all thus far, despite the fact that they were labeled as hot.We anticipate a good yield on cabbage, and enjoyed a good bit of lettuce earlier in the season. Yield for the eggplant has been minimal, but there are still flowers and fruit on the plants.
Special challenges, to which we found special solutions, have included weeds and caterpillars, in the garden and elsewhere. We were fortunate enough to read a reader-submitted recipe for a non-toxic herbicide in Consumer Reports Magazine: 1 gallon of vinegar, 2 cups of Epsom salt, and 1/4 cup of dish soap. Sprayed liberally on the weeds in the driveway and the paths in the garden, this worked extremely well. For caterpillars, we ordered Safer Caterpillar Killer Concentrate II, an organic preparation which kills only caterpillars. It contains the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis, and the results have been fairly impressive; just two tablespoons in two gallons of water was enough to treat the garden and most of the other trees and shrubs that were being attacked. The trees and shrubs are doing much better, and today’s visit to the vegetable zone resulted in only one caterpillar learning to fly early as it was ejected from the garden.
A Titanic Sinking: Google Drones Fly Away
by John Weckerle
In April 2014, your editor and a number of other people received an e-mail message containing very good news: Titan Aerospace, a solar-powered drone startup operating at the Moriarty Municipal Airport – had been purchased by Google, and the project was to stay in Moriarty. As reported in the Mountain View Telegraph less than sixteen months later, Google abruptly announced its decision to abandon Moriarty and move the operation to California, reportedly so that it could better facilitate coordination with its other aviation-related operations. Google leaves behind a $15 million, 60,000 square-foot facility at the airport, and will be repaying a $1 million dollar grant for water and sewer upgrades.
State and local officials, while expressing disappointment, have variously downplayed the negative and emphasized the positive, seeking to find a silver lining in this particular cloud. Governor Martinez was reported to have called the move disappointing and expressed support for the community (KOAT), while U.S. Representative Michelle Lujan Grisham was somewhat more pointed in her expression of disappointment (Albuquerque Business First). New Mexico Economic Development Secretary Jon Barela emphasized that the State would recover its million-dollar infrastructure investment, and noted that the situation leaves Moriarty with assets that “will be able to benefit from water and sewage lines built with the state grant. Barela said the structural improvements ‘can help attract future projects to the state.'” (Santa Fe New Mexican). Moriarty Mayor Ted Hart, quoted in several of the previously referenced articles, characterizes the economic impacts as minimal (and in a direct and immediate way, at least, he may be right) and cited some apparent, though vague, commitment by Google to work with the City to find a use for the facility.
Reactions, at least in the form of responses to news stories, have been varied. Some cite problems with in-state higher education, others point to workforce issues, others mentioned inexperience in aviation and excessive optimism on Google’s part, and still others blame Governor Susanna Martinez (while our positions often do not align with Ms. Martinez’s, we acknowledge that blaming her directly for this one is similar to blaming her for a meteorite strike or the weather. More likely suspects would include the Easter bunny, Godzilla, or extraterrestrials. Or maybe the East Mountain Tea Party.).
It’s clear that much of the general reaction was surprise. Our reaction was two fold: surprise (we were surprised by all the surprise, because we were surprised by Google’s initial decision to operate here in the first place) and something more typical…
A drive to look at some data. We admit it; we’re nerds. Acknowledging that Google’s decision election to move was clearly business-based, we wondered what local factors might have influenced the decision and started to pull some economic data together. As we worked through the data, we recognized that one of our regional economies is clearly in distress.
That’s right; we said one of them. There are, at the very least, two.
We’re Back…
by John Weckerle
…Literally and figuratively.
Beginning in late July, but concentrated in the last week or so of August, the New Mexico Central site was subjected to a denial-of-service attack which ended up taking the site down for a few days. As we dealt with the incident, which affected several other web sites hosted by our sponsor, we received another ugly little surprise that will go without detailed mention but, when combined with the attack, has given us reason to think that we have perhaps been focused away from local and regional events for longer than we ever intended – and longer perhaps than is best.
Our readers – and we do have data that suggests there are still some – will note that there’s been a format change. There will be more of them; we’re experimenting with various new looks for the site. As time goes on, we’d like to hear from you on what seems to work best – or worse, as the case may be.
We’ve made some adjustments to our categories, blog links, and web links as well:
- Sadly, the blog link for Mountainair Arts has been removed. Vanessa has relocated and is no longer maintaining the blog. We wish her the best in her new location in Yuma, Colorado.
- We’ve updated the title of Katie Guttierrez’s “Rocking Rabat” blog – she returned from Morocco but has continued her adventures since.
- Along with the 2010 and 2012 Elections categories, which were just too dated to survive, we have elected to suspend, at least for now, the “Chambergate” category (the articles are still there, but the categories are not). Local Chambers, at least the ones that still exist, have managed to avoid major public controversy for a few years now, and the current Edgewood Chamber executive director is known to us to be both trustworthy and very competent. We hear little of the East Mountain Chamber, and as nearly as we can tell (and find on the Internet) the Moriarty Chamber remains a memory. We’ll be watching, though…
- Similarly, we have removed the link to the Estancia Valley Economic Development Association (EVEDA), reflecting your editor’s decision to sever ties with EVEDA and terminate his company’s membership in the organization. We remain interested in economic issues within the region and look forward to bringing economic information and analysis forward.
- We’ve added links to the sites of several natural resources-oriented organizations with whom we’ve had the privilege to work over the years and continue to support today through other venues. These include the Estancia Basin Resource Association, the Estancia Basin Water Planning Committee, the Claunch-Pinto Soil and Water Conservation District, and the East Torrance Soil and Water Conservation District. Collectively, the people running these organizations, including Board members, volunteers, and staff, are the principal – and tireless – defenders of central New Mexico’s water resources. We encourage EVERYBODY, regardless of location, to contact their local District offices and learn about the programs – tree thinning, land management, rain harvesting, and more – that are available. Many districts offer cost-share programs that can help keep your ecosystem healthy, protected against wildfire, and productive.
- Our support for Wildlife West Nature Park remains undimmed, and we’ve added a suggestion to the Park’s link; supporters can have a percentage of their Amazon.com purchase prices donated to the New Mexico Wildlife Association, the nonprofit entity that manages the Park.
Grow Your Own: It’s The Time Of The Season…
by John Weckerle
Planting season continues here at New Mexico Central headquarters, and with a couple of tweaks and a bit of mulching to go, Bed 5 is essentially up and running. Having saved a few spots for succession planting, we now have the following (including those mentioned in our last gardening post):
- Tomatoes: Brandywine, Big Brandy (a first generation hybrid), Grandma’s Pick, and Rio Grande
- Summer Squash – Zucchini and Yellow
- Cauliflower
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Chiles (New Mexico 6-4 [mild] and Sandia [hot]
- Bell Peppers (red, yellow, green)
- Cucumbers (2)
- Shallots (2 rows)
- Leeks (2 rows)
- Wax beans (from seed; 20 planted)
- Green beans (from seed; Blue Lake [10], Top Crop [10])
- Eggplant (Dusky; 2)
- Jalapeno (1)
- Lettuce
The kale has been removed; sadly, it was covered with aphids, and these have already spread to the broccoli. We’ll be fighting them off with water and a pyrethrin-based (pyrethrins are a chrysanthemum extract) spray in the early season only; pyrethrins can be bad for bees and we don’t want to cause trouble there once things start flowering – we’d rather lose the broccoli, although that doesn’t seem likely. We’ll try bringing in ladybugs, also, but we have not had time to get the very important next-door flower beds started, so they’ll probably fly the coop. The relocated Bed 1 awaits repurposing for this, but probably not until next season.
We’ve “buttoned up” the greenhouse on Bed 5, and have added some critterproofing in the form of poultry netting along the roll-up sides. So far, there’s no evidence of unwanted entrants, although a determined squirrel could get in fairly easily; we’re prepared to go further if needed.
As to the greenhouse itself, a ShelterLogic product, we have some thoughts. Obviously, we were adapting this to a situation other than its designed purpose, and some adjustments were necessary. However, we would note that assembling this structure was far and away more difficult than it should have been, and this seemed a function of manufacturing issues. Parts were extraordinarily difficult to fit together (this appeared, in our opinion, to be associated with outward dimpling on bolt holes, odd “flanging” on certain parts, and perhaps not taking the thickness of coating into account), and in some cases holes through which bolts had to fit did not line up. This was a three-weekend project at least, and while the resulting product appears very sturdy, we caution readers considering it to allow ample time to complete the project.
Bed 5, with greenhouse sides rolled up.
Bed 5 interior, facing north.
Bed 5 interior facing south.
Edgewood Loses Fast-Food Franchise
by John Weckerle
After receiving a tip from a local business owner, a team of New Mexico Central investigators made a beeline to a location in Edgewood to confirm the demise of another local establishment – the Subway® sandwich shop on George Court. There, indeed, a sign in the door advised us that this location had closed, and asking us to visit their Moriarty or Tijeras locations. Confounded – primarily because the shop seemed chronically busy – we initiated contact with Subway® to inquire as to why we had been deprived of the six-inch tuna sandwich on 9-grain wheat with everything on it that we enjoyed so well, and whether or not a new Edgewood location was planned. On May 7, we received the following reply from Subway:
Thank you for contacting SUBWAY® Restaurants. Your feedback is important
to the SUBWAY® brand and your recent inquiry has been forwarded to the
appropriate areas for further review.
Sincerely,
The Customer Care Team
SUBWAY® Restaurants
325 Bic Drive
Milford, CT 06461 USA
http://www.subway.com
Ph:1.800.888.4848
Note: This e-mail message is automatically generated as part of our automated e-mail system. Please do not reply to this e-mail address as this mailbox account is not monitored.
More than a week later, we have heard nothing else from Subway®.
We have, perhaps unsurprisingly, a few thoughts. First, let us recognize that a Subway® sandwich, in addition to whatever enjoyment it may provide, is a convenience, and likely primarily a convenience, to most purchasers. Adding what amounts to a 30-minute minimum round trip to the procurement has the potential to turn the grinder adventure into a grind – and if there is a long line at the alternate location, the entire hero-ic enterprise could become a hoagie horror.
Second, we wish to make it clear that we did not hear from “The Customer Care Team.” We received an autoresponse from an autoresponse application. If there were actually a “team” at Subway(argh) that cared about customers in Edgewood, we should have heard from them by now. Then again, the indication that our inquiry was forwarded to the appropriate areas (Sandia Knolls? Piscataway? The Caribbean? Narnia?) rather than the appropriate people or department suggests that Subway(argh) is perhaps less concerned with the care of its customers than the customers themselves might be.
As some may have noticed, the denizens of NM-Central tend not to engage in a range of colloquialisms, seeking alternatives to even those that are only mildly vulgar and/or part of the commonly accepted parlance, acknowledging that some of our readers would prefer headier discussions. Therefore, we will refrain from such machinations as inviting Subway(argh) to “bite me” or “eat it,” in the mode of accepted vernacular. However, we will note that we will likely be biting and eating less of Subway’s(argh) products in the foreseeable future, both here and elsewhere because – for Edgewood area residents, at least – they are no longer convenient, and to date we’ve seen no indication that the corporation is the least bit concerned with the interests in its once-upon-a-time customers in Edgewood. It’s not as if Edgewood area lunch patrons don’t have options – if you have an extra half-hour, there are good, non-sandwich lunch options locally, and if you’re really wanting a great sandwich and have time on your hands, there’s always Albuquerque.
Of course we can always make our own sandwiches. After all, it’s not as if it’s submarine science…
EMIFPA Fire Info – May 28, 2015 – Tijeras Library Meeting
by John Helmich
EM Residents,
It’s your turn to help us! We want to hear from you! Is there information you want/need about wildfire that we have not helped you with? Do you have ideas that you believe we should incorporate into our education program or ideas on how we can reach more people?
Come to the May session of the Tijeras Public Library series. The date is May 28, 5:30 – 6:30 pm in the library meeting room. Help us help you!
As always, we encourage you to get involved. Your safety during wildfire and any disaster will be effected by your neighbors and their readiness. Be prepared and help your neighbors become prepared too.
John Helmich
EMIFPA Community Education Outreach Coordinator
Grow Your Own – One Door Falls, Another Zippers…
by John Weckerle
It is early yet for planting, as the weather forecasts warn – with temperatures predicted to fall into the mid-thirties tonight, tomatoes and peppers could once again fall victim to the late frost that has felled so many of the delightful nightshades planted in mid-May, much less earlier. Planting anything but the cold-hardiest crops would seem a fools errand at least until (in our experience) the weekend before Memorial Day. However, we have marched forward, because we now think we can get away with it. We finally got the greenhouse assembled, shown here at about 85% complete (more pictures when planting is complete):
We’ll note that the sides and top have been tightened down and the ends have been fixed as well since this photo was taken, which required a bit of creativity. The sides roll up to the first seam from the bottom as seen on the right-hand side here, allowing (along with the screened vents on the ends) for air circulation during hot weather. We’ll be publishing a final review of the ShelterLogic greenhouse hear shortly, but we will stop short of endorsing it to the general public, especially that segment of it that is less crazy than the denizens of New Mexico Central headquarters. We will also note that the trees in the left-hand side of the picture may be in for a tough summer. Sorry, guys.
Planting inside technically began last year, as we have some kale that made it through the winter and is providing some early harvest. This year’s planting, which began today, thus far includes:
- Tomatoes: Brandywine, Big Brandy (a first generation hybrid), Grandma’s Pick, and Rio Grande
- Summer Squash – Zucchini and Yellow
- Cauliflower
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Chiles (New Mexico 6-4 [mild] and Sandia [hot]
- Bell Peppers (red, yellow, green)
“In the ground soon” (which means we already have them and can pop them in after work during the week) plants include leeks, shallots, Blue Lake green beans, and wax beans. Next weekend we’ll likely pick up jalapenos, perhaps some lunchbox peppers, and eggplants. And where have we gotten all of this, and where will we get as much as possible for the rest of the season?
Parker’s Farm and Greenhouse, of course. Located at the eastern end of Church Street in Edgewood, New Mexico, Parker’s is a great source of locally (for the climate) appropriate and healthy plants – vegetables, herbs, trees, and ornamentals . Everyone there seems knowledgeable and glad to answer questions and offer advice. They are open beginning at 9 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays from April through July. This year, as in every year, Parker’s gets our highest recommendation for quality plants. And, of course, while you are there, take some time to stroll through the lovely gardens and pond area that highlight their horticultural expertise; on its own, it is well worth the short drive.
Energy, Such As It Is
by John Weckerle
In a recent article re-posted by Sandia Tea Party Official Internet Spokesman Chuck Ring…
Okay, we’re ribbing Chuck here a bit; as we recall that he wasn’t crazy about the implication that he is the “official internet spokesman.” Still, as essentially the editor of the site, the mantle falls upon his shoulders and we’re sticking with it, while acknowledging that Chuck is a good person and a dedicated member of the community. We would like our readers to understand that our reference to Chuck as “the official internet spokesman” carries a specific recognition that may not have been apparent: We may agree or disagree on a variety of issues, but Chuck is willing to put his name where his mouth is, where the entire planet can see it, and that takes a certain amount of intestinal fortitude.*
We are, however, a bit concerned to see that the Sandia Tea Party site, apart from a few cartoons, seems to be dedicated to reposting articles by Marita Noon on the subject of – well – energy. We will begin with some disclosures, beginning with Ms. Noon’s relationship with the conventional energy industry:
SourceWatch article: Marita Noon
SourcWatch Article: Citizens’ Alliance for Responsible Energy
We will also disclose your editor’s occasional commercial involvement with the energy industry, which includes consulting to the oil and gas industry in the early 1990s and to some small solar enterprises in the early to mid-2000s.
Ms. Noon’s article opens up with what has become a bit of a tired argument – the idea that including solar and wind energy in the total energy portfolio would result in a situation in which coal-fired power plants would be turned off during peak hours and have to be restarted from cold state on a daily basis. We do not dispute Ms. Noon’s proposal that natural gas-fired plants would restart more effectively. However, we do find the idea that conventional power plants would have to undergo a shutdown-and-restart process based on some perceived peak productivity on the part of renewable energy rather questionable; given the state of the industry, we see no reason to assume that renewable energy resources, as currently projected, would be expected to entirely satisfy peak demands in the short- or medium-term. We challenge Ms. Noon and her compatriots – given that she and they are making the case – to provide convincing economic analyses to make their case -and if they cannot, we challenge the Sandia Tea Party to do so.
* Guts.
Grow Your Own: The New Greenhouse, Part Argh.
by John Weckerle
Work continues apace on the ShelterLogic greenhouse, purchased from TractorSupply.com, that is intended to replace the hoop house over Bed 5 – depending, of course, on one’s definition of “apace.” We find ourselves now six or seven hours into a project that should be, according to the little picture of the clock in the manual, a three-hour effort. We also find ourselves having assembled only what might be called either peak or arch pieces. By the end of the project, we will likely have to purchase a couple of replacement rubber mallets (these are actually among the “tools needed” cave drawings in the manual). It is nearly certain that our entire herd of Blue Streaks will also have to be replenished, as the epithets hurled in their direction are certain to either be fatal or have a sterilizing effect. One can never have a sufficient supply of Blue Streaks at hand during a challenging project.
And challenging this one is, primarily due to the physical exertion needed to simply slip one piece into another. Now, before we get started, we understand the need for structural elements to fit together tightly. And neither are we assembly wimps; we come from that age in which “some assembly required” meant constructing a bicycle from a kit that came with some iron ore, a hammer and tongs, and a Zippo lighter (fluid not included). However, throughout the assembly process thus far we have noted some manufacturing issues that lead to difficulty in assembly, and we will pass these on in advance of our final assessment of the product. For example, holes through which bolts must be placed do not generally line up well – specifically, getting two holes lined up on one side of a two-tube assembly typically results in the two holes on the other side being “off” by an eighth of an inch or more. “Pushing” two pieces together as far as they can go has often produced a similar result, with one or both holes not properly lining up. Overall, we suspect that the design and manufacturing processes could benefit from a greater degree of precision, including taking the thickness of the coating into account and ensuring that emplacement of the holes does not result in an outward “dimpling” (if there’s any such thing as an “outie” dimple) of the metal on the inside piece.
We remain optimistic with respect to final assembly, but note that, at least for this year, we will likely be gaining more time at the end of the season than at the beginning. One way or another, we anticipate gaining more vegetables!
Red Flag Fire Conditions Today
by John Helmich
EM Residents,
The first “red flag” condition for the season is forecast for our EM region today from 12 noon until 7 pm. The full forecast is here: http://forecast.weather.gov/wwamap/wwatxtget.php?cwa=abq&wwa=red%20flag%20warning.
“Red flag” conditions are “short term, temporary warnings indicating the presence of dangerous combinations of temperature, wind, relative humidity, and fuel or drought conditions which can contribute to new fires or rapid spread of existing fires. They can be issued at any Fire Danger level.” Presently, we are at the “Moderate” fire danger level.
Expect high winds, above average temperatures, very low relative humidities. Now is the time to test your preparedness planning. Review the meaning of the various fire danger levels as well as what are the recommended activities during “red flag” conditions.
John Helmich
EMIFPA Community Education Outreach Coordinator
Twitter: @EMIFPA_NM
Grow Your Own: The End of an Era
by John Weckerle
As Spring progresses, we find our interests turning toward vegetables once again – this time, wanting more, and sooner. Our shorter growing seasons here means not planting many things until nearly the end of May, and saying goodbye to some of our favorites in early September. With that in mind, we experimented with putting a high grade greenhouse plastic on the hoop house, with the idea of getting cool-weather crops year round and getting the drop on Spring, possibly planting tomatoes and other goodies in early to mid-April.
The system responded by flattening itself upon receiving its first inch of snow. While it rebounded to about its original configuration when the snow was brushed off, and did so for somewhat deeper accumulations, this did not bode well for the future occupants of the garden. Subsequently, wind became a problem; we tried several methods of attaching the plastic, but none seemed to work. Finally, the velcro we used for the door gave up the ghost, and we gave up on the experiment, removing the plastic for some future use.
Last weekend, we deconstructed the hoop house, having ordered a tube-steel framed, plastic-covered 12 x 24 Shelterlogic greenhouse from tractorsupply.com. The greenhouse has large doors and screened vents at each end, and the sides can be rolled up, and possibly removed (we’ll see) during warm weather). We’ll be assembling this over the next couple of weekends (we hope; the instructions are all pictures with no narrative) with the hope of picking up our first plants from Parker’s in April rather than late May. We may have to make some minor adjustments in the name of rabbit/squirrel control, but what we see in the hieroglyphics gives us cause for optimism on that count. With luck, we’ll be able to extend the tomato/pepper/eggplant season by a month or two in each direction, and the steel tubing construction should stand up to most elements (at least we hope so). With more luck, we’ll be able to grow greens, beans, broccoli, cabbage, lettuce, and other tasty edibles through the winter, with our next challenge being water delivery during freezing weather. We’ll have coverage of the assembly, installation, and subsequent activities in the coming weeks!
Proof Positive: There Is Life After Death
by John Weckerle
Or something to that effect.
On January 4, 2013, the East Mountain Tea Party announced its dissolution. No doubt some were relieved, and others disappointed (not the least of whom were those of us who enjoyed commenting on their commentary). As it turns out, the East Mountain Tea Party is back, and may never really have gone anywhere in the first place.
A recent Internet search led us to a Facebook page* upon which the first post, written on April 4, 2010, provides convincing (to us, at least) evidence that the owners of this Facebook account are likely the same people responsible for the posts that gave us all so much to discuss some years ago. The fact that the cell phone number associated with the page (505-269-5617) is the same as that used for the previous web site perhaps supports that conclusion. The commentary continued at a reduced pace, with a meager nine posts in 2013 and just one in 2014. Now, however, we see two posts less than a week apart in March 2015, and one of them contains an all-too-familiar combination of religious intolerance and inaccuracy, referring to President Barack Obama as a “Marxist, Muslim man-boy,” all of which is clearly intended to be derogatory. And of course, there is the signature anonymity – no name, just the pseudonym “East Mountain Tea Party.”
Is the East Mountain Tea Party back, or are these just a couple of posts before the page goes silent again? We’ll see – because we’ll be watching!
* We’re not providing them with a link, but if you search Facebook for “East Mountain Tea Party,” you’ll find them right away.
Ladies and Gentlemen…
The President of Ireland.
Editor’s note: As recent life events have turned your editor’s thoughts toward, well, expressing them, we took a little time to look through some old drafts and came upon this one, from April 6, 2012. We were surprised to discover that we apparently never posted it. While it is approaching three years since we found the video, it nevertheless seems to retain a certain relevance.
Press Release: Cibola National Forest and Talking Talons developing winter recreation programs on the Sandia Mountains
Tijeras, NM – August 19, 2014. The Cibola National Forest and the Talking Talons Youth Leadership program are collaborating to develop a variety of winter recreation programs on the Sandia Ranger District. “We are excited about our collaboration with the Talking Talons because we will be able to offer a wide variety of winter recreation and educational activities on the Sandia Ranger District,” said District Ranger Cid Morgan.
Morgan said that public participation is extremely important to the success of this process and invited all interested parties to participate in upcoming public collaborative workshops. The first workshop will be held on Tuesday, August 26, 2014 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the James McGrane Safety Complex conference room, 48 Public School Rd., in Tijeras.
There are four topics that will be discussed at this meeting:
- Management of Capulin Snow Play Area
- Management of winter/snow trails
- Increasing access to winter recreation sites
- Establishing a “Kids in the Winter Woods” conservation education program
For more information, please contact Bob Heiar, Recreation Staff Officer at the Sandia Ranger District at rheiar@fs.fed.us or 505.281.3304, ext. 115.