{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
