Backcountry Stewardship in the Bootheel of New Mexico

 

The Bootheel region of New Mexico is normally viewed from inside a car speeding down I-10.  From the interstate it appears desolate and dry.  Large wide expanses of creosote bush and mesquite fade off into distant rocky peaks.  If you have ever hunted or hiked in this landscape, you know that it is full of life to be discovered.   Javelina scattered along the hillsides searching for barrel cactus fruit, mule deer browsing the mesquite bushes, Gambel's quail in the washes, pronghorn in the Animas valley and sandhill cranes flying overhead.  Its wealth of biodiversity has to be viewed up close. 

  

  

Juan Gamon of the Las Cruces BLM office reached out to BHA to request funding and our help on the Bootheel Wildlife Habitat Connectivity Project. With support from the Inflation Reduction Act, Habitat Stamp funding, and the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, they are removing or modifying 40 miles of fencing in the region. Miles of old net wire fencing, once used for sheep grazing, now obstruct animal movement and fragment their habitat, making it hard for them to navigate over or under the barriers.  Habitat Stewardship Coordinator Bard Edrington V and Western Field Director Katie DeLorenzo collaborated with BLM and NMDGF to organize a stewardship event to remove 1.5 miles of net wire off the top of Rimrock mountain. Montana Habitat Stewardship Coordinator Andrew Hahne flew in from Missoula to help remove fence and explore New Mexico. 

A mile hike up the steep slope was required to access the fencing.  The wire had to be removed from the posts, rolled up and brought down the mountain.  This was a perfect project for BHA's volunteer's tenacity and grit to help improve public lands.  

  

  

The event was attended by 11 BHA members, 11 BLM staff and 3 NMDGF biologists.  Everyone met on Saturday morning to go over project details and safety protocols.  We then traveled up the arroyo and shuttled people to the base of the mountain with side by sides.  A long procession of hikers headed up the steep slope to the top of Rimrock where we would start removing wire.  Like most stewardship events, volunteers broke into groups and quickly and efficiently divided up tasks.  Some cut wire from the fence posts and cut it into sections, others rolled it up to be transported to the staging area.  With their hard work it was quickly apparent that we were going to be able to remove all 1.5 miles in a day.  When we reached the end of the fence we had multiple piles of wire that needed moving to the staging area.  Sotol flower stalks came in handy to help carry the cumbersome wire.  

   

  

The next obstacle was to get the wire down the mountain.  We let gravity do the work for us.  The wire bundles were shaped into balls and tossed down the mountain while being cheered on from above.  There, the Rusty Mountain Slinky was born. 

After the dump trailer was full of wire we all headed back to camp to enjoy a potluck of wild game around the fire.  Sandhill cranes flew overhead as they migrated back to their flooded roosts. 

  

  

On Sunday 5 attendees took to the arroyos to hunt Gambel's quail.  A few covies were found and two shot.

If this kind of work sounds fun to you, check out our events page and sign up for future stewardship events.   

Thanks to all the volunteers and staff that helped improve habitat connectivity on NM's cherished public lands.  

Thanks to our sponsors that help make the events happen.

Big thanks to BHA Policy Chair Kyle Klain for the photos and video. 

        

About Bard Edrington

Bard Edrington is the New Mexico Habitat Stewardship Coordinator. He is a lifelong bowhunter, conservationist and songwriter. Bard lives with his wife and teenage son in Santa Fe.