On May 18, 2024 New Mexico BHA Vice Chair Mark Zschoche led a group of BHA volunteers on yet another spring work project. The exclosure fencing around the Sargent KV Trick Tank had been damaged in recent years by wildfire, causing wires to become brittle or broken. Trees had also fallen on the fencing in many places. New Mexico BHA worked with the local USFS office to organize a fencing repair day. USFS procured the fencing materials needed to replace the old fence. A group of seven BHA volunteers, as well as three USFS employees met on a Saturday morning and made a short hike up to the water tank site. Trees were removed off of the old fence and vegetation was cleared along the fence line. The old barbed-wire was then rolled up and damaged fence posts removed. The group then worked on pounding in new fence posts and pulling new wildlife friendly fence wire. It was a full day of hard work and the group was able to finish the majority of the new fencing, which USFS completed the following week, thus restoring the exclosure around the water tank.
New Mexico BHA will continue to work with agency partners to provide volunteer opportunities to our members and supporters across the state. We have three more stewardship projects on the calendar for June, July and August and hope you'll plan to join us and make a difference for our wild public lands and wildlife.
About Mark Zschoche