Most Outstanding News...

[SHANEA]

From the Marathon News Leader. 

Yes, Virginia, there is an Oz
By R. M. GLOVER

MNL Editor
Below Chinati Peak in the Chihuahua desert, San Antonio Canyon cuts through the rocky terrain, spilling rounded rocks and occasional run-off water into a dry Rio Grande, about five miles to the south.

A red tail hawk glides high above, effortless in the winds along the south flank of the third tallest peak in Texas.

Dr. Brad Butler and this writer watched the half circles of flight, the spread wings tilting slightly to dive, then rolling up, accelerating, attacking the air like a jet’s wings at 40,000 feet.

We were standing at a precipice perhaps 1,000 feet below the peak, surrounded by jutting chocolate brown rocks.

We watched the hunting bird, now just a dark speck in the blue sky, disappear behind a cluster of steeple-shaped rocks we call the City of Oz.

“I’ll take my kids here some day,” Butler said.

The Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife hopes to open the Chinati Mountains State Natural Preserve to the public soon.

The preserve is the former 40,000 acre Mesquite Ranch, once owned by Heiner and Philippa Friedrich, who sold it to the Mellon Foundation in 1996.

As they did with the Christmas Mountain land, The Mellon Foundation in turn donated it to the State of Texas.

The first thing the Friedrichs did when they bought the ranch in the 1970s was to remove all the livestock.

Today, in the high elevations of the preserve, native grasses are abundant. Gamma, side oats and Stipa in hues of brown, yellow and gold cover the high terrain.

Lechuguilla, sotol and prickly pear bounce their greens in the tapestry while cat claw, ocotillo and mesquite lend shades of gray.

Veins of vermiculite a soft, light, tope mineral, mixes in a purplish hue.

Heiner Friedrich, who converted to Islam in the 1960s, built prayer stations throughout the ranch.

In the Koran, Mohammed gives instructions to his followers on how to address Allah.

Prayer is required four times a day and, for God to truly hear, one must bathe before placing one’s spirit in Allah’s presence.

Pilas were constructed of natural stone and filled with spring water to serve as baths.

A few feet away, ramadas with stone floors and steel roofs protect against the elements while prayers pray.

And in the near distance of each of these seven praying stations are rock walled cabins with electricity, running water and kitchens.

“We only need to hire six people to run this place,” Mike Hill, West Texas regional director of Texas Parks and Wildlife, said.

The three of us had stayed the night before at one of the seven cabins on the preserve.

Twenty-five miles away the yellowish lights of Presidio and Ojinaga twinkled in the night sky.

A sliver of a moon lay to the west and Orion’s Belt glimmered as if it too were only down the road.

That morning, Hill had looked out over the lower elevations of the preserve.

“The goal of Texas Parks and Wildlife is to restore this land,” he said. “And some day I hope to stand here and see it just the way Cabeza de Vaca did.”

The high elevations of Chinati Mountains State Natural Preserve are pristine.

At the rounded top of Chinati Peak, oak trees dot the skyline and the grass is plentiful.

But the lower elevations show much sign of earlier over-grazing.

“People got a little carried away with stocking,” Hill said.

The Mohair subsidy of 1936 encouraged depression-struck ranchers to raise goats and sheep.

But the FDR legislation was a death warrant for the grass.

“Goats and sheep eat the roots. Obviously propagation doesn’t occur under those conditions,” Hill said. “The great plains of knee high grasses of the last century are pretty much gone.”

Except for a few prickly pear and ocotillo, a mono-culture of creosote cover the low elevation of the preserve.

“There’s very little top-soil,” Hill said. “We need a good fire, seed, then strong rain. Eventually the grass will come back if the livestock are kept out. We can speed it along with a seed-planting program but that takes money.”

The preserve has been closed to the public since its acquisition in 1996. Under three successive state Republican administrations, budgetary constraints continued to plague Texas Parks and Wildlife.

Conservatives value private property while public ownership and management of land is, in many cases, contrary to their fundamental beliefs.

“The tight budget makes it hard for us to open this place but, once we do, people are going to love it,” Hill said.

More next week, space permitting.

Back

[MarkB]

That is great news!

[presidio]

I have been taking care of me and mine for almost 1/2 a century out in the wilds, thank you very much, with no need for to get my behind powdered.  What's the budget for?

You can't be allowed to simply wander around on your own. Someone has to WATCH you to ensure you don't hurt yourself or act contrary to predetermined standards of conduct. Plus, they need someone to collect the fee you will be charged for being there. Remember, this is what happens any time an organization with 'park' in their name takes over.

[SHANEA]

Damn, I'm just going to quit posting anything I consider good news.  So much negativity.  Some out there just need to try crawling out of bed on the other side for a change, the view is much better.   For some reason, some seem to find fault with everything and can never see the silver lining.  It must be horrid to go through life all depressed and miserable all the time, finding no joy and finding fault with all.  The search for perfection is so disappointing as nothing is perfect.   Personally, I like being happy.  Things can not get any better when I wake up in the morning and my feet hit the floor.  No matter how bad of a day I'm having or how many things go the way that I don't want them or expect them to go, all I have to do is think that my feet hit the floor.  Things happen for a reason.   Try it some time.  Lower your expectations, get a new pair of glasses.  See the world with a different view. 

[presidio]

Some out there just need to try crawling out of bed on the other side for a change, the view is much better.

You seem to think everything a 'park' service does is totally wonderful. Some of us don't. You apparently like being watched over and controlled and having a 'managed' experience. Some of us don't.

Lower your expectations, get a new pair of glasses.  See the world with a different view.

Why should I lower my expectations for public land management and access? I do have a different view and that is what bothers you.

Cheers.

[randell]

I think this is wonderful news.  Another uncrowded "park" to explore in the great Texas Desert Region.  Of course, I'm still many years away from accomplishing a long list of goals in the other area parks, but what fun is a short to-do list!

[SHANEA]

Some out there just need to try crawling out of bed on the other side for a change, the view is much better.

You seem to think everything a 'park' service does is totally wonderful. Some of us don't. You apparently like being watched over and controlled and having a 'managed' experience. Some of us don't.

Lower your expectations, get a new pair of glasses.  See the world with a different view.

Why should I lower my expectations for public land management and access? I do have a different view and that is what bothers you.

Cheers.

Simple, go else where. 

I never consider myself over managed or being watched over.  You must go to the crowded places.  Where I go, I'm lucky if I see an outsider or the entire visit that I'm there.

 

[SHANEA]

Some out there just need to try crawling out of bed on the other side for a change, the view is much better.

You seem to think everything a 'park' service does is totally wonderful. Some of us don't. You apparently like being watched over and controlled and having a 'managed' experience. Some of us don't.

Lower your expectations, get a new pair of glasses.  See the world with a different view.

Why should I lower my expectations for public land management and access? I do have a different view and that is what bothers you.

Cheers.

Doesn't bother me at all.  Simple, go else where.  There are Brazillions of acres of unfettered BLM land, etc. for you to explore to your hearts content.  Seems to bother you that most of us like the way things are. 

[jeffblaylock]

Today, in the high elevations of the preserve, native grasses are abundant. Gamma, side oats and Stipa in hues of brown, yellow and gold cover the high terrain.

Lechuguilla, sotol and prickly pear bounce their greens in the tapestry while cat claw, ocotillo and mesquite lend shades of gray.

Veins of vermiculite a soft, light, tope mineral, mixes in a purplish hue.

Can't wait to see these mountains! This is great news ...

You can't be allowed to simply wander around on your own. Someone has to WATCH you to ensure you don't hurt yourself or act contrary to predetermined standards of conduct. Plus, they need someone to collect the fee you will be charged for being there. Remember, this is what happens any time an organization with 'park' in their name takes over.

...

You seem to think everything a 'park' service does is totally wonderful. Some of us don't. You apparently like being watched over and controlled and having a 'managed' experience. Some of us don't.

... even if some people can't see it that way. 

[Vince T]

Fantastic.
Can't wait to go.
Vince

[presidio]

Simple, go else where.  There are Brazillions of acres of unfettered BLM land, etc. for you to explore to your hearts content.  Seems to bother you that most of us like the way things are. 

Well, if you've remembered any of my posts, that is exactly what I do. Big Bend is the ONLY NPS area I go to because, in the grand scheme, I don't care for how they disallow the public to use our land. I put up with their BS in Big Bend because I will not be denied a prime part of the desert. Like Fred, I am happiest when I do not have to see or interact with them and I plan my trips around that premise. But, I do spend 98% of my time outdoors on BLM land (with some USFS mixed in). Because of that ratio, I have a completely different perspective than you on what is good, bad, or indifferent with the NPS, and the BLM/USFS.

It does not bother me in the least that you are happy with how they do business. What is unfortunate is that a large portion of the NPS clientele thinks the NPS way is the only way and that if you have a differing opinion or expectations, there's no room for that perspective. Public lands tend to be inclusive, parks tend to be exclusive (gotta keep the riff-raff out and the group-think pure).

As to your 'most of us', I'd daresay a goodly number have little to no experience in using non-park public lands and thus have no significant basis for comparison. The overall tone of the board sure indicates that is the case. 

I wonder how many people here have ever not gone to Big Bend (or another NPS area or state park) and instead spent a week exploring a national forest (you have 4 of them in TX) or BLM land in the west (not just one time, but as a regular habit, and not as a day trip from home....using those other lands in same vein as you go to Big Bend). Probably not many. But, I could be wrong. I've been wrong before, and I'm likely viewed as being wrong most of the time, by most of the folks here because I not in the NPS booster club. So be it. There's a lot more to do outdoors than what the NPS/TPWD offers. Give it a real try sometime.

[randell]

Simple, go else where.  There are Brazillions of acres of unfettered BLM land, etc. for you to explore to your hearts content.  Seems to bother you that most of us like the way things are. 

Well, if you've remembered any of my posts, that is exactly what I do. Big Bend is the ONLY NPS area I go to because, in the grand scheme, I don't care for how they disallow the public to use our land. I put up with their BS in Big Bend because I will not be denied a prime part of the desert. Like Fred, I am happiest when I do not have to see or interact with them and I plan my trips around that premise. But, I do spend 98% of my time outdoors on BLM land (with some USFS mixed in). Because of that ratio, I have a completely different perspective than you on what is good, bad, or indifferent with the NPS, and the BLM/USFS.

It does not bother me in the least that you are happy with how they do business. What is unfortunate is that a large portion of the NPS clientele thinks the NPS way is the only way and that if you have a differing opinion or expectations, there's no room for that perspective. Public lands tend to be inclusive, parks tend to be exclusive (gotta keep the riff-raff out and the group-think pure).

As to your 'most of us', I'd daresay a goodly number have little to no experience in using non-park public lands and thus have no significant basis for comparison. The overall tone of the board sure indicates that is the case. 

I wonder how many people here have ever not gone to Big Bend (or another NPS area or state park) and instead spent a week exploring a national forest (you have 4 of them in TX) or BLM land in the west (not just one time, but as a regular habit, and not as a day trip from home....using those other lands in same vein as you go to Big Bend). Probably not many. But, I could be wrong. I've been wrong before, and I'm likely viewed as being wrong most of the time, by most of the folks here because I not in the NPS booster club. So be it. There's a lot more to do outdoors than what the NPS/TPWD offers. Give it a real try sometime.

I have been to all 4 National Forests in Texas.  The problem with them is:
A) they are not in desert/mountain terrain
B) hunters take over for a good part of the winter and the forests are shut down to all others
C) when hunters are not allowed, ATV riders run rampant making it a bit noisy to enjoy the solitude
D) many of the unregulated camping areas are trashed out by people who haul mattresses in on the back of trucks and set up huge compound-like camps.

There are advantages and disadvantages to either system.  I enjoy them both for different reasons.  I'm glad to have them.

[SA Bill]

I wonder how "soon" this might happen. I'd go for a look.
  Bill

[SA Bill]

Fred said:
"I am happy to finally, after 13 years, be allowed the honor of having access to my land."

That's kinda what I was implying...it's been this long and they are just now talking about doing something....we've probably got another 4-5 years before this land is accessable to us.

Government bureaucracy moves very slowly.
  Bill

[presidio]

Fred said:
"I am happy to finally, after 13 years, be allowed the honor of having access to my land."

That's kinda what I was implying...it's been this long and they are just now talking about doing something....we've probably got another 4-5 years before this land is accessable to us.

Government bureaucracy moves very slowly.
  Bill

It takes staff to keep the public off closed lands, so they are 'doing something', just not for the public. How much harder would it be to use that same staff, let people have access and fend for themselves in terms of figuring out where to go and what to see? It would be a lot harder, because if a 'park' agency allows the public to use land before the agency gets all its overhead and infrastructure in place, the public just might decide they don't need all that overhead and development. That threatens an organization built around the basic premise that the public is too dangerous (or perhaps stupid) to be allowed to use the land without 'park' oversight and control.