MOJAVE NATIONAL PRESERVE CONSERVANCY NEWSLETTER Fall 2012

Our Mission is preserve, protect, and promote the

unique natural beauty, ecological integrity, and rich

cultural history of Mojave National Preserve, and to

build a community dedicated to the enduring

stewardship of the Preserve.

The President's Corner by David Lamfrom

The board of the MNPC thanks you for your continued

support and membership. In our third year as an

organization we remain a small, board-driven

conservancy committed to heightening awareness of the

incomparable Mojave National Preserve, and

connecting people to this place to build their capacity to

enjoy and protect it. Despite the immensity of Mojave

National Preserve, being the third largest unit of the

National Park Service in the lower 48 states, its remote

location has made it relatively obscure in relation to

other iconic western national parks. This is both a

blessing and a curse. An intrepid explorer can enjoy

this majestic landscape in solitude. That person is

afforded the privilege of experiencing natural

soundscape, uninterrupted viewscape, and pristine night

sky. They may encounter a bobcat, kit fox, sight a

golden eagle, or perhaps experience the vibrancy of a

valley carpeted with wildflowers. This is undoubtedly

still a place with room to roam. But these values present

here, lost in so many places, require our care and

protection. We need to connect new generations with

the Preserve, we need to communicate and share these

values with others, and we have to express our support

publicly to ensure that this National Park unit is

properly funded and cared for.

This is what the Conservancy does, and what your

membership and support does. We hold bi-annual

celebrations of the Preserve’s night skies, we engage

members and volunteers to perform restoration, and we

fund youth to have their first experiences in

National Parks. We continue to build our board, and

welcome Las Vegas journalist and outdoor enthusiast

Ben Spillman to our ranks. His writing will no doubt be

much better than mine, and he brings great skills, tools,

talents, and enthusiasm to our board.

I am excited to announce that we are working to restore

access to the Mitchell Caverns in the Providence

Mountains State Recreation Area. This nationally

important cave and surrounding desert mountain habitat

is a state park property within the preserve’s boundaries

that has been closed down due to budget and

maintenance issues. Famous for its cave tours, Mitchell

Caverns provided many students their first experience in

the Mojave desert. The property contains a remarkable

high-elevation desert garden habitat, rich with wildlife

and diverse cacti species. It was also a popular sight for

hiking, camping, and stargazing. The Conservancy has

initiated conversations with the National Park Service

and the California State Parks to determine what actions

can be taken to restore access to this important resource.

Stay tuned for updates on this important issue. We

can’t accomplish important gains for the Mojave

National Preserve without your support. We encourage

you to consider the Conservancy in your end of the year

giving to allow us to escalate our actions to protect this

special place. Importantly, we encourage you to join us

on a hike this Spring, on a restoration project, or at one

of our incredible night sky events. We are on facebook,

or visit our website to learn more.

www.mojavepreserve.org

Special Events and Activities Highlights Checkout this newsletter for details

See NPS ranger programs and activities starting on page 4.

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Photo by Michael Gordon

Cleaning up the East Mojave by Annie Kearns and Linda Slater

The Homestead Act provided opportunities for many

citizens to become landowners in the East Mojave

during the early to mid 1900s. Above-average

precipitation rates in some years provided enough

moisture for successful crops for the homesteaders, but

farming in the desert environment was generally

difficult. Nearly all the homesteaders eventually gave

up their efforts, but not before about 120,000 acres in

what is now Mojave National Preserve was converted to

private property. In addition, about 1000 acres with

mineral deposits transitioned to private ownership as

mining claims were patented; the railroad was granted

another 80,000 acres of “checkerboard” properties.

Once “proved up” according to the provisions of the

Homestead Act, the parcels became private and were

later handed down within families, divided, or sold.

Some landowners who moved away continued to visit

their land for hunting and relaxation, but most did not,

and impacts to the land eventually faded away.

Although the remains of historic structures and

settlements can be seen scattered throughout the

preserve, especially in Lanfair Valley, most of these

private parcels are pristine in appearance, with

occasional historic relics to discover.

Not all private parcels had such light use, however.

Abandoned trailer-homes from the 1950s through the

1980s are a common sight in Lanfair Valley. Because

the isolation of the area made it difficult to for residents

to dispose of refuse, trash piles and pits grew alongside

them.

When the 1994 California Desert Protection Act was

passed creating Mojave National Preserve, Congress

authorized the acquisition of private lands within the

boundaries from willing sellers by way of donation,

purchase or exchange. Over the years several different

partner organizations have purchased private land and

donated it to the National Park Service. Since 2006, the

Mojave Desert Land Trust (MDLT) has been the

principal organization leading this important effort.

The land acquisition process includes environmental

site surveys to assess any structures or dumps. An

archaeologist identifies materials of historical

significance and communicates the results. A land

restoration expert identifies hazardous waste, often

found at abandoned mine sites, and makes arrangements

for its removal. Other materials are generally

considered solid waste and can be cleaned up. In more

recent acquisitions, the Mojave Desert Land Trust

cleans up sites with large amounts of solid waste before

donating them. However, there currently is a backlog of

older parcels that require a cleanup.

Cleanups involve gathering a group of people to pick up

household items and debris and placing them in a rented

dumpster on the site. Materials frequently include can

dumps, trailers, sheds, animal pens, wire fences,

clothing and general trash. Tires, paint cans, 55-gallon

drums, batteries, and other items that are not accepted at

solid waste disposal sites must be separated out.

This process is labor intensive, and preserve staff cannot

do it without help. Over the past several years, Mojave

National Preserve Conservancy members have been

assisting with these cleanups. They have taken down

many miles of fence and cleaned up several dump sites

including the one described in this newsletter.

Volunteers camp for free at Mojave, and we often share

a potluck meal after the event. It’s a great way to get to

know preserve staff and volunteers and to learn more

about the landscape and its history.

Photo by Michael Gordon

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Photo by Sid Silliman

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Restoration In The New York Mountains by Sid Silliman

The “Dorr site” – an acquired property in the New York

Mountains of the Mojave National Preserve – was

restored to an open meadow surrounded by pinion and

juniper-dotted hillsides on October 13th by an

enthusiastic group of eighteen individuals from the

Mojave National Preserve Conservancy, Desert

Survivors, local communities, and the National Park

Service. All debris that had marred the site was

collected and transported out of Upper Pinto Canyon.

Wood from the fallen, non-historic building on the

property was sorted and saved to repair or reconstruct

historic buildings elsewhere in the Preserve. Members

pulled and bagged Russian Thistle from an area along

Cedar Canyon Road after the cleanup in a continuation

of Park Service efforts to remove this invasive species

from the Preserve.

Why would anyone spend a day in hard labor cleaning

up acquired property in the Mojave National Preserve?

The motivations of participants for joining service

projects vary, yet there are several reasons for

participation. First, the service projects are good work –

the volunteers and the Park Service invariably restore a

portion of the Preserve to a more natural state, and the

effect is immediately apparent. Second, by the end of

the day, a community emerges from the common effort

toward preservation, the cooperation among different

organizations, and the good cheer of all. Third, the

Mojave Preserve is, simply stated, a lovely place to

spend the day. In this instance, the objective of

restoring the Dorr property was accomplished in short

order under blue skies in one of the beautiful places in

the park.

LanFair Valley Property Cleanup by Sid Silliman

The Mojave National Preserve Conservancy and the

National Park Service joined hands in March 2012 to

clean up and restore to its natural condition a parcel of

property in the Lanfair Valley, donated land now legally

part of the Mojave National Preserve. Thirteen

volunteers and staff filled two dumpsters and a truck

with wood, glass, and miscellaneous debris from the

site. The NPS trailer at the end of day hauled away, as

well, a load of metal and old tires for recycling. The

land now features old-growth Joshua Trees, a variety of

other desert plants, and a panoramic view to the west.

The enthusiasm of MNPC volunteers (Lloyd Gunn, Le

Hayes, David Lamfrom, Joe Orawczyk, Maryann

Orawszyk, Charlie Shrimplin, and Sid Silliman) was

matched by the energy of NPS staff and volunteers (Tim

Duncan, Mike Hall, Chris Mills, Bob Mills, Dave

Nichols, and Greg Thorton). Congratulations to all for a

good day’s work.

Photo by David Lamfrom Zebra-tailed lizard

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ALERTS: Information You Should Know About

The Missing Public At Mitchell Caverns by Sid Silliman

“Where in Southern California can you explore some

stunning scenery, be assured that it won’t rain, and

know that the temperature for your hike will always be

a comfortable 65 degrees?” This was John McKinney’s

“trail trivia question” in the Los Angeles Times on

December 12, 1987. The answer, then, was the trail

though Mitchell Caverns, part of Providence Mountains

State Recreation Area. Today, unfortunately, the public

cannot explore this subterranean trail as the Caverns and

Providence Mountains SRA have been closed since

4 early 2011. Today, this is the only unit of the California

state park system to remain closed after the cuts of 2012

in the California state budget.

What the public is missing with the closure of this

popular desert attraction is not trivial. The Mitchell

Caverns are the only limestone caves in the deserts of

Southern California, and cave tours permitted the public

to view and wonder over spectacular and intricate

formations. With the visitor center of Providence

Mountains SRA shuttered, travelers to the surrounding

Mojave National Preserve have lost an opportunity to

learn of the Chemehuevi people who have lived in the

area for hundreds of years and to know the

entrepreneurs Jack Mitchell and his wife Ida Belle

Wyatt. Without access to the caverns, young adults --

possibly future scientists -- are denied the chance to be

intrigued by cave species like ringtails, Townsend big-

eared bats, and Neptus beetles. Even the self-guiding

nature trail outside the Caverns, named after Riverside

naturalist Mary Beale, cannot be explored.

John McKinney raised his trivia question in 1987 to stir

interest in Mitchell Caverns Natural Preserve. Today,

the public is missing from the Caverns and from the

larger Providence Mountains State Recreation Area but

not because of a lack of interest. If the infrastructure is

restored and the park is reopened, the public will come.

Photo by Sid Silliman Closed entrance to Mitchell Caverns

Photo by Michael Gordon

National Park Service Programs and Activities

Kelso Depot Art Exhibits

On exhibit at the Desert Light Gallery, Kelso Depot

Visitor Center

People of the Mojave

The Photography of Ken Schoening

October 6 - January 6

Next exhibit:

Many Names Have Never Been Spoken Here

The Photography of Gabriel Thorburn and the poetry of

Russell Thorburn

January 12 - April 6, 2013

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NPS Ranger Programs at the Preserve

Saturdays

Kelso Dunes Walk 11:00 a.m.

Meet at the Kelso Dunes Trailhead

Hike to the base of one of the largest and most extensive

sand dune fields in the United States. Learn about the

geologic forces that created Kelso Dunes and the

mysterious booming sounds they make. Explore the

unique adaptations of the plants and animals that call the

dunes home. This easy 1/2 mile hike (one-way) will take

30-45 minutes. Please bring water and dress for the

weather.

Petroglyphs: Rocks that Talk 3:00 p.m.

Meet at Hole-in-the-Wall Information Center

For thousands of years the Mojave Desert has been home

to diverse cultures. The artifacts they left behind are both

beautiful and mysterious. Discover how previous cultures

survived in this harsh desert climate and the meanings of

the rock art they left behind. This easy 1/4-mile walk

(one-way) will take about one hour.

Evening Program - Various topics 7:00 p.m.

Hole-in-the-Wall Information Center

Gather behind the visitor center at the amphitheater and

munch on some popcorn (provided) while a ranger talks of

special places in this lovely, lonely desert. Meet inside if

the weather is poor.

Sundays

Coffee with a Ranger 8:30 a.m.

Hole-in-the-Wall Information Center

Do you have specific questions or would you just like to

chat with a ranger? Bring your own mug and share

conversation and coffee with Ranger Greg.

Geology of the Mojave 9:00 a.m.

Hole-in-the-Wall Information Center

Hole-in-the-Wall's seemingly tranquil landscape has not

always been this way. Great geologic forces have altered

this area both subtly and abruptly. Discover the meaning

behind the name and what carved the dramatic slot canyon

that lies within it. This easy walk takes about an hour.

Photo by Le Hayes

Photo by Dennis Schramm Castle Peaks Hike - Spring 2012

Photo by Dennis Schramm

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Volunteer in the Mojave National Preserve

Volunteering is fun. It's healthy. It makes a difference.

And it's easy to get started. We have a wide variety of

volunteer opportunities for both individuals and groups,

including many that do not require training or a lengthy

time commitment. When you volunteer, you’re making a

vital contribution to the health of our local Park, our open

space, and our community. Join us for a fun and

rewarding experience. Contact us directly for more

information at 760-219-4916 and tell us you are calling

about the Mojave National Preserve Conservancy. Or you

may find additional information at:

www.nps.gov/moja/supportyourpark/volunteer.htm

Photo by Dennis Schramm

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Donate / Join Now

The Mojave Preserve depends on support from folks like

you. We invite you to join our mission in safeguarding

the scenic beauty, wildlife, and historic and cultural

treasures of our diverse park. Committed donors help us

to preserve our park’s heritage for generations to come.

You can help assure the future of our special park by

making a tax-deductible gift today to provide a future for

our park and those who enjoy it.

For a $25 annual membership, you can:

Support much-needed youth education programs

in the Preserve,

Sponsor important National Park Service research

projects in the Preserve, and

Ensure a sustainable future for the Mojave

National Preserve.

Receive invitations to “star parties” in the

Preserve, hosted by astronomers from Pasadena

Old Town Sidewalk Astronomers

We are a registered 501c3 non-profit organization; ALL

donations are tax-deductible.

Photo by Dennis Schramm

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MOJAVE NATIONAL PRESERVE CONSERVANCY 400 S. 2nd Avenue #213 Barstow, CA 92311 WWW.PRESERVETHEMOJAVE.ORG 760-957-7887

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