Trail building equestrians of New Mexico

[Una Smith <una.smith AT att.net>]

Marie Griffith wrote:
>Una mentioned the camping program (interium). I called and they told
>Me no horse camping

The decision to implement camping is very new;  as Sabine Shurter
says, VCNP is working out the details now.  Marie, it is frustrating
to call and be told no, but on the other hand your call helps to
establish that overnight camping is wanted.  So thank you for that!

There will be a tour of the proposed Valles Caldera Rim Trail, north
rim, this Saturday.  It will be led by Kirt Kempter, a geologist who
specializes in volcanos, particularly Valles Caldera.  The sponsor is
Los Amigos de Valles Caldera, http://www.losamigosdevallescaldera.org
This is a hiking tour.  To participate, meet in Espanola at 9am, to
head up Forest Road 144.  Call or e-mail Greg Kendall 505 412-3793
greg_kendall AT yahoo.com to sign up and get directions to the meeting
place.  I have heard Kirt's Valles Caldera talk and it is very good.

Part 2 of a grasslands clipping study will be held September 14-20.
Sponsored by the Sierra Club, it costs $745 (ouch!) to participate.
The study will help to establish the animal carrying capacity of
grass valleys of the Valles Caldera.  Currently, the major animal
species are elk and cattle, but a number of people are pushing for
horses in lieu of cattle.  There is some reason to believe horses
would have less environmental impact per head than cattle, and the
fees VCNP could collect for horses could be significantly higher
than for cattle.

        Una Smith
        Los Alamos