Speakers and Guests for SITW 2006

Brian Kelly - Restoration Coordinator Hells Canyon Preservation Council

Brian Kelly, Restoration Coordinator for the Hells Canyon Preservation Council (HCPC), joined us at the rim of Hells Canyon as our first visitor and guest speaker of the semester. Here he helped us conduct road surveys that will help decide which roads in the area will be decommissioned by the Forest Service. Brian was a pleasure to have with us at the campsite. Over the several days he spent with us, we learned a lot from him about nearby local communities like Joseph, and our discussions about the politics of preserving Hells Canyon formed a solid foundation upon which to launch our semester-long journey. A highlight of Brian's stay with us was getting to hear him sing and play Johnny Cash songs on the guitar under the stars and moonlight. He certainly set quite a precedent and high expectations for the rest of our speakers this semester, and we will miss him as we continue traveling through the West.

Brad Brooks - Wilderness Society

When asked what advice he had for young advocates, Brad Brooks of the Wilderness Society responded, "Never compromise your values." This was a follow-up question, which was rooted in his tendency toward a collaborative approach to environmental problems, rather than litigious action like some of his contemporaries. As a young and intelligent member of the environmental movement, and employee of the Wilderness Society out of Boise, ID, Brad stressed the fact that it easier to designate wilderness and protect it than it is to try to restore it after its been ravaged. Brad mentioned the difficulty of finding a job in conservation, and was not reluctant to inform us that it is all about who you know. Everyone really enjoyed Brad's enthusiasm and friendliness, which made it obvious why he did what he did: Brad was a people person and a communicator. He was one of the first people to tell us of the importance of being able to respectfully level with people and accept their differences, then make something useful of it all.

Rick Christian - Watershed Coordinator for the Nez Perce Tribe DFRM Watershed Division

From September 28th to the 30th we met with Rick Christian from the Nez Perce Tribal Fisheries. He joined us at our campsite on the rim of Hell's Canyon to teach us about issues surrounding management of the area. Rick facilitated our group to assist the Forest Service by doing a "roads inventory survey." We hiked down "closed" roads to record the condition of the roads and determine if they were effectively closed. After a hot and sweaty day bushwhacking down "effectively closed" roads with 10 trees, Rick took a few of us swimming in the Imnaha river. We saw salmon making redds, and a black bear running down the road. He took the time to show us his special areas and share the stories behind them. Through all of our time with Rick I was amazed by his passion and commitment to his home area, work, and beliefs. He continually went the extra mile to foster his enthusiasm in all of us.

Cindy Sloan - Fisheries Tech II for Nez Perce Tribe DFRM - Watershed Division

Paul Survis - Silvaculturist Wallowa Whitman National Forest

Paul Survis, working for the Forest Service, was a man with perspective. His years in the forest service allowed him to see the transformation from a resource extraction enterprise to a focus of recreation. Tall and jolly with a head of white hair Paul was excited to make friends with the westies. He spent the morning informing us on his project, called A Bugs Life, which is returning the Imnaha Wild and Scenic River corridor's Ponderosa Pine stands to their historical magnificence. Infestations of bark beetles presently plague the stands. An endemic population of the beetles have always had a relationship with the Ponderosa Pines, however, since the early part of the last century the pines have been stressed and in turn weakened by fire suppression. Fire suppression has allowed a dense and layered understory to grow up that competes with the mature pines for nutrients and moisture. Our group had a fantastic time walking in the woods with Paul appreciating his insights on the lack of a mission in the forest service and his hilarious characterization of the different trees. Grand Firs will always be the party trees in our minds because they just pump sap all day long. As we floss and brush our teeth daily we will chuckle on his comparison of forestry to dentistry. "Trees, like teeth, have crowns and they have roots. And you know when you thin them it is a lot like flossing."

Ben Boswell - Wallowa County Commisioner

Ben Boswell is a Wallowa County commissioner. He came to our campsite at Starvation Ridge to talk to us about how Wallowa is struggling to undergo a change from a resource-based economy to a new economic base. Currently the county is struggling to decide what form the town wants to take. He believes that "use is necessary for conservation" and believes that the county is really trying to conserve the natural resources in the area. Unfortunately, this means that timber and grazing can no longer be their main means of income, and the county is already poor because 75 percent of their land is federally owned, which limits the county's tax income, so they receive "payment in lieu is taxes" which is continually reduced by budget cuts and the lack of revenue the national forests make in timber production. Many places in the west have now turned to the service industry to overcome this loss of income, but Wallowa residents resist this trend and they feel that an influx of tourism and the focus on outsiders a service economy creates would ruin their community and point towards Bend, Oregon as proof.

Mr. Boswell lamented that while many of the residents did not like the proposed changes to the town, they also did not have a clear vision of what should come, although he did mention that Wallowa does realize the benefits of a diverse economy and are willing to try many avenues and work together with other groups such as Wallowa Resources and the Nez Pierce Tribe in order to keep true to the area's values, find ways to keep the next generation in the area instead of leaving for work in the cities, and create a locally envisioned future.

Nils Christofferson - Wallowa Resources
Peter Avriett - Intern with Wallowa Recources and recent Whitman Grad

Nils Christopherson is the programming director at Wallowa Resources, a non-profit collaborative on sustainability in Wallowa County. He also oversees operations at Community Smallwood Solutions, a small, for-profit wood mill that processes logs that are too small for traditional mills. This gives an incentive for thinning properly, cutting more than just the large, healthy, valuable trees. It also creates jobs and revenue for Wallowa County.

Peter Avriet is a Whitman alum who graduated in '06, majoring in Politics and Environmental Studies. He is just beginning a six-month internship with Wallowa Resources.

Together, Nils and Peter, along with many others with Wallowa Resources work towards combining the goals of land owners and environmentalists in the best interest of the land within the county. Through collaboration they have found that most residents have the same desire to keep the land healthy and beautiful for generations to come.

Doug McDaniel - Local Rancher and Wallowa Resources Board Member

We met with a truly forward thinking and humble man today. Doug McDaniels has been trying to restore a section of the Wallowa river on his ranch for over a decade. His desire stems from his desire to truly be a steward to the land he owns and cares so much about, and his fond memories of fishing as a child. Many landowners would be highly resistant to this much change to their land, but Mr. McDaniels has been a champion and advocate for returning the river to its natural channel, increasing its sinuosity, and restoring natural channel features. Through a collaboration with Wallowa Resources, a local community collaborative which assisted in the bureaucratic process and finding funding, Mr. McDaniels was able to restore a three-quarter mile stretch of the river on his property. This project is incredibly important example for local landowners of how restoration can be a large asthetic improvement for one's property and the ease of collaberation in the community on environmental issues. What I valued most in my conversation with Mr. McDaniels was his incredible land ethic and perseverance. There were so many instances when it would have been so easy to give up. There was such a long, tedious processs, but Mr. McDaniels cared enough to keep pushing. This is a sentiment present in so many westerners, whether they call themselves environmentalists or not. It's this steadiness that gives hope for a sustainable west. I thank Mr. McDaniels for giving me hope.

Joe McCormack - Local Nez Perce Tribal member, works for Nez Perce Tribal Fisheries, and is a board member for Wallowa Recources.

Joe McCormack met us on a beautiful late-summer night at our camp on Starvation Ridge, Oregon. Joe is a board member with Wallowa Resources, a local non-profit that we spent a few days with. Joe is employed by Nez Perce Tribal Fisheries, where he conducts monitoring on Salmon and Steelhead smolt. Joe is also one of two Nez Perce tribal members living in Wallowa county, where he has lived for the past 18 years. Over the course of the evening, the discussion ranged over a wide array of issues. We focused on Nez Perce tribal politics, his role with Wallowa Resources, and his job monitoring the region's restocked rivers. We also debated the pros and cons of wolf reintroduction, which has become a contentious issue in the county because of recent wolf migration from Idaho. After a full evening of discussion, Joe treated us to a bedtime story under the dark August sky. He shared with us the creation tale of the Nez Perce tribe, in a soothingly powerful voice. I appreciate Joe's dedication to the region, to his tribe, and to the environment. He changed many of our perspectives on tribal, environmental, and social issues within Wallowa County. It was an enlightening evening that proved to be restful and entertaining, and was a great wrap-up for our stay in Oregon.

Bob Jackson and Leo Goebel - Treefarmers extroadinaire

On a warm September the 8th, we visited with Bob Jackson and Leo Goebel, "tree farmers" of sorts from Wallowa County, Oregon. The Goebel-Jackson tree farm operates under the premise that "a complete forest is a healthy forest...We feel that a fully-stocked, uneven-aged forest (a forest stocked with all sizes of trees at all times) provides for the best utilization of nutrients and water, and maintains habitat for wildlife and recreation." To our untrained eyes, it was not at all obvious that their thriving forest is actually being logged carefully and successfully for a decent amount of profit. Bob and Leo gave us insight into the concept of stewardship, and the idea that sometimes in the interest of economic, social and ecological sustainability, a "hands-off" method isn't always the best choice in terms of land management. I was most struck with their intimate knowledge of their land and their trees, and their candid ability to speak humbly about past mistakes and how that affected their current land ethic and management practices. They worked the land themselves because they loved it, it was clear, and what I most took away was Bob and Leo's grounded sense of place, experimentation and commitment.

Dale and Cheri Cosper

On September 8th, Dale Cosper joined us at Starvation Ridge. Dale is a professor of French at Whitman and owns a ranch outside of Walla Walla. He told us of the history of the Nez Perce indian tribe, originating out of the Hell's Canyon area. Also called the Ni M"i Puu, Dale captivated us with the story of how the Nez Perce abandoned their home in an attempt to evade the United States military as they made a mad dash to Canada. Defeating the army in almost all attacks, they were defeated just before they reached the border. Dale's amazing knowledge and story telling ability drew everyone into the struggle of the Ni M"i Puu, telling us details that history books omit and giving us an appreciation for the people who lived where we were camping. My favorite aspect of his visit was his great story telling ability and his great laugh. It was a night of magic as he painted us a mental picture while a full moon rose on the horizon.

Jim Stone - Rancher and Chair of the Blackfoot Challenge
Greg Neudecker - works for the USFWS and is Vice Chair of the Blackfoot Challenge
Hank Goetz - Blackfoot Lands Director
Ali Duvall - Coordinator for the Blackfoot Challenge

The Blackfoot Challenge is a community collaborative whose roots date back to the 1970's. We met with Jim Stone, Ali Duvall, Hank Goetz, and Greg Neudecker (USFW) on Jim Stone's cattle ranch just outside Ovando, Montana to discuss their efforts to preserve the integrity of their rural community. The Blackfoot Challenge began in face of the recreational pressure exerted on the valley by Missoula and other urban areas. The Blackfoot River Valley watched communities similar to their own begin a rapid transition from a traditional land resource based economy towards a recreation and tourism based economy. In face of these changes, the residents of Blackfoot Valley took measures to preserve the lifestyle they loved. The result of this ongoing effort has put over 90,000 acres within the Blackfoot Valley into conservation easements, protecting them in perpetuity from development and "poor land management." The community has banded together to pass strict zoning codes, preventing a sale of under 160 acres blocks. In addition, the collaborative has worked with land agencies, a private timber company, and local private landowners to purchase for preservation 88,000 acres of transitional land between the valley lowlands and the upland forests.

The Blackfoot Challenge attributes their success to their focus on the local community. They emphasize cooperation within all sectors of the community- traditional land owners, second home owner, and land management agencies. Working with this wide variety of people has led them to realize the importance of compromise and the formation of the 80/20 rule. The Blackfoot Challenge aims to achieve 80% of their goals that address 80% of the issues. The other 20% are issues too divisive for compromise, and are overlooked in order to acheive the 80%. Over the course of the day, we witnessed a collaboration that works because they work for the community within the community.

Daniel Kemmis - Senior Fellow in Public Policy at the Center for the Rocky Mountain West and former Center Director. He served as mayor of Missoula and as Speaker of the Montana House of Representatives.

We met Daniel Kemmis in Missoula, after a morning of free time in our first city since leaving Walla Walla. He wore Levi's 505's and took us on a walking tour of the multi-use bicycle and pedestrian path along the river, stopping to point out a kayaking wave, waterwise native plant garden, and highway underpass bridge that increased use of the trail system. Missoula, at the confluence of three major rivers, has a theme and focus to reclaim the river as being a central and integral part of the town.

Kemmis, former mayor of the town and director of the Center for the Rocky Mountain West, impressed upon us the importance of citizen involvement in local government. It was the work of both the city and kayakers who helped turn an old weir into the kayak wave; the bike and pedestrian advisory committee who assisted in road and bike path construction. "It is citizens who do most of the hard work," he told us, "The city government does a little bit."

Missoula is an example of a progressive community that is attempting to blend the old and new economies of the West. "I hate to see all old ways of living disappear. By threading in traditional ways with new ones, we can make a richer society," he said. He cited Missoula's two sizeable farmer's markets and increasing amount of small farms as an example of the steadily growing local foods movement, a way of keeping the original agricultural base of the town.

Reaching the University of Montana campus and entering a classroom, talk turned to politics and the West: how can we maintain sovereignty in our actions? What is the role of collaborations in decision-making? How can we contain sprawl in the urbanized West? Why are property rights issues coming to the forefront of politics, and what is the best way to address them? Kemmis impressed upon us the importance of intimacy and community in politics, and also that we need to bring collaborative skill and energy to a larger level. He would like collaboratives empowered to a point beyond making recommendations, to see them working and effecting change on a national level.

We left Missoula, walking past the football fields and talking about the future of this red state turned "bluish purple." It was a day of provocative, hopeful, and inspiring discussion.

Tracy Stone-Manning - Executive Director of the Clark Fork Coalition

Tracy Stone Manning of the Clark Fork Coalition joined us at our camp to discuss community and environmental issues. The coalition uses a two-pronged approach to tackling regional problems, working both as activists and encouraging communities to organize and tackle local issues themselves.

We focused our discussion on a century of pollution from the Butte copper mine in the upper reaches of the Clark Fork valley. Over the past century the Clark Fork River below the mine has been periodically inundated with toxic metals, killing fish and posing a health risk to humans. One of the group's major undertakings is the pending clean up of the Clark Fork River superfund site and the removal of the Mill Town Dam. Restoring the fifty-six miles of river is the largest toxic cleanup ever undertaken and the Clark Fork Coalition believes they can help make the project a model for other communities with large-scale community and environmental issuefs. Tracy stated that this cleanup effort was a chance to either "win big or lose big" and they are hoping for the former.

The Clark Fork Coalition has taken some very progressive approaches to making the cleanup successful. Instead of demanding ranchers in the valley change their practices for cleanup, the coalition bought a ranch with the help of a generous donor. They will use the land for experimental ranching and hopefully find a way ranching and cleanup can co-exist profitably. Throughout the coalition's twenty years of existence they have discovered working with people is far more effective than fighting against them whenever possible.

Todd Graham - Ranch Manager of the Sun Ranch, and Board Chair of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition
Bryce Andrews - Whitman alum (05) and ranch hand on the Sun Ranch
Dr. Vicki Backus - Predator specialist for the Sun Ranch
Jeremy Gingerich - Ranch foreman for the Sun Ranch

After a windows-down drive across Montana highways and through the small tourist-stop town of Ennis, Whitman Alum Bryce Andrews welcomed us to the Sun Ranch, where he is part of the innovative staff that is working to moderate the current chasm between livestock production and conservation. He introduced us to Todd Graham, the manager of Sun Ranch and the youngest board chair of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition, whose calling in life is "seeing the land heal". He spoke to us, inside of a rustic barn that smelled of sweet hay, about his experiences with the evolving nature of conservation efforts. He has seen the environmental movement transform from a self-righteous, cynical, and finger-pointing faction to community based collaborative efforts that bring ranchers and environmentalists together. He has hope in compromise and collaboration, and believes that the economy can flourish along sustainable, environmentally friendly ranching.

As a "conservation ranch", they hold that it is possible to utilize livestock to maintain environmental health. Jeremy Gingerich, Ranch Foreman, is experimenting with environmentally conscious ranching methods to prove that it is possible to sustain the health of both the economy and the ecosystem. This includes rotational grazing for about 6 months out of the year, protection of riparian zones, control of noxious weeds, and elk and deer friendly fencing.

A few years ago, however, these procedures were further challenged when a pack of wolves from Yellowstone National Park appeared on the 25,000 acre ranch. In order to protect both the unsteady wolf population and their livestock, the Sun Ranch hired Dr. Vicki Backus.

Vicki is an amazing woman who spoke to us about ranching in the presence of wolves. She explained the conflict from a wolf's point of view, asking whether we would prefer to slave over a hot stove for a meal or have a pizza delivered to our door; cattle is the wolves' pizza. Vicki's job is to monitor the wolf pack in relation to their herd of cattle, making sure both sides are protected. This entails sleeping between the den and the cows, hoping that wolves' natural fear of humans will keep them away. She brought us over sagebrush hills and through aspen groves to where the wolves like to rendezvous, showing us stray hairs in dens and the bones of their most recent kill. Tonight, we are giving Vicki the night off. It will be our job to keep wolves away and cattle safe.

Brooke Williams - Executive Director of the Murie Center and Author
Terry Tempest Williams - Author

On Saturday we met Brooke Williams and Terry Tempest Williams at the Murie Center, just outside of Jackson, Wyoming in the Teton range. The Center is dedicated to developing a vision for conservation, and they work with organizations and individuals from many different backgrounds to "inspire people to act mindfully on behalf of wild nature". Connected to the Center is the Murie Ranch, a National Historic Landmark designated for Olaus and Mardy Murie's contributions to wildlife and wilderness conservation in the United States. Groups rent the propertyóan assortment of cabins on 77 acres of land with well-worn game trails, a meandering river, and abundant wildlifeófor purposes ranging from environmental studies seminars to family reunions. Brooke hopes that, in the future, profits from renting out the Ranch will go toward making the Murie Center more self-sufficient in its funding.

When we arrived at the property we were ushered into a cabin where we absorbed the warmth from the crackling fireplace and learned more about the history of this ranch where the Wilderness Act was conceived. After introductions we stepped out into the crisp September morning and walked around the property. We listened for elk bugles and watched for birds, stopping occasionally to discuss the future of environmentalism. Although Brooke recognizes that pure activism is extremely valuable, he emphasized that the conservation movement needs another dimensionóan intellectual discussion to round out the picture.

After lunch we gathered with Terry and Brooke. We sat in a circle with a candle in the center. We discussed the current state of environmentalism and how the movement might proceed in the future. We talked about the dangers of complacency and what it means to insist upon something. Terry would launch into an anecdote and then pause for a disclaimer, explaining apologetically that "I don't know how to speak outside of stories". She need not have worried, for her moving stories of hope and empowerment were exactly the inspiration we had been craving.

When the discussion wound down Brooke and Terry suggested that we go around the circle and share a message that we had taken from the day. We spoke of love and a renewal of hope and of being inspired by this place and by our predecessors. Terry summed it up. "The people who came to this ranch were spirited people and they knew how to dance in the midst of despair. We will change the world together through our joy and our love and the support we give each other".

Chris Kitchen, Sam Pope, and Ari Agnew - Whitman alums (01 and 02)

In Jackson, Wyoming we met up at a gorgeous campsite overlooking the Grand Tetons with Chris Kitchen and Sam Pope, two gloriously pleasant Whitman Alumni. In our massive group tent, dubbed the pleasure dome, we sat about as the evening passed discussing the fate of Jackson's tourist economy. Both Chris and Sam were extremely well informed on the issues. In a county with over ninety percent public land we were interested in how restrictive zoning was in the private sectors. We also talked about plans for a commercial airport that Jackson Hole Ski Resort is pushing. The Westies spent the majority of the time brainstorming potential solutions for making sure that Jackson was able to maintain a community while embracing the success of the tourist economy. From our perspective strict zoning regulations and abundant affordable housing units seem to be the approaches for success that are most accessible in the near future.

The next day Chris took us on a tour of the Pinedale Anticline which is a natural gas drilling operation in Wyoming. He is filling in there temporarily as a mudlogger. Each hour he records a rock sample from the drilling rig. Geologists in a lab elsewhere, take his information and decide what the indications are for gas stores.

Semester in the West wants to thank Chris extraordinary amounts for coming to both discussions phenomenally prepared. The evening discussion was outlined and the next day as the Westies stood surrounded by gas rigs,Chris spewed more numbers than any ten websites can offer. Thank you Whitman alumns from Jackson, Wyoming.

Tamara Naumann - Park Botanist for Dinosaur National Monument and Peter Williams - expert on petroglyphs and native and natural history.

Tamara Naumann and Peter Williams spoke with the group on the rim of Echo Canyon in Colorado and also gave a tour of the canyon and petroglyphs, rivers and rock formations, and local myths. Tamara is the park botanist in Dinosaur National Monument and her husband Peter is an expert on petroglyphs and natural native history. They spoke about their history in the area (having moved from the city of Boulder to Dinosaur in "the middle of nowhere") and what they have done since. Tamara has been involved in many successful projects to restore and protect the health of the park including heading up a program called "Weed Warriors", an anti-invasive species program which has grown vastly in number of volunteers and funding since its meager roots many years ago. She spoke to the group about how much of an influence a single person can have and how she went about making the change, starting from the beginning, gaining trust and momentum, and working up to the well-funded and staffed program that it is today. Peter gave a tour down inside the canyon and told the group about many different sets of petroglyphs, pictographs, and a few legends within the canyon. A few hours of swimming in the muddy river finished out the wonderful day. Without Tamara and Peter's insight and sharing, the experience would not have been nearly as valuable.

Alison Holland - Whitman Alum (04), Semester in the West alum (02) and former Semester in the West Field Manager.

Dave Baker - Rancher in Baker Nevada

David Baker is the director of ranch operations on the Baker Ranch in Baker, Nevada. His Granddaddy moved onto the ranch in the 1950s, and their last name ironically matched the already existing ranch and town name. They herd about 2000 head of cattle, and feed them in the summer on their meadows and in the winter out in BLM desert. We visited with David about the ranching operation and specifically about the challenges of ranching and growing alfafa in the driest part of the driest state in the US. As we sat in a circle under the mountainous Big Basin National Park, we learned about the local reaction to the pending aquifer drilling to feed Las Vegas development. Needless to say, the locals are not excited about the possibility of all the local springs drying up so Las Vegas can continue to grow at a rate of 5,000 people per month. David's father, Dean is challenging this water issue as a full-time activist with the Snake Valley Citizen's Alliance.

Terry Merasco - Business owner and activist

There is an ongoing battle raging between rural Nevada and Las Vegas over water. Terry Merasco owns the Lectrolux CafÈ in Baker, NV where soft classical music hums in the background and where his nature photographs line the walls. Nearly single-handedly, Terry joined a fight in 2005 against the looming water mining proposal in eastern Nevada. Vegas is currently proposing to build a $12b pipeline from White Pine County to Vegas, sucking rural, Eastern Nevada dry of it's pristine aquifer. There could be a myriad of environmental consequences as a result of the pipeline construction, but Terry pointed out that the two concerning him are: one, if pumping commences, the water table will be brought down by 100-150 feet. This means that ranchers would have to drill even deeper to get the water they need to sustain themselves and their land. What will happen to the surface vegetation? What about the animals that rely on that vegetation? What about the people who rely economically on those animals? His second environmental concern involves Utah. Terry says that if the water moves North as a result of the pumping, the Great Salt Lake will move into the untouched aquifer causing vast brackish (salty) water across Utah. Terry told us that the amount of time it would take to purify and clean the contaminated water would be from now until the next ice age. It's important to reiterate that there are many consequences that will occur as a result of building the pipeline, both environmental and otherwise; these are two of many.

Terry began the fight with six people, but over the course of a year over a hundred people joined his side. Having only spent $1,000 thus far, they have earned millions of dollars in PR money. Terry says that right now they have the upper hand.

What impressed me the most about meeting Terry Merasco was his conviction and the way in which his body seemed to exude power. While our Semester in the West group has seen a lot of coalitions, a lot of compromise between sides, Terry says that he sees "hugging the enemy as the door to compromise" that he won't cross. He keeps his distance; he wants no misconceptions. He talks about groundwater mining with a fury in his voice reminding us that this water can never be replaced. There will be no recharge. He told us we cannot compromise on this issue; we've got to fight. Because, really, what is there to negotiate?

Cindy Nielson - Park Superintendant, Great Basin National Park

After touring the intricate Lehman caves of Great Basin National Park for an afternoon, the park superintendent, Cindy Nielson spent some time with the group discussing the history and future of the park. Cindy became superintendent of the park in 2004, making her way to the Nevada desert all the way from Teton National Park in Wyoming. The transition hurled her into one of the biggest controversies swirling through the state of Nevada today: the so-called Las Vegas water grab. With the rapid growth of the city and the scarcity of water, Las Vegas is looking toward northern Nevada to supply them with water. Great Basin National Park is next to Spring Valley which is host to an abundant underground water supply which Las Vegas is eyeing. Cindy spoke of the surveys done by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to determine the potential impact of drilling for water in and around the park. There are many places where the impact was determined to be of moderate to high risk. This action would greatly affect the native Bonneville cutthroat trout population that has recently been reintroduced into the area. All the municipal water for the town of Baker runs from this park, therefore not only would taking water from the aquifer beneath Spring Valley greatly affect the communities within it but so would diverting water from the park.

Cindy saw this as another in the series of "western water wars", placing it next to Owens Valley and Hetch Hetchy. There is much resistance to this modern water grab, and Cindy certainly seemed to have the knowledge and the will to continue the fight. A quote from Cindy that has lingered in our collective memory: "All politics are local and when everyone's a local, things get very political." Las Vegas' search for water has thrown many arms in the air and while in some places it has put what will hopefully turn out to be only temporary rifts within the community, many community members have come together to stand up for their own right to water.

Jon Marvel - Western Watersheds Project
Kelley Weston - President of Board WWP

Jon and Kelley came out to speak with us on the Y3 Ranch near Jackpot, Nevada. They represented the Western Watersheds Project and took us on a tour of a nearby ranch, exposing us to their reality of the effects of ranching on public land. From them we learned how to spot ecological damage done from grazing cattle and how destructive this is in western states, where the climate is unsuitable for ungulates. They spoke at length about how ranching seems both ecologically and economically unsustainable in the west, which was particularly poignant after hearing from other groups about the struggle to make ends meet as a rancher in the west, even after factoring in the high government subsidies involved. We also learned that it is largely a myth that our beef comes from the west, when at least eighty percent of America's beef comes from east of the Mississippi River, and very little at all comes from small ranching outfits like those that graze cattle on public land. Western Watersheds Project focuses on getting cattle off all public lands, and Jon Marvel and Kelley Weston gave us a very compelling and spirited case.

Taki Telonidis - Media Producer - Wester Folklife Center

We had the pleasure of having Taki join us in September while we studied public lands ranching in Nevada. Taki was a representative from the Western Folk life Center putting together an NPR radio piece on SITW. For three days, he followed us around with microphones as we met with anti-ranching activists, Holistic Range Management ranchers, while we read our epiphanies, and even while we cooked. Taki often reminded us "to just act natural, pretend the microphone isn't even here" while we met with various speakers on ranching issues. Taki, a native of Greece, even recorded the sound of us playing kick the sack, also known as "hacky sack." Although Taki wasn't technically a speaker, many students reminisce that he was our favorite visitor. The NPR piece is available here.

Steve, Robin and Sam Boies - Ranchers - near Wells, Nevada

On September 25th we visited the Boies Ranch near Jackpot, NV, to learn about their Holistic Range Management style. Steve, Robin, and Sam Boies welcomed us into their home, fed us brownies and coffee, showed us a video they made, and gave us a tour of their ranch. They started a small collaborative to implement Holistic Range Management in their area. They believe that "nothing's static in human nature or the environment," so ranching must be a continual learning process to account for this. They are working hard to make their BLM grazing allotments more productive than they have been in the past, and also allow for increased wildlife habitat. We shared a magical moment when some of their horses came galloping through an aspen grove to greet us. They showed us some potential for positive management of grazing on public lands.

George Fennemore - Environmental Superintendent

Jeannie Richter, Brian Mason, Chris Chrestensen, John Allen, Cliff Krall

The Cortez Gold mine is located in Crescent Valley, Nevada. It is an open pit cyanide heap-leech facility meaning they mine large quantities of low-grade ore and proceed to leech the gold out in microscopic quantities. The pit was started in 1996 and is now 900 feet deep and a mile and a half wide. Running 24 hours a day, trucks remove 270 to 300 thousand tons of earth each day. Average gold output is estimated at .03 oz/ton and apparently this makes for a highly lucrative business. Our tour consisted of a trip down into the pit followed by a visit to a pile of tailings that had been contoured and reseeded as to look natural. The culmination of our tour was witnessing a gold pour and attempting to lift the seventy-pound bar.

Bob, Deborah and Renee Moskovitz

Paul McFarland - Executive Director - Friends of the Inyo

Paul McFarland is the Executive Director of Friends of the Inyo, a non-profit conservation group based out of Bishop, CA. We spent the day working to restore a hill-climb under the direction and with the help of Paul and a few employees of the BLM. Paul was an extremely enthusiastic speaker and introduced us to a new strategy for conservation. Many of the groups and individuals with whom we have spoken react to environmental problems. They sue the government or corporations for breaking the law or not adequately upholding the law as a response. Paul suggested that we should bring about change from the inside. This might entail getting a job with Fish and Wildlife or the BLM (reasonable options for many of us) or becoming a rancher and grazing your public lands allotments in a responsible manner (not so likely).

We met at the Mono Lake Visitors' Center in the morning, and then we headed to some BLM land outside of Bishop. We found a quickly eroding, very steep off-road-vehicle road climb going up the side of a hill. It was an eyesore as well as an erosion issue, and we spent most of the day working with medieval weapons such as Pulaskis and McClouds as well as picks and shovels. We built over a dozen water bars to slow and divert water, transplanted vegetation to hold the soil, scattered dead sage to camouflage, and ended up making the hill-climb nearly invisible from the highway. Paul was a lot of fun to work with and a great source of information concerning conservation on the east-side of the Sierras. I am also personally inspired by his beard.

Yvette Garcia

Anne Halford - BLM Botanist

Scott Justham - BLM Park Ranger

Bill Dunkelberger - Manager - BLM Field Office

Jim Jennings - BLM Recreation Planner

Mark Langner - Bodie State Park Ranger

Mike Prather - Owens Valley Committee

We met with Mike Prather of the Owens Valley Committee two days in a row in early October. Mike was an enthusiastic man with an obvious interest in teachingóit was obvious both in the way he talked to us and the fact that he was previously a grade school teacher. Although Mike worked for a group who was reactionary toward LA Department of Water and Power (LADWP) and their history in the valley, he was surprisingly accepting of their antics and policies. The dry Owens Lakebed in the eastern Sierra Nevada is the single largest source of air pollution in the country, and LADWP is doing what they can to ensure that they meet clean air standards and other environmental regulations. The Owens Valley Committee and Mike Prather seem to be watchdogs of sorts, who make sure that LADWP is on par with environmental regulations and desires of local people.

We discussed politics and all the issues that come along with a David v. Goliath situation. Mike also took us to see a great deal of important sites, including the 270 mile aqueduct and into the Owens Lakebed to show us what mitigation efforts LADWP has made. We also took an active part in improving habitat in the lakebed by removing invasive and water-intensive Tamarisk. This non-native plant sucks the water table down and out-competes all other species as a result. We had a great morning full of hacking and chopping down the non-native species with Mike. It was great to see this situation first hand after hearing about it so much; Mike really demonstrated the benefits of collaborating and how even a group like LADWP that has done so much wrong can now do something correct. Mike had a surprisingly positive attitude, and that was refreshing for such a bleak issue.

Brian Tillemans - LADWP - Watershed Resources Manager

Brian offered us a lot of information and insight regarding the Lower Owens River Project. It was exceptionally valuable for us to meet someone from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (DWP) after hearing the opinions of many people who are opposed to the DWP's water projects. Not only was it interesting to hear about management of the Owens Valley, but our discussion with Brian was also helpful in preparing us for exploring water issues in Las Vegas the following week. In addition, spending time with Brian was a great opportunity to learn about the internal workings of large entities such as the DWP. We learned about a variety of job opportunities for those of us interested in working with water in the future. Brian was graciously open to answering all of our questions about water politics, in the Owens Valley and in general. We are very grateful for Brian's time and all we gained from our day with him.

Patricia Mulroy - SNWA - General Manager

Zane Marshall - SNWA - Senior Biologist

Shweta Bhatnagar - SNWA - Public Services Staff

Andy Belanger - SNWA - Senior Management Analyst

Michael Wientz - SNWA - Assistant Management Analyst

Dave Rexing - SNWA - Water Quality Division Manager

Jesse Davis - SNWA - Las Vegas Springs Preserve - Public Relations

Keiba Crear - SNWA - Las Vegas Wash Committee - Biologist

Debbie Van Dooremolen - SNWA - Las Vegas Wash Committee - Biologist

Xiao Ping - SNWA - Las Vegas Wash Committee - Hydrologist

Danny Thompson - AFL-CIO

John Weisheit - Conservation Director - Living Rivers.

Mary Rees - Led us in a native grass restoration project in Castle Valley.

On our way out of our "mid-semester" break on the Green River and around Moab, UT, we finally had to get some work done, so we went to work gardening around Mary O'Brien's home. With the help of her neighbor, friend, and house-tender, Mary Rees, 21 students went to work gardening around the new and beautiful straw bale home, built in Castle Valley, UT. Mary Rees is very knowledgeable about local and native plants, and she keeps many of the specimens at her own house. If any one has a green thumb, it must be Mary ReesóMary knew about all the exotics and how to get rid of them, as well as what not to pull and how to promote its growth. With her help, the Westies went to work doing jobs from pulling the exotic Pigweed to creating cheat-grass-free zones (to encourage native plant growth) to pulling tumbleweed to scourge patrol. In about one hour we had all completed our respective tasks, leaving the O'Brien's home looking more beautiful than ever.

Kurt Robins - Fremont River District Ranger

Kendall Nelson - Fremont River Range Specialist

Gene Foushee - Retired geologist and longtime Bluff resident.

A white '87 suburban rolls up the road to our camp at the base of Comb Ridge. It parks amongst our '07 suburbans, a blast from the past. The man walks toward our chair circle, worn wooden walking stick in one hand, cardboard cutouts under his other arm. He stands among us spinning tails of his past in a southern drawl. He came west at the age of 16 from North Carolina, got a degree in geology at the University of North Carolina, then came back to work in the Uranium mines along the Dolores River. He and his wife Mary settled in Bluff, Utah before electricity reached the small town.

The cardboard cut outs are hand drawn cross sections of Bluff and Comb Ridge. He speaks of each layer with knowledge that could only be gained from spending a lifetime in this country. He speaks of erosion and aridity, how they form the landscape before our eyes. His skin a land of winkles tells us how this land affects humans.

He takes half of our group on a walk up the old road that used to wind over Comb Ridge. Now it ends at the present day road cut a man made cliff a hundred feet high. More tales spill out.

Later we sit on a ridge overlooking the Goosenecks of the San Juan. He builds a fire in a fire ring he has used for years, a common picnic destination. A black pot of coffee, cowboy style, sits directly on the logs he tends too. Kneeling on a scrap of carpet he warms pumpkin pancakes on a rock next to the fire. All the while he tells us stories of past dwellers of this land, the Navajos, and Mormons. He draws from the enormous pool of knowledge that he has collected over the years.

The other half of us takes a walk with him after lunch to the Clovis site. Along the way he stops to point out subtle traces of desert dwellers. First he leans over a small depression in the ground; the dirt has been disturbed by a bird, a nest for the night, small droppings lay within, presents. The shallow nest is so faint I might have stepped on it with knowing. He tells us of a time he found a depression that a snake had spent the night in. Scale imprints in the dirt, and a trail leading away. He tells us that erosion is being sped up but the grazing, fewer plants to hold onto the soil, and points to a small debris damn, one that is made up of tiny twigs, the earth is trying to catch soil, to hold its ground. We come upon a lichen covered rock as he excitedly tells us that the orange lichens always seem to be moving outward, look closely at the edge, they are fingers. The green ones are always in the middle of the colonies, surrounded by the orange sunbursts. He has been photographing a lichen covered rock for 40 years to see if his hypothesis is true. So far lichens grow to slowly to answer that question in our lifetime.

I walk beside him and talk about Grand Junction, my home and where his wife grew up.

"Our headquarters used to be on somewhere down on Colorado and Ute," he says. Familiar street names that take me home. We talk some more geology, then he moves on to talk about his son a geologist in Tucson. We come to the edge of the mesa, and look down on the back side of Comb Ridge. Rainbow shales extend up to the Wingate cliffs blending into Kayenta then the Navajo Sandstone that tops the ridge. We marvel at the colors before us accented by the evening light. I see so much knowledge in his eyes, a curiosity that is still fresh after living with this land for most of his life. He starts down the slope toward our awaiting cars.

Joe Pachak - Amateur archeologist, geologist, and naturalist.
Liza Doran - Trader, Resteraunteur, Local Hero

Joe Pachak, an artist/archeologist from Bluff, UT, gave us a glimpse of incredible rock art on Comb ridge and much more. From Joe we were able to glean an understanding of the possible significance of this striking art, as well as a deepened respect for the many cultures that produced them. Joe's work is something that is only possible with the time and energy that he has invested not only in his studies, but also in deepening his relationship with the land and people of Bluff. What I will take away most from Joe is how important a deep sense of place becomes to most facets of your life living in the west: from your work (hopefully your calling), to your relationships, to even the house you build.

Ruby Warren, and her niece Rosie - Farmer, Chef, Weaver, Mechanic

Jim Hook - Lodge Owner and Fire Chief

Jim Hook is the owner of the Recapture Lodge and fire chief of Bluff, Utah. He took us for a tour of his extensive riverside property one sunny afternoon, speaking at length about how hard it is (and perhaps potentially useless) to try to completely control a river landscape. He showed us the non native species that had invaded the floodplain, such as Russian Olive and Tamarisk, and the large native Cottonwood trees that he's attempted to save but are still steadily dying. We learned about the legal issues that can arise when property is defined by a river as one of it's boundaries, and what happens when the river shifts, as it is naturally inclined to do. He showed us how the San Juan river and town had changed in the past hundred years and showed us it's most recent movements, which came from a flood previous to our arrival. Jim was extremely friendly and personable, and we all had a good time learning from him as we walked his allotment of the San Juan river floodplain and bank.

Tierra Wools - Weavers Cooperative in Los Ojos, New Mexico

Alan Sindelar - President - Positive Energy

Courtney White - Executive Director - Quivira Coalition

Craig Conley - Rowe Mesa Grassbank - Director

Michael Moon - Rowe Mesa Grassbank - Ranch Manager

Joe and Valer Austin - Ranch Owners

We visited the Austin's San Bernadino Ranch just south of the US-Mexico border. They own many ranches in this area, neighbored by drug and human smugglers. Their ranches are protecting the border area for animal habitat and migration, extending a US wildlife refuge beyond the international border. The Austin's invest in ranches in Mexico because they have much more freedom to experiment with conservation outside of US regulations. They build many gabions, cobble filled wire baskets, in stream beds to slow the rush of monsoon floods. This keeps streams from cutting any deeper, and has actually raised the stream beds many feet in the last few years. The San Bernadino ranch should someday become a wetland as they continue to raise the streams and the water table.

Jeff Smith - Border Patrol Agent - Naco Station

Sharman Apt Russell - Professor of Writing and Author

Mike Fugagli - Nature Conservancy Ornithologist, Licthy Center near Cliff, NM

David Furnas - Gallery Owner, Silver City, NM