Howdy

The word "howdy", as a greeting, has invaded my vocabulary. I wonder why....

Perhaps it is because I live in the true wild west.

Camping Out

Camping at the Red Rock Fire Area

My past few weeks of work have been quite camping intensive and I don't see much changing in the coming weeks seeing as our field season is now in full swing. A lot of the projects we work on out here, as the BLM botany team, require us to drive deep into our 5 million acre district to accomplish our tasks. Here, I'll give you the lowdown on a few of our most recent projects.

Three weeks ago we were in the Red Rock Fire area, where we so often find ourselves working on various projects. This time we were occupied with the monitoring of vegetation communities. after the fire in 2009 at Red Rock, the team at that time had set up four transect monitoring plots to be read for three years in succession to gain a perspective for how the vegetation recovers after a fire event, so it was our job to take year two data. We showed up to the first plot with a small team of five and managed to read/ gather all of the necessary data in three days time... This was a tough plot since the transect lines crossed a riparian zone (where the plant community composition changes drastically, making it a long task when you need to key out all of the unknown plants) and crossed over from the burned area to the non-burned sagebrush zone (more plants). Luckily, for us botanists doing all the reading, the last three plots were less diverse and we had our entire team of ten out to lend a hand, effectively completing the rest of the plots.

Last week we spent a total of three nights camping out in the Mono Lake basin, east of the sierras, to collect native seed material. As an intern for the CLM we are working in partnership with the Seeds of Success program, where it is our mission to collect native plant seed in remote locations for the use of fire restoration and to gather the genetic material for long term storage. This last seed collecting trip turned out to be more of a vacation than actual work. We were camped out by lakes for each of the three nights so after our long ten hour day of looking at flowers and gathering seed, we were able to go for a refreshing swim in the cool waters of the high sierran lakes.

Up Lundy Canyon

Yellow star

Eriogonum umbellatum. Beautiful, but not ready to collect

Recent Realizations

6 months today I left Keene NH to embark on a winter driving journey that would take me through Boston, Michigan, Omaha, Boulder CO, Salt Lake City, and all of those miles in between.
...
I was going to analyze this statement using phrases like "big steps from the nest" and "widening vision" but I just now realized I simply wanted to share some photos with you all, the folks who follow this here blog.

native thistle plant at our monitoring site

mimulus sp.

breakfast in carson

look how big! not the most up-to-date photo but it will suffice in the meantime

I keep working and the seasons keep changing.

Looking Back: Sequoia

Being back out alone on the trail this past weekend up around Lake Tahoe had me thinking to this past fall when I solo backpacked for 5 days in Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park. It was much easier then, it seemed right to be out in the wild lands with only myself to keep the company. Here are some excerpts from my journal.

Wednesday October 27th 2010

After two days of thick fog hindering my view, I am finally laying my eyes upon the beautifully glaciated peaks of the Sierras. So ridged at the peaks and so smooth throughout, carved by years of glacial action, deep bowls, long arroyos as if created by man for his own recreation but this glory is unmatched by the hand of man. the trees scattered throughout give way to the path of ice and water, although no glaciers are present you can see their work. Light snow is dusted on the highest peaks, giving this range more depth

After hiking just 2 miles i set up camp in the Lone Pine Creek drainage. The site is near the river with good access thanks to the CCC and the remains of their bridge. Up river is a large cascading waterfall and looking downriver reveals glaciated peaks and rounded buttes reminiscent of El Capitan and Half Dome of Yosemite. After setting camp I walked up for the sunlight to read in. the sun faded and the colors danced upon the rounded summits.

Thursday October 28th 2010

After five miles of switchbacks and an early start from my base camp I have reached Precipice Lake at about mid-day. the water is crystal clear to an unknown depth and thre is a gradient of color starting at the edge with orange-red that cools into a deep aqua blue. the noontime sunlight only reaches half of the lake (thankfully my side) leaving the sheer cliff that plummets straight into the water covered in ice and snow. Above the cliff are patches of snow at the base of Eagle Scout Peak that seem as though they may never have felt the strength of direct sunlight.

As I sit here gazing at the wall in front of me I am wondering where it was that Ansel Adams stood as he expose his photograph of this lake.

I toss a stone. It makes a sound just like I had expected it to, that of a typical pebble piercing the surface of a lake. After laying down by the water I am convinced that I hear approaching voices and the snapping of their poles. I then agree with myself that it is simply the many voices of the babbling water as it flows down to the other lakes. 3 days and still no others.

These entries capture my initial encounter with the sierras in all their beauty. I am glad to still have access to their enchantment.

Bishop Bouldering

The Buttermilks main boulder field by night

Last weekend was memorial day weekend so after talking with my buddy Mike, from Vermont, aslo living in the area, we decided to travel a few hours south into warmer desert temperatures so that we might escape this oddly cold/ snowy weather that has plagued us these past weeks. Apart from the enticing change in climate, Bishop California is known for it's amazing bouldering fields. For those of you that may not know, bouldering is a style of rock climbing that involves very little gear and minimal risk as long as you stay within your own limits. Basically free climbing around on large rocks, not to gain altitude, but to test your balance and strength. This was my initial understanding of the activity but I later realized it is more involved than I had imagined.

The two of us drove four hours south to the town of bishop, which rests in a large valley between the eastern front of the Sierras and the western edge of the White Mountains. It's an odd feeling when you drive into town as the lanscape changes from low sagebrush plains into fully leafed deciduous trees. After a short stop at the local, delicious Eric Shatz's bakery for lunch we headed to the climbing store to rent a crash pad. Since climbing shoes are made to fit a size smaller than your shoe and are quite uncomfortable, the crash pad comes in handy when dropping off the rocks from considerable heights. While at the shop and asking about camping in the area we came to find out that a wild fire swept through one of the climbing areas a day before and may not be open to camping. Apparently some climbers were out camping by the rocks and neglected to smother their fire coals completely. The fire didn't start until one in the afternoon that next day when the strong winds unearthed the still red coals, ignited them, and sent them tumbling into the sage brush. Fires can be a gamble in such a dry environment.

On our way up to the Buttermilks boulder field we drove through the blackened fire area, which was fully under control thanks to the dozens of wildland fire fighters by the time we got there. We found the main boulder field, climbed some rocks and set camp without a fire that night.

Mike

And I

We continued to climb on rocks and exhaust our bodies for the next three days. On the third day I came to the understanding that bouldering is just as much a mental test as it is physical. On day three I hit a barrier where I would climb this one particular line and get to a point where I know, physically, I can reach the next hold but it was as if my mind was giving up before my body, saying "nope, that's not gonna happen". It was quite frustrating after trying to top out onto that boulder over a dozen times. I quickly began to see how much the mind plays a role in ones ability to complete a smooth effortless ascent.

Pinus longaeva: The Bristlecone Pine

Pinus longaeva. This is the photo that most impresses me among all the others I've taken since coming here. Take a moment to click on the picture or view it in my Flickr photostream to observe the posture of this tree in a larger format. This growth habit for the Bristlecone Pine exists when growing along an exposed ridge line, where it is constantly exposed to the sculpting hands of the environment. The high winds prevented this tree from growing more than five feet tall, effectively dwarfing its stature. The smooth twists twists in it's bark come from the extremely slow growth. All trees grow with a sort of twist in their trunk, the slower it grows, the more defined the twist can be. You can get an idea for the age of a certain tree by contemplating the relationship between height and amount of contortion. This individual is awful short and quite twisted, I happen to know that this tree is likely well over 3,500 years old. How amazing it is that this tree was a seedling well before the birth of christ. Being in its presence for hours of my day was simply a fraction of a moment in the life of this ancient LIVING being.

It is hard to describe the feeling of walking amongst these elders of the natural world, I've never felt more like I was stepping on sacred ground than I did at that moment.

Photo courtesy of Chris Hoffman

To Make a Didgeridoo (My Message Stick)

So this past fall I was strolling through the streets of San Francisco on my way to the airport when I spotted the most beautiful dried agave flower stalk. With this being my first time face-to-foliage with this plant, I instantly thought of the possible crafting opportunities, a didgeridoo in particular.

I began playing the didgeridoo in the fall of 2008. It is a very simple instrument that consists of a long hollow tube shape that you blow into. I had heard it used in many songs byXavier Rudd and found it quite enticing. I went online and purchased a hand made bamboo didgeridoo from LA Outback, I figured that if I made the investment it would push me to master the instrument. It turned out to be a challenging task at first, making the drone sound and then eventually figuring out the circular breath. So as my interest in didgeridoos was growing I was continuously looking into how to create my own. First it was the PVC pipe didgeridoo which yielded a simple tone but I wanted something more substantial, I wanted an agave stalk. With agave being native to the western united states I decided to put these ideas on the back burner.

I returned to Frisco after an amazing visit with Miley in Texas, to see him and his platoon off to the middle east. Before I hit the road once again, leaving town, I made one last stop. I paid a visit to the dead agave stalk. It was dark and there was little traffic so I pulled up beside the plant and fetched my machete from the back of the car. When agave flowers, it puts all of its available energy into the production of this long stalk so it can ensure reproductive success. The plant will input so much energy that it dies soon after the fruiting period. This individual had already flowered and was growing more as a weed so I knew I was doing the city a favor by cutting it down. Plus I had creative plans for this particular plant. After hacking down the stalk to a suitable 6ft length I tossed it into my car where it sat for the remainder of my trip across the country, constantly sliding around hitting me in the head and obstructing my views.

After finally returning home to Vermont after my month long trip, living out of my car, I was ready to get started on this project. luckily my father had an abundance of hand tools to make the whole process a bit easier. The first step was to hollow out the interior of the stalk. This was possible because the flower stalk has a very soft pith that can be easily cleaned out. I began by clamping the stalk to the work bench and taking the 4 ft auger with 1 inch drill bit and slowly drilling a channel through the length of the stalk, carefully entering from both ends to make the connection. One end of the stalk was about 5 inches wide so my next step was to clear out the rest of the pith. To do this my father gave me the idea to construct a sharp scraping tool. After grinding a piece of metal into a suitable shape and fixing it to the end of the stick, I was able to complete the hollowing process.

With the center hollowed out and complete I was ready to cut it to the final dimensions and to prepare the exterior surface. By using a pull scraping tool I was able to achieve a beautiful smooth exterior.

My next step was to decorate and seal the didgeridoo. Without being able to play the instrument until I fixed the mouth piece I became very anxious to hear its sound. I found it important to seal the didgeridoo inorder to protect it from cracking and to give a crisp sound since the soft pithy interior wouldn't resonate very well. I sealed the didgeridoo with food safe epoxy, first by slowly dripping it down through all 70 inches of the interior length. Next I sealed the exterior by

rubbing it down with gloved hands to ensure full coverage. After letting it sit for a day after each coat I purchased some beeswax to shape into a mouth piece so that I could start playing.

After days of anticipation and easily over 15 hours of work, the didgeridoo was complete and I gave it a toot and oh what a sound it produced. The sound is very distinct from that of my bamboo didgeridoo and with it being much longer, it enables me to make new sounds and vocalizations with ease. It has been an amazing process and I am happy to continue along the long road to mastery with my new message stick

.

Prison Hill by Night

(shutter click!)

Oh! the wine.

In my scramble to pull the camera gear and tripod together I forgot to slip the wine bottle under my arm. In addition to forgetting my comfort beverage on this coldish night I left my clock back in the car so here I am counting each second of light exposure. 120 seconds.

(shutter release)

hmmm. A bit over exposed but I'm already one exposure deep and I aught not waste my batteries repeating the same exposure. When shooting a night panoramic one must expose each sequential picture in the same way to ensure continuity. After adjusting my camera for the next frame I start the next one. 1.....2.....3.....man that wine sounds nice about now....4.....5.....Silence on the outskirts of town is an odd mixture of engines, suburban coughing, children's screams, domestic dogs barking to one another causing a chain reaction until the entire neighborhood is laced with canine cries. Then the coyotes chime in. Continuing what the puppies had started, the the night yields to the wild dogs and their yelping, whining, barking, the neigh of a horse?? hmmm.....119......120. Click!

I begin the next photo and turn toward my car....1.....2.....scrambling down the rocky summit I carefully step on what seem to be good footholds in the half moon light....39......40.....I've made it to the car realizing I am without a bottle opener.....50.....quick thinking....55....I search through my tool bag and find a 2 inch screw.....65.....66.....phone clock......67......racing back up the large rock pile I make it to my camera, set down the bottle and close the shutter.....120.

(click)

By inserting the screw into the cork and using my Leatherman pliers I am able to de-cork the bottle and take my victory swig. Two minutes on the clock. About five more pictures to go.

The clouds are no where to be seen and the stars are out. Orion, Gemini, Ursa Minora, Draco, Ursa Majora, Polaris. Over time I can track the movement of the sky around the north star. This is what I have needed this past month, I needed to get back outside and spend some much needed time with the world.

The owl hoots then pauses. His response is heard across the sagebrush meadow.

What a perfect night to sleep out.

(shutter release)

BLM Projects: Endemic Buckwheat Preservation

A Glimpse of the Landscape

As some of you may know, I am working for the BLM these days and for those of you who don't know what the BLM is (since i had know idea previous to getting out west), the Bureau of Land Management is one of the agencies with the Department of the Interior. The others include the Forest Service, National Park Service and so fourth. We, the BLM, specifically deal with the management of public lands and since those are hard to come by back East its no wonder why I found out about this branch of the government so recently. I'm working closely with the Carson City District Botanist in addition to four other interns to manage botanical resources in our area.

Since I started my internship about a month ago we have done much training and discussion about upcoming projects for this seasons efforts. Just to highlight the topic of most recent deliberation I want to bring up the conservation of rare plants. My supervisor, the botanist, Dean, has brought attention to a small population of endemic buckwheat plants. Endemic means that they only exist in a very specific location within the entire world (like the giant tortoises of the Galapagos), this location happens to be within our district and therefore is a species of interest to us. When a species is endemic it often means that this organism is taking advantage of certain environmental factors allow it to live in specific space. This zone of "comfort" is referred to as a "niche". Now this rare and endemic buckwheat (polygonaceae family) happens to occupy a niche so specific that it only survives by utilizing the soil made up from the silica carcasses of prehistoric aquatic microorganisms (diatoms) that settled onto the bottom of the ancient oceans and are presently exposed sections of earth. This would not be a big issue if the soils weren't of economic interest, but they are. These diatenacious soils are used not only as a highly effective component to filters of all types but more so for the main ingredient in most cat litters.

Here at the Sierra Front Office we have acknowledged this small population of buckwheat and are making efforts to preserve this plot of land from the interest of local miners. Last years interns went out and set up monitoring plots and GPS marked each individual in this population as a means to quantify the situation. Just last week we had a miner come into the BLM district office to inquire about that plot of land that is so precious to us. This man has millions of investment dollars to set up a new "cat litter" mine but since the land is not yet officially preserved we have to wait for the higher ups to make their decision. Sadly in Nevada there are some very powerful laws backing up the miners to stake their claim, these laws pre-date the endangered species act and take no such consideration. With little preventing the miners form taking over we can only continue to monitor the area and hope the land is preserved in time to save our precious buckwheat who will have nowhere to go outside his niche.
Oh my... Each day I see how managing natural resources on the public lands is so difficult. We must conserve but also meet the needs of the People!

It is their land you know.

For the Love of Film

After two weeks of waiting for my roll of black and white film to be developed, I have results! I first loaded the film on the day before I made the long and somewhat lonesome journey across the country to Carson City Nevada, my new home for the next 10 months. Since it has been nearly a month since I left home, I have been long awaiting these exposures. Unfortunately it took so long because the camera shop I chose (likely the only one in town) sends its film all the way to Los Angeles for development, I was trying to keep it local but film seems to be on it's way out. Below are a few of my exposures, more can be found through my Flickr link on the right. Sadly my 35mm has been acting up (as elderly cameras often do) so I won't be exposing more film anytime soon, until I can get it cleaned and lubricated. I still have my digital so dry those tears, its OK.

A shot of the intern crew working out in the field

Our storage cage. There are some great toys in here!

Biking my way home, this was taken before my tire blew out...