So, this is the end of the WildCorps XI season. Since September 2011, WildCorps has explored the California Desert District, visited some amazing places, accomplished some monumental tasks, and gathered massive amounts of data for the BLM. The crew dedicated over 5400 hours at a variety of locations, including 19 wilderness areas, 1 national monument, and 2 non-wilderness BLM management areas. Major projects included a four-mile fence separating the Kingston Mountains Wilderness from Dumont Dunes Open Area, an intensive water source monitoring effort along the Colorado River that spanned both the Needles and El Centro field office, and hosting four other SCA crews for the midseason All Corps in the Big Maria Mountain Wilderness.
Look at our Numbers!
Restoration
Incursions Restored: 20
Area Restored (m2): 20997
Vertical Mulch Planted: 258
Seed Pits Created and Seeded: 247
Hard Barriers Installed (#, m): 9, 181
Sites Monitored: 41
Fencing
Fence Constructed (#, m): 8, 2708
Fence Prepared (#, m): 4, 4222
Fence Maintained (#, m): 5, 80
Mines Exclosed: 3
Wilderness Monitoring
Water Features Monitored: 49
Biological Features Monitored: 29
Archeaological Features Monitored: 230
Grazing Features Monitored: 32
Misc Features Monitored: 10
Wilderness Boundary Monitored (miles): 6.4
Miles Hiked: 212
Area Monitored (km2): 46
Visitor Service Structures
Hard Barriers Installed (#, m): 1, 59
Sign Posts Installed: 2
Kiosk Foundations Installed: 2
Gates Installed: 6
Other
Signs Installed: 40
Signs Maintained: 12
Signs Removed: 2
Invasive Removal (m2): 6540
Trash Removed (m3): 310
Hiking Trails Created: 1
Fire Rings Removed: 6
Trail Brushed (m): 366
Shelving Units Installed: 3
Washburn Site Preparation for Tribal Gathering (weeds whacked, port-a-potties distributed, trash picked up, ranch house cleaned): 41 people hours
Total Service Hours (ppl hrs): 5457
Big Thanks to the following:
Greg Hill for his interest in the crew and their understanding of the BLM and the current issues the agency is facing.
Tim Williamson of the Barstow Field Office, who shared the challenges, struggles, and accomplishments of the crew by spending day after day with us in the field as well as engaging us in multiple conversations about the agency, its challenges, procedures, and operations. And telling us the story of Willie Boy.
All of our field office contacts: Jen Taylor, Hanem Abouelezz, Mona Daniels, John Johnson, Marty Dickes, and Ashley Blythe.
SCA staff: Darren Gruetze and Jamie Weleber.
The other Ridgecrest crews: that’s Rands, Jawbone, Golden Valley and Owens Peak.
And a special thanks to Rachelle, Caitlin, Dan and Gannon. Y’all are rad and made this year ridiculous. – Natalie R. Wilson
Look at our Pictures!
