SAN JUAN NATIONAL FOREST NEWSLETTER 1

Fall 2014 San Juan National Forest Newsletter

Students and Agencies Benefit from Internships DURANGO - Six Fort Lewis College Chris Ridener, an environmental students took part this summer in the studies sophomore, learned about inaugural Federal Lands recreation on the San Juan NF Col- Internship Program. umbine RD. Sara Newman, an envi- Although similar internships have ronmental studies senior, worked in been available, a recent memoran- the Columbine range program. dum of understanding between fed- Ryan Barton, an environmental eral agencies and local nonprofits studies graduate, interned in visitor offers new opportunities. services at the Dolores Public Lands Southwest Conservation Corps ad- Office. His goal is to work with Na- ministered the program through tive American tribes in natural-re- AmeriCorps, which allows the interns source management. to be considered for future federal Candice Jenkins, an environmen- positions. tal studies senior, helped the Pagosa Mountain Studies Institute se- RD conduct wildlife and vegetation lected the interns and coordinated Chris Ridener surveys, among other projects. their orientation, training and mid- Hopes are that interns from San term and final presentations. Employee mentors oversaw the Juan College will participate next The San Juan NF hosted four in- professional development of each year and that the Four Corners Fed- terns, and Aztec Ruins National intern. The 10-week program in- eral Lands internships will also be Monument hosted two. cluded a stipend. available with the BLM. - Ann Bond “The goal is to better prepare the next generation of agency person- nel,” said Ron Duvall, San Juan NF Administrative Officer. “The inaugural program was a smashing success,” said Cliff Spen- cer, Superintendent of . “The students were enthusiastic and resourceful, and willing to venture outside their com- fort zones in carrying out assign- ments.” David Strawn, a recent anthropol- ogy graduate, and Emily Ciszek, an environmental studies senior, pro- vided interpretative services at Az- tec Ruins. Ryan Barton Sara Newman 2 SAN JUAN NATIONAL FOREST NEWSLETTER SAN JUAN PUBLIC LANDS CENTER

Celebrate Wilderness DURANGO – America’s Wilderness Act became law 50 years ago this month. To celebrate, the San Juan NF has joined with the local community to hold a Walk for Wil- derness and Family Fun Fair on Saturday, Sept. 27 at the La Plata County Fairgrounds. The Wilderness Walk will begin at 9 a.m. and follow the Animas River Trail to Rotary Park and loop back to the fairgrounds. Participants will receive a commemorative pin and branded wood chip. There is no need to pre-register. Family Fun Fair booths and activities begin at 10:30 a.m., with music provided by the San Juan String Band. Activities will include a Kids Edu- cation Corner, demonstrations of stock packing and primitive tool use, backcountry gear, low-impact river camping, Dutch-oven cooking tech- Summer Notes niques, and a wilderness backcountry cooking contest. The walk and The summer has flown by, and activities are free, and food and beverages will be on sale. San Juan NF employees have ac- For more information, contact Kathe Hayes at 970 385-1310. complished a great deal. Our new Land and Resource PAGOSA SPRINGS – The San Juan NF Pagosa RD and Geothermal Green- Management Plan has held up un- house Partnership are hosting a free mini-film festival at the Liberty der appeal reviews, which allows Theater on Saturday, Sept. 13th to celebrate the Wilderness Act’s 50th us to begin implementation. A big anniversary. Thank You to everyone who spent The Meaning of Wild documents the adventures of a wildlife camera- the past several years working to man in some of Alaska’s most pristine wilderness. The film has won over make this possible. 20 awards at various film festivals since its 2013 debut. I spent a large portion of the Wild by Law: the Rise of Environmentalism and the Creation of the summer trying to meet with our Wilderness Act received an Academy Award nomination in 1991. partners. Please know that with- A Sense of Wonder, a 2008 documentary about Rachel Carson, depicts out your help, we could not meet her reflections in the last year of her life. Carson wrote the 1960’s all our accomplishments. classic, Silent Spring. I also tried to spend time in the The Environmental Film Festival has contributed nine award- field with employees across the winning short films. Forest. I appreciate all the invites For screening times, go to: http://pagosagreen.org/film-festival-2014 to visit field projects and hope to receive more invitations. I was scheduled for a trip into the Weminuche (which unfortu- Ginger Recognized by Region nately did not happen) but was glad to see that our Four Corners Fed- San Juan NF Contracting Officer Ginger Domingos received the Rocky eral Lands interns were all able to Mountain Regional Acquisition Management Award as Contracting Of- get into the wilderness. I invite ev- ficer of the Quarter for her work earlier this year gathering informa- eryone to our upcoming events tion for the Office of General Council in relation to a contracting claim. celebrating the Wilderness Act’s th Ginger and a team from the San Juan NF, including Allen McCaw and 50 Anniversary. Ben Martinez, prepared for two hear- In closing I want to remind em- ings in Federal Contract Appeals ployees to be safe ~ think about Court. the job at hand, ensure you have They were recognized for putting the safety equipment you need, together information on behalf of review your Job Hazard Analysis the USFS for presentation to a Fed- and follow its outlined actions to eral Judge. The USFS was success- mitigate hazards. We want every- ful in defending its position as a re- one returning home safe each sult. - Ann Bond night! Kara Chadwick Forest Supervisor SAN JUAN NATIONAL FOREST NEWSLETTER 3 SAN JUAN PUBLIC LANDS CENTER

John is New Budget Analyst DURANGO - John Wilderson is the new San Juan Budget Analyst. He’ll be preparing budgets, applying statistical analysis, and maintaining account accuracy. He’ll also work on development, rule writing and determination, and monitoring. John served as a munitions specialist in the U.S. Air Force for six years, first sta- tioned in Italy and then Hill Air Force Base, Utah. He was deployed to Iraq twice and to Kuwait. He also worked as a tax accountant for TD Bank North America in South Portland, Maine, and has held a diversity of jobs, including chef, truck driver, lobster packer/ grader, construction, and hardscaping. John holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, with an International Business track from the University of Southern Maine. His interests include hiking, camping, hunting, travel, photography, Crossfit, the tiny house movement, and leather working. He and wife, Anna, his “adventuring companion,” have a ferret named Acadia. “I am ecstatic to be a part of the Forest Service; to be a part of something I appreciate and utilize signifi- cantly,” John says. “Now I have the opportunity to contribute to the effort required to maintain such a vast public land system.” - Ann Bond

Lucas Watching over Budget DURANGO - Lucas Gallegos has been filling in as Acting San Juan NF Budget Officer for Stephanie Kelley, who is on maternity leave. He’s done a great job tracking, ana- lyzing and projecting budget and expenditures. Lucas is a Budget Analyst for the USFS Regional Office in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He began his federal career in 2011 as a Pathways student in appeals and litigation, then became a Human Resources Assistant in the USFS Southwest Regional Office. Lucas received his first permanent position in 2013 as Beaverhead-Deerlodge NF Budget Analyst. He now works in Budget Execution at the Albuquerque Service Center and for the USFS Southwest Regional Of- fice. Pretty Lucas holds a Bachelor’s degree in Hu- man Resource ManagementBabies and Organi- zational Behavior, as well as a Master’s Degree in Finance from the University of New Mexico. “I am thankful to have this opportunity to gain experience helping out on the San Juan,” he says. “I hope to leave behind new and effective ideas, and acquire new ideas to take back with me to my positions in Albuquerque.” - Ann Bond

Landon Kelley, 2, helps parents, Stephanie and Chasen Kelley, celebrate his new baby sister, Shelby Ann Kelley, born July 31st, at 7 lbs. 12 oz. San Juan Public Lands Center, Durango 4 SAN JUAN NATIONAL FOREST NEWSLETTER SAN JUAN PUBLIC LANDS CENTER Thalia is New Civil Engineer DURANGO – Thalia Haro is a new Civil Engineer in the PLC overseeing facilities, water and wastewater. Previously Thalia was an engineering student participating in the Pathways Program at the Rocky Mountain Regional Office. She graduated this spring from the Colorado School of Mines with a degree in Engineering with Civil Specialty. Thalia has two adopted cockatiels; one a youngster at 6 years old, the other a senior bird citizen at 23 years of age. They currently reside with her parents in Den- ver. “I look forward to meeting new and great people like I have so far and learning from each individual,” she says. - Ann Bond

Road Crew to the Rescue DOLORES – The San Juan NF Road Crew spent time on Bolam Pass last month to re- pair a slump that had dam- aged a 30-foot-long portion of the Hermosa Park Road (FS Road 578) on the Rico side of the pass. Until the repair work, the public had to drive through a road-side ditch to maneuver around the affected area to complete the popular scenic drive from Durango Mountain Resort. San Juan NF Roads Manager Pete Merkel and Engineer Allen McCaw came up with a fix that included reinforcing the fill slope with large boulders and building it back up by compact- ing layers with filter fabric. Aggregate left over from the Cayton Campground renovation was added to the filter fabric and gravel. After the ditch was reshaped, disturbed areas were reseeded. The project took three days, with traffic restricted through the area for only one day. “I think it will hold up well,” Merkel says. “The real heroes are backhoe operator, Jon Smith, his swamper, Joe Muller, and grader operator, Dave Watkins.” - Ann Bond

Teens on Adventure DURANGO - The Association, San Juan NF, Americorps and Mountain Studies Institute joined forces to take teenagers on a backpacking trip this sum- mer. This was the second annual trip. Nine kids and four adults camped along the Crater Lake Trail in the , then hiked to Crater Lake, where most summited North . Participants learned about camping etiquette, map and compass use, forest and alpine flora, forest insects and diseases, aquatic macro invertebrates, water quality, wet- lands and fens, and star constellations. Despite rain, all remained in good spirits, enjoying the camaraderie. - MK Thompson, SJMA educator SAN JUAN NATIONAL FOREST NEWSLETTER 5 COLUMBINE RANGER DISTRICT

Weed Warriors BAYFIELD - Columbine Range and Wilderness crews joined forces this summer to treat noxious weeds along the Pine River in the Weminuche Wilderness. Horses Easy, Nelson and Opie and Dweeb the mule provided transportation for the equipment. Musk and Canada thistle were the most common treated, with houndstongue also present. It is estimated that each large purple flower head of the musk thistle has 10,000 viable seeds, which can quickly take over an area and crowd out native grasses and forbs. “The timing of the treatment was excellent, as the musk thistle was just beginning to bloom, making the spray effective in controlling the plants and preventing the release of viable seeds,” said Range Technician Justin Marler. Chemical treatment of invasives is more effective than manual weed pulling, which has been used along the Pine River Trail for the past nine years. Marler said chemicals were mixed to achieve just the right combination for each specific weed type, and plants were treated individually. Although the work was tedious, it conserved the mixture and prevented overuse. Care was taken to prevent spills and contamination of water sources. Humans used protective gear, and the stock animals were isolated from the spray. Invasive species can dramatically change wilderness in a short period of time. This application will make a big difference in our ability to limit the spread of invasives in the Weminuche and help preserve the character of the area for future generations, 50 years and more after the passage of the Wilderness Act. - Anne Dal Vera

Please Don’t Trash the Forest

BAYFIELD - The Columbine RD is in the middle of an on-going battle to rid the National Forest of abandoned trash. Employees spent several weeks this summer removing refuse from all cor- ners of the 691,310-acre district. Abandoned trash is not only an eyesore but a health and safety hazard. The cost to taxpayers not only adds up in employee time, but also in landfill fees, which range from $50 to $100, depending on the content and size of the truckload.

Columbine Ranger District Office Bayfield, Colorado The abandoned camp pictured above was located at Berri Park about five miles up Middle Mountain Road above Vallecito Reservoir. Local residents reported the situation to the USFS af- ter the trash began attracting bears and rodents. Cleaning up the mess took two district employees sev- eral hours of drive time and loading a pickup with items ranging from food, mattresses, clothing, and household items. - Stan Sparks 6 SAN JUAN NATIONAL FOREST NEWSLETTER PAGOSA RANGER DISTRICT

Roper Moving to PLC PAGOSA SPRINGS - Mark Roper, Pagosa RD Geographic Information System (GIS) Specialist, is headed to Durango as Forest GIS Coordinator. Mark will serve as the lead for the San Juan GIS Team and will be the GIS analyst on forest-wide projects and provide GIS support to personnel. He will continue to function as the Forest’s Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) Coordinator and the Regional Center of Excellence contact for GPS mapping support. “Now folks across the entire San Juan will have the privilege of working with Mark,” says Mark Lambert, Planning and Public Service Staff Officer. “A huge thanks to Bob Brantlinger, Jessey Ramirez, Tom Kochanski, and Mark – for their patience and outstanding work to keep on top of all our GIS demands for the past three years.” Mark began his federal career as a seasonal Wilderness Ranger in 1994 on the San Isabel NF San Carlos RD. He moved to the Pike/San Isabel NFs Supervisor’s Office in 1995 as Cartographic Aide, becoming Cartographic Technician in1998. Mark came to the Pagosa RD as GIS Specialist in 2001. Since then, he has offered GIS services to the Rio Grande and Nebraska NFs on special details, and served on Type 1 and Type 2 Rocky Mountain Incident Management Teams. He also holds Mexican spotted owl surveying certification and has deployed and maintained portable remote automated weather stations. Mark has a Bachelor’s degree in Natural Resources Recreation and Tourism from Colorado State University. He enjoys photography, travel, hiking and trains. “I look forward to new opportunities and challenges across the Forest, while still being able to work with everyone I’ve had the privilege to work with during my years on the District,” Mark says. - Ann Bond

Summer of Success

PAGOSA SPRINGS – With a group of passionate volunteers, the Pagosa RD presented 13 programs this summer in and around the San Juan NF on topics ranging from geology, wildflowers, mush- rooms, human history, and fire prevention to wilderness. Read with a Ranger was a new program we held at the public library. It was packed full of nature books and fun activities. I have many great memories to take away from this program. One that sticks out in my mind is hearing 30 children vigorously sing the Habitat Song at the top of their lungs. I’m sure their parents were Photo Courtesy Ruby M. Sisson Memorial Library more than happy that evening when their kids came home with the song stuck in their little heads. We are expanding this program into the coming months with Read with a Ranger – the Winter Sessions. I look forward to working with the library staff again to bring to life winter in the National Forest for the kids. Thanks for the successful summer! - Brandon Caley

Pagosa Ranger District, Pagosa Springs SAN JUAN NATIONAL FOREST NEWSLETTER 7 DOLORES PUBLIC LANDS OFFICE Darren Excels at Front Desk DOLORES - Last winter a tall young man with a big smile walked into the DPLO inquiring about volunteer opportunities. When asked what field he was interested in, he promptly said, “Visitor Information Services.” So we put Darren Uptain to work at the front desk as a volunteer. Over the summer, he became a natural at helping the public. His enthusiasm was contagious, and he often went the extra mile to make sure all his customers were satisfied. Native to the Dolores area and a recent graduate from Dolores High School, Darren was a perfect ambassador for public lands. He enjoys fishing, hiking, and camping in the area. His other passion is restoring classic cars. Darren also works full-time for Montezuma County Road Department, where he operates equipment, trucks and works in the shop. His long-range goals include college, where he hopes to acquire a degree that will land him a USFS job. “This is the best experience I have ever had,” he says. “The employees are great and were all willing to provide hands-on training for me.” - Toni Kelly

National Public Lands Day DOLORES - This year’s annual work day took place in late July on the Calico Trail, where volunteers rebuilt and repaired a boardwalk at the start of this popular Na- tional Recreation Trail. Thanks to Chris Bouton, Dolores Trail Foreman, for getting supplies delivered by the Rocky Mountain Regional pack string earlier this year. The Dolores RD trail crew also prepped the site in advance, so everything was ready for the 20 volunteers. Many trail user groups worked on the multi-use trail, including the Kokopelli Bike Club, SJMA, San Juan Trail Riders and Back Country Horsemen. All participate in the Trails Roundtable, which meets biannually to promote sharing trails and working together in a safe environment. The volunteer crew drilled holes in boards, laid them on a frame and bolted them down. The crew also repositioned two culverts to provide drainage for the board- walk. - Kathe Hayes

In Memory Of DOLORES - New “green” additions to the grounds of the DPLO honor the memory of two of our late colleagues. An autumn blaze maple was planted for Wildlife Biologist Kathy Nickell and a bur oak for Trails Foreman Lloyd McNeil. Trees and plaques were pur- chased with employee donations and fundraisers, with help from Kathy’s family. The plaques commemorate Kathy and Lloyd’s dates of service on the San Juan NF. The trees are a great way to re- member two wonderful people who made this district a better place because of their dedication to their jobs. - Ann McDonald Dolores Public Lands Office, Dolores