By: Patrick Lohmann 
Source NM

Post-fire forest recovery is possible in a drying West, but only if governments devote as much time and resources to it as they do putting the fires out, New Mexico State Forester Laura McCarthy told a group of people concerned about the state’s forests Wednesday evening.
​
In a 45-minute address at a lecture hall at the University of New Mexico, McCarthy flipped through photos of charred forests and rivers clogged with ash due to the Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire up north in 2022 and the South Fork and Salt fires in the Ruidoso area this summer.

“This talk does have a bit of heartbreak in it, and when we think about the climate change experience that we’re all in right now, there’s just no denying that there is this strong element of heartbreak,” she said in her keynote address for the Wildfire & Watershed Symposium, held by the Intermountain West Transformation Network.

Both disasters have been marred by floods and debris flows on burn-scarred mountainsides, “cascading impacts” she said are occurring at a scale governments don’t have enough resources for. They will make life much more complicated in and around those fire perimeters for years to come.

“The authorities and tools that we have aren’t well-suited for the challenges that we face,” she said. “To the extent that we rely on federal money to help us out, they’ve got all these definitions that we have to comply with to get their money, and most of the time we can’t, because it’s like putting a square peg in a round hole.”

“And so states and local governments are left to fill the gap,” she said.

​She called on Congress to take up measures developed by a group of wildfire and watershed experts, known as the Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission. The 50-member commission’s report, released in September of last year after two years in the making, makes 148 recommendations aimed at creating landscapes and communities more resilient to wildfire.

​She said the report lays bare the disorganized nature of post-fire recovery, with state and local governments often working at odds with federal partners. The “fragmented” approach to restoring landscapes and watersheds is markedly different from the way mass resources are coordinated to suppress wildfires, where she said it seems like everyone knows what role they’re meant to play and where they fit into efforts to extinguish a fire. 

“We just don’t have that for the post-fire environment, but it’s possible that we can use that model to help us out,” she said.

An eternal melodrama in one act
​By Zach Hively

Thank you for calling your friendly neighborhood multi-state waste service conglomerate. We are happy to assist you in the most efficient way possible. What is the nature of your call?

“I need to swap out my bins.”

I’m sorry, I didn’t catch that. In as few words as possible, what is the nature of your call? 

“Swap out my bins.”

I’m sorry, please try one more time. In as few words as possible, what is the nature of your call?

“Swap. Out. My bins.”

Hmm. In an attempt to emulate human compassion, I’m sorry I didn’t catch that. Here, let’s try something else. What is your service address? 

“2234 Pine Way, Aurora, Illinois.”

That was 2234 Pine Way in Aurora, Illinois. Is that correct?

“Yes.”

Based on the phone number you’re calling from, we’ve determined your address is 2234 Pine Way in Aurora, Illinois. Is that correct?

“… Yes.”

Great. Let me look up that account. Beep boop beep. I see that you have zero dollars due. Would you like to pay that now?

“No.”

Okay. Do you need to report an error in service? 

“No.”

I didn’t catch that. Do you need to report an error in service? Say “yes” if yes, “no” if--
“NO.”

Okay. Hmm. I don’t see any other available issues at 2234 Pine Way in Aurora, Illinois. If you do not schedule a bin swap to our updated waste collection bins by the date listed on your latest statement--

“THAT’S WHAT I WANT. I WANT TO REPLACE MY BINS.”

Great. Thank you for calling the dedicated number we provided for you to swap out your outdated waste collection bins. Please say your service address as printed on your latest statement. 
“Twenty-two. Thirty-four. Pine Way. Aurora. Illinois.”

Great. It appears your service address at 2234 Pine Way in Aurora, Illinois, is not eligible for our dedicated phone number provided for you to swap out your outdated waste collection bins. We will email you a link to complete this process online, at the end of which you will receive our dedicated phone number for your convenience.

[head drops audibly onto chest]
​
I’m sorry, I didn’t catch that. Let’s start you over. Thank you for calling your friendly neighborhood multi-state waste service conglomerate. We are happy to assist you in the most efficient way possible. What is the nature of your call?

Op Ed
​By Lupita Salazar

Tres Semillas - Uno para yo, uno para vos, uno para los animalitos de Dios.
Three seeds-one for me, one for you, one for God’s little animals. A dicho that expresses collaboration and symbiosis.

This week Tres Semillas Foundation, an organization whose name denotes hope, has evicted the Northern Youth Project from the land they have stewarded for 15 years. All to make the land attractive to a potential buyer.

What an ironic way to spend their anniversary. In the place of celebration, they have had to leave behind, and remove years of community and youth investment. From irrigation systems, to a graffiti and mural wall, to trees planted in the memories of youth who have passed away.
Why would Tres Semillas Foundation, an organization with such a name whose articles of incorporation state that they will “provide for economic development in the Abiquiu area” evict the Abiquiu Farmers Market, Frosty Cow, and the Northern Youth Project after they have all done just that? When a stated goal has been the “development of land for community purposes including education, arts, health, economic opportunity, and other forms of community support.”

Semillas are seeds. Are not the youth the seeds, the hope of our future?

Northern Youth Project’s goal is to “Support the Dreams of Northern New Mexico Teens.”Dreams are the seeds planted in the minds and hearts of the youth of our area.

Tres Semillas was formed to manage the land in the heart of Abiquiu for community use 17 years ago. They reached out for ideas and input. Leona Hillary and local teens including youth leaders Anastacia Maestas and Rebecca Gutierrez answered the call. In a community with no high school, recreational parks, or teen center-they planted a seed. 15 years ago these teens planted a garden on the Tres Semillas land.

And every year since, generations of teens have participated in the agriculture or art programs. They have cleaned and maintained the acequia, held farm to table events, and visited other farmers and community events to expose the youth to a wider world.

Tres Semillas, who instead of planting their three seeds, their hope for the future, is selling this land to the highest bidder. An organization created to protect Abiquiu from outside development and exploitation, has itself made the community vulnerable. Instead of continuing to cultivate the seeds that have flourished for years, they are digging them up. Another sacrifice to the bulldozer of capitalism. A non-profit organization turned into a landlord- who has existed out of non- profit compliance for years.

What a shame that another handful of seeds has been taken away from our youth in a region that already has limited resources. Local schools have limited or no art programs. Recreational and job opportunities are also scarce. Youth are often isolated due to lack of transportation and opportunities to connect with others.

Though these seeds have been taken away FOR profit. The wildflowers have blown in the wind. Evicted and uprooted. But resilient with community soil, a loving sun, and nourishing water. Though their absence will leave a scar, the seeds will float in the wind to a new place. New land ready to receive them.

But the story of Tres Semillas will remain. The story of how Peter and Sarah Solmssen, as well as Bernadette and Steve Gallegos sold the land they were entrusted to manage for the community instead of stewarding it. How they evicted a youth program. How they made a whole community vulnerable to unwanted development. The story of their greed and disregard for their neighbors and the future of our region.

Quisieron enterrarnos, pero se les olvido que somos semillas. They tried to bury us, but they didn’t know we were seeds.

By Dr. Matthew Schumann, Dar al Islam
 
“And the servants of the All-Merciful who walk gently on the earth, and when ignorant people address them, they say, ‘Peace.’” (The Quran, chapter The Criterion, 25:63)
 
This weekend, Dar al Islam will host a dozen guests and local community members to map hiking trails across our 1400-acre campus. This effort is part of our long-term vision to establish sustainable and accessible hiking trails to enhance nature-based learning and recreation at Dar al Islam. Titled “Walking Gently,” this retreat will also explore the spiritual and moral dimensions of serving as a khalifa, or God’s representative on earth, a key concept in Islamic thought.
 
In the Quran, God explains that He created human beings to serve as his representative or vicegerent on earth. This responsibility is understood as a trust, or amana. Fulfilling this trust is each human being’s life mission. Success in this quest requires the mobilization of our spiritual and moral energy, as well as human and material resources. During “Walking Gently,” participants will reflect on how to strive towards fulfilling this trust and how to do so with beauty and balance.
 
Attendees will arrive at Dar al Islam on Thursday evening, God willing, and will open the program with an evening of prayer, worship and song. On Friday morning, they will take a contemplative hike in Plaza Blanca. Our first discussion session will take place in the canyon and will focus on the spiritual dimensions of the soil and water. After communal Friday prayers, participants will learn about Prophetic character, a key aspect to serving as God’s representative.
 
On Saturday and Sunday, participants will spend the morning hiking in Plaza Blanca and elsewhere on Dar al Islam’s campus. Plaza Blanca is a 200-acre slot canyon formed out of white, volcanic ash. For decades, it has been a prized destination due to its serenity and unique geologic formations. A popular hiking destination, Plaza Blanca receives more than 5,000 visitors every year. It was also frequented by Georgia O’Keefe, who painted portions of the canyon while living in Abiquiu.
 
Additionally, retreat attendees will enjoy field trips to the Poshuouingue ruins and Abiquiu pueblo. Community visioning sessions on Saturday and Sunday will allow participants to focus on how they can enhance their individual spiritual development and service to their communities. The program concludes Sunday night with a bonfire and reflections.
 
Dar al Islam is an educational and spiritual retreat center that was founded in Abiquiu in the early 1979. Today, our mosque complex hosts hundreds of guests each summer. We are dedicated to supporting the religious and spiritual education of American Muslims and fostering bonds of mutual understanding between our faith community and our neighbors. The “Walking Gently” program will not only contribute to the future development of Dar al Islam’s campus, but also help build a community around spiritually-integrated, nature-based programming in the American Muslim community. We are excited to continue developing our educational and recreational offerings for the benefit of our local and national community.
 
Plaza Blanca, which is a 200-acre site consisting of beautiful white rock formations, is part of the Dar al Islam property and has been accessible to visitors for hikes from throughout the nation and the world since its acquisition in 1979. Plaza Blanca, or the White Place, was made famous by several paintings of the national arts icon, Georgia O’Keefe, who spent a significant amount of time at Plaza Blanca in the 1930s and 1940s. Additionally, more than 13 movies have been shot at Plaza Blanca over the years, including The Magnificent Seven, The Lone Ranger, Cowboys and Aliens, Missing, Earth 2, and more. 

At least my subconscious pays attention.

​By Zach Hively

When folks ask me what advice I have for writers, I often straight-up steal something I gleaned from Pam Houston on (I think) a radio interview: Notice the glimmers—the things that have been snagging your attention recently are doing so for a reason.

This poem comes, I think, from a corollary, which I’ll call the Glimmer Archives: the things that caught my attention once upon a time, which I suddenly remember for no good reason, except that there is always a reason.

This entry from the Glimmer Archives was a pretty convincing memory that a bridge in Paris had collapsed because too many lovers had fastened too many locks onto it, presumably without leaving the keys. 

Taos, N.M., Oct. 15, 2024— Carson National Forest planners opened a scoping period for two proposed projects related to recreation and special uses today. The projects, as currently proposed, are considered categorical exclusions under the National Environmental Policy Act, and comments are sought to help daylight any unknown issues.
 
The scoping period closes at 11:59 p.m., Oct. 30, 2024.
 
Ghost Ranch Trails
 
Forest staff are proposing to officially incorporate three popular, but informal, trails that begin on Ghost Ranch, an education and retreat center in Abiquiu, and continue onto national forest land. Additionally, the following adjustments are proposed:

• Both the Chimney Rock and Kitchen Mesa trails would include minor reroutes out of erosive drainages to increase the sustainability of the trail over the long-term.
• Natural drainage features would be added to a section of the Matrimonial Point Trail to reduce flooding impacts.

 
The proposal only covers portions of the trails on public land, not on Ghost Ranch property. A map is attached.
 
For questions and to submit a comment, contact Jennifer Sublett at 575-581-4554 or jennifer.sublett@usda.gov.
 
Snyder Paleontological Quarry Permit
 
The Carson National Forest has received a Special Use Permit application from a researcher to continue excavation of vertebrate fossils from a previously disturbed quarry site and other areas of geologic sampling. The location is known as the Snyder Quarry that is located within the Canjilon Ranger District and is a site of previous paleontological excavation. The purpose and need of this proposal are to extend the term of the special use permit for continued research.
 
For questions and to submit a comment, contact Carmen John at 575-758-6272 or carmen.john@usda.gov.