Field notes

Fascinating daytrip with Cathy, Linda, and Santana Friday. My greatest impression of the day is that the Valles Caldera Nat'l Preserve, which looks the most remote, untouched, and "wild" is, in fact, the most higly managed, occupied space of the three sites visited. No one lives on the preserve itself but the multiple layers of management, administration, and use make the land the most highly managed of the three locales. The contruction of space, definition of place, at the preserve is definite, explicit (in text and in verbal presentation by tour guide Carmen), and voluminous. History of use and occupation of the property is well-preserved and the current management of and research regarding watershed, geothermal activity, species management, and restoration is extensive.

The spring located along the road between the Caldera and the town of Jemez springs is less consistently and permanently occupied. The space has clearly been used by humans for decades, if not hundreds, of years (maybe longer?) but it is understood to be a public space and seems to be respected as such. The trail on the near side of the river has been developed in the last 17 years, a concrete/wood footbridge has been built, and the trail is more accessible. On the far side of the bridge, however, leading up into the ojo itself (the soaking pools) the trail still looks ancient, with rough-hewn stones, about 8-12" square-ish, built into the side of the hill as stairs. Some of the "stairs" are even living tree roots - it has the feel of climbing to a forest temple, up the stone stairs, to the altar. Very cool. I have the impression that the space has been, and indeed IS currently, constructed by consensus among visitors to the ojo (spring) - there is no management on the far side of the river - the little bit of concrete between some of the rocks at the spring looks to be from different batches, possibly brought up by hand by conscientous visitors caring for the space - the style and workmanship is distinct from the measured and professional workmanship of the government-issue trials and fences and benches on the near side. I wonder who cares for the springs? Is it a concerted or individual effort? Are the efforts ever made explicit in text or conversation? Or is the maintenance performed by understanding, by individuals noticing what needs done and taking care of it competently?

The Bernalillo market is an entirely temporary space - a parking lot. Tho I believe it is a lot designated specifically for the market, I noticed nothing that would prevent its use as a lot for just about anything. Nothing there struck me as being uniquely farmer-y. The people and purpose contruct the space, and definition and exercise of space at the market. And that construction by the participants created the most welcoming atmosphere (to me) of the places we visited. The Bern market also had the richest diversity of sounds - heavy traffic on the road, voices bartering prices and exchanging info, the crinkle of plastic and paper bags being opened and filled for customers, visitors' tires crunching on the gravel.

So, the greatest fascination of the day for me was that the most permanent and seemingly "wild" space, the Caldera, was actually the most intensely defined by human use and intent. The Bern market was the most temporary and ephemeral "space" but had the least permanace of defintion. The springs, tho, seemed a balance of natural space and human construction - the space was physically constructed only as much as it needed to be for humans to access and appreciate its value.