Field Exercise Log #1 - Valles Caldera Preserve

<< I just realized I made one long blog entry with photos for all three of our field exercises ... thought I should separate and expand a bit ... here is the first of 3>>

The Caldera Preserve is a 95K acre ancient volcanic crater comprised of coniferous forest and high altitude grassland, located at about 7800’ elevation in north-central NM. Hwy 4 runs through the southern portion of the Caldera, taking travelers from Los Alamos to the village of Jemez Springs through the Bandelier National Forest.
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 highly managed, occupied space of the three sites visited. I’ve driven through the Caldera at least annually for 18 years and have always judged by its appearance that it is untouched wilderness or, at most, grazing land in the bottom of the valley. There’s far more to it ….
What is now the Preserve was held, and used/abused by private logging and ranching interests for most of the 20th century (it was originally a land grant and was subsequently sold to private owners). It was purchased by the US government about 10 years ago and is now a federal preserve. 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 construction 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.
Preserve management is well-documented in voluminous brochures, maps, and hand-outs for visitors – as is often the case with federally-managed preserves and national parks. The handouts and the tour-guide all extol the beauty of the Preserve and the management skill evident in its current successfully-run state. There are hunting programs, fishing programs, school educational programs and outreach, native plant studies, grazing studies, aquaculture studies, restoration programs, and geothermal investigations going on annually in the caldera. Very little of it is unexplored, unused, or not part of a current project or study. The written materials evoke the authority, ethos, of the federal efforts to restore, use and preserve the land – the resources and expertise of management is reiterated repeatedly and demonstrated by explaining various projects underway at the Preserve. The visitor is inclined to not leave the beaten path and abide by all rules of participation – the impression is that even though the Preserve is very “wild,” big brother is watching what you do while there.
Redondo Peak is the only area of the Preserve off-limits to visitors – it is reserved for use by the local tribes (Jemez and possibly Santa Clara) for their historic cultural and religious practices. This to me was interesting an encouraging – there is clear and practical federal recognition of the primacy of tribal culture in the area and some of the land is still reserved for historic use by the indigenous people who were responsible stewards of the land before capitalist logging and ranching practices damaged so much of it so heavily.