Otero Mesa Fence Modification

 

 

You are invited to join BHA Habitat Stewardship Coordinator Bard Edrington for NM BHA's first fence removal and modification on the Otero Mesa.  We will be removing and replacing ~ 1.5 miles of old netwire fence with new wildlife friendly fencing.  

 

The Otero Mesa lies in a remote section of Chihuahua grassland to the east of Las Cruces.  It represents the largest intact public land section of Chihuahua grassland.  It sits atop the Salt Basin Aquifer, one of the largest untapped aquifers in the country. It is home to a large diversity of mammals, birds, plants and one of the healthiest populations of pronghorn in the state.  These pronghorn rely on being able to move freely across the grassland to access water and feed.  The mesa is criss crossed with miles of netwire fence that can be an impenetrable barrier to pronghorn.  

 

 

 

With your help we will remove the old netwire and replace it with new wildlife friendly spec fencing.  This new fence will have a smooth bottom strand 18" off the ground, making it much easier for pronghorn to crawl under.  

 

We will be removing the existing netwire fence, installing new t-posts and then stretching new wire.  There will be BLM staff from the Las Cruces office to help and we will have equipment on site to facilitate in wire removal. 

 

 

On Sunday we will take a guided hike along the flank of Alamo mountain looking for some of the thousand or more petroglyphs.  

 

 

This event is a great opportunity to visit a remote section of NM and leave it better than we found it.  BHA stewardship events are opportunities to take part in important and impactful conservation efforts, while building relationships with old and new friends.  These events are more than the physical work, it's the chance to share a beer and a meal around the fire with individuals you might never cross paths with.  It's the chance to experience new parcels of public land that you've never heard of.  And the opportunity to make lasting positive impacts on wildlife connectivity. 

 

 

 

This is hard physical work in open country in the winter.  We will be hoping for good weather, but come prepared for cold and wind.  Camp will be near the worksite on the open grasslands.

 

 

Friday, January 29:  Arrive anytime at camp, there will be a crew of us out there working. 

 

Saturday, January 30: Meet at the camp/worksite at 8:00 am for a safety briefing.  We will go over the work day and what jobs need performing and break into groups.  BHA will provide lunch. 

 

Saturday night:  Back at camp we will have a wild game potluck around the fire.  Please bring a dish to share, wild game if you have it but not necessary. 

 

Sunday, January 31:  We will take a hike on Alamo mountain, ~20 min drive, to see the ancient petroglyphs that are scattered on the mountain.  

 

If you have OnX, you can access this folder with coordinates to the camp.

 

 

From El Paso: Take highway 62 east from El Paso ~25 miles, until you reach Hueco Ranch Road on the north side 31.84013, -105.97188, Google Maps link .  Take Hueco Ranch road north, at ~2.3 miles it turns to dirt. Continue for another ~16 miles on the dirt road until you reach a road to the right (south east) Otero F005.  Take this road ~1.8 miles to the camping location.  Hueco Ranch road is a nice graded gravel road.  It is suitable to pull a camper trailer and no 4 wheel drive is needed unless they have major rains. 

 

Camping Location: 32.0282, -105.82313. Google Maps Link 

 

Work Location: Same as camping location

 

 

 

All the camping gear you will need, water, fencing tools and gloves (if you have them, we will provide if not), warm clothes that you don't mind possible getting caught on barbed wire, glasses, extra firewood (there isn't a tree in site).