Desert Update - Fall 2013 by Anza-Borrego Foundation

No. 75 Fall 2013

 AmeriCorps’ Blue 6 Team and Dr. Garmon following graduation. Members of Blue 6 worked in the Borrego Valley eradicating Sahara mustard during April and May 2013. From Left to Right: Brandon Hampton, Madi Taylor-Hayden, Nick Theetge, Trevor Cracker, Ryan Gugerty, David Garmon, Sadie Ditler, and Alicia D’Alessandro.

The Fight Against Sahara Mustard Continues…

ABF Partner, Tubb Canyon Desert Conservancy, Wins Top Prize Anza-Borrego Foundation welcomes all kinds of visitors to this beautiful corner of the earth, but one species is particularly unwelcome here: Sahara Mustard. This invasive plant originally from North Africa crowds out the wildflowers and other native species by depriving them of the sun and water they need to survive. If its growth is not kept in check, this weed has the potential within a few growing seasons to transform a diverse, native desert ecosystem into a monocultural wasteland of Sahara Mustard. Fortunately, ABF, the Park, and the Tubb Canyon Desert Conservancy have been working hard to nip this problem in the bud – or, more accurately, at the root. The Tubb Canyon Desert Conservancy (TCDC) is a relatively new organization in the Borrego Valley. It is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit that was formed in 2011 by neighbors in Tubb Canyon; its mission is to support education about, research into, and eradication of Sahara Mustard throughout Anza-Borrego. ABF has been working alongside TCDC and AnzaBorrego Desert State Park to educate the public about how to identify Sahara Mustard and properly remove it. Although Sahara Mustard has been present and expanding throughout the southwestern US since the 1920s, we have reached a tipping point in its geographic expansion. Vast tracts of the Borrego Valley, for instance, have been overrun within the last five years. In every successful growing season, Sahara Mustard triples or quadruples the amount of land it infests, as well as its own biomass. A single Sahara Mustard plant can produce up to 16,000 seeds!

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 Dr. Garmon receiving Sponsor of the Year Award from Jennifer Szeliga, Deputy Regional Director for Programming.

DAVID GARMON  The crew with Larry Hendrickson and Paul Johnson www.theabf.org

Fall 2013

From the President As a rule, when someone is tasked to write a “President’s Letter,” it seems to be somewhat traditional to talk a little about the good stuff that the organization accomplished and a little about the challenges that lie ahead. And then comes the plea for funds to keep the wolf from the door and the good things moving forward.

BOARD of TRUSTEES: Ralph Singer PRESIDENT

Jim Smith

VICE PRESIDENT

Delores Lukina

VP OF ACQUISITIONS

Bill Reavey SECRETARY

Wendy Youngren TREASURER

TRUSTEES: Nicholas Clapp Ernie Cowan Al Ducheny Diane Hydoski Joanne Ingwall William “Pete” Lee, Ph.D. Bill McDonald John Peterson Jeffrey Safford Dick Troy ABF STAFF: Paige Rogowski

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Joan Carskaddan

TOUR COORDINATOR

Tracie Cofer

STAFF ASSISTANT

Emi Gates

MEMBER SERVICES REPRESENTATIVE

Ashley Kvitek

EDUCATION COORDINATOR

Briana Puzzo

EDUCATION MANAGER

Chris Rogowski

INTERPRETIVE SALES MANAGER

That format has been time-tested over and over again. I’ve used it often. I could tell you about the positive things we’ve done recently, like continuing to acquire valuable pieces of property. Those acres will be protected and kept unsullied for the permanent use of mankind and as natural habitat for flora and fauna for the ages. That sort of thing continues at Anza-Borrego Foundation with over 50,000 acres added to this marvelous state park and more to come. Educational programs are being expanded. Camp Borrego will see a big upgrade this fall as we add three new yurts. These are the wind-resistant kind. We are looking at the possibilities of widening our reach to other schools. You’ll soon be hearing a lot about our new programs with an upcoming Colorado Desert Cultural Heritage Symposium. There will be many exciting ABF events as well as events featuring the Paleontology Society, the Colorado Desert Archaeology Society and the Botany Society. ABF continues to do all we can to help these sister organizations thrive. But all of those things have been talked and written about. What I feel we need to know is what you, our membership and readership, think about what we do. What would you like to see us do more of? What are the actions that you feel an organization like ABF can and should take? Our mission is, of course, to serve the Park, and we do that in many ways. But by serving you, we serve the Park as well. What ideas do you have for teaching people about the wonders of ABDSP and creating a new generation of Park users and lovers? How do you envision our commitment to the pursuit of scientific knowledge developing over time? What do you think we can do to help the community of Borrego Springs become more deeply involved with the Park? I need your ideas, your wishes, your help and assistance. I’d like to hear from you, and together we can make ABF a stronger organization. Call us (760-767-0446), email us (info@ theabf.org), Facebook us (facebook.com/AnzaBorregoFoundation), Tweet us (@Anza_ Borrego), but let us know that you’re ready to let us know how we’re doing. (Please notice that I haven’t once asked for contributions that we so desperately need in this President’s Letter.) Ralph Singer President of the Board

Janice Smith

5TH GRADE CAMP COORDINATOR

ANZA-BORREGO FOUNDATION 587 Palm Canyon Drive #110 & 111 Borrego Springs, CA 92004 (760) 767-0446 www.theabf.org info@theabf.org Anza-Borrego Foundation is a non-profit, tax-exempt [IRS code 501(c) (3)] charitable organization DESERT UPDATE: Briana Puzzo, Paige Rogowski, Emi Gates, Ashley Kvitek, EDITORS The Bloom Organization GRAPHIC DESIGN

Printed in U.S.A. on 50% postconsumer recycled paper.

Save the date – Camp Borrego Turns 10! More glamping than camping, join us for a spring evening at the mouth of beautiful Borrego Palm Canyon in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. We will be celebrating 10 years of Camp Borrego. Proceeds benefit Anza-Borrego Foundation and their outdoor education camp for San Diego and Imperial County 5th graders. Elegant camp dinner under the Anza-Borrego stars, auction, music, and of course, ‘smores.

Saturday, March 29, 2014

5:00 PM

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Visitor Center, Borrego Springs, CA

Superintendent’s Corner by Kathy Dice, ABDSP Superintendent One of the most amazing aspects of being part of AnzaBorrego Desert State Park is the people you get to spend time with. Hands down I work with a truly wonderful, dedicated staff! Now you might be thinking I mean the folks in uniform who you see on patrol in the Park or maintaining our many facilities, and you would be right. But I am also referring to the devoted volunteers who support us in so many other ways. You will be reading about some of these special folks in the pages of this newsletter. Anza-Borrego Desert State Park offers unique volunteer opportunities beyond the normal responsibilities, extending into specializations in paleontology, archaeology and botany to name a few. From the beginning, volunteers have been a vital part of our organization; they help make the wheels go around in our operation. When the Visitor Center opened in 1979, it was

staffed almost entirely with volunteers, and it still takes over 100 people to keep the doors open and the information flowing there. Over the years as budgets tightened and paid staff numbers shrank, volunteers once again stepped up to assist in whole new ways. There are camp hosts, trailhead volunteers, phone answerers, volunteer naturalists and even some who have adopted a wash or trail to help us take care of the resources. I am in awe of all these men and women who give so much of themselves for a place they love. In giving countless hours of their precious time and other attributes, they are truly the hidden gems of AnzaBorrego Desert State Park. You are bound to meet one on your journey here if you ask a question, go on a guided hike or check into one of our campgrounds. Perhaps you will find something so interesting that you will also feel compelled to join the ranks of park volunteers! Our committed volunteers can be credited with much of what is achieved at ABF and in the Park. The following is a list of current volunteer opportunities at ABF, but please let us know if you have other talents you’d like to share! Note that there is no minimum time commitment, and you can tailor participation to your areas of interest. We need volunteers for Field Programs, Stewardship Support, Invasive Species Removal, Communications Support, Photography and Office Support. If you’d like to be a volunteer, go to theabf.org/ volunteer_abf and fill out the form, or contact Education Coordinator Ashley Kvitek at Ashley@theabf.org. 

Why We Give – The Park Is an Irreplaceable Resource A conversation with ABF donors Ralph and Rosalie Webb “I grew up in the hills of West Virginia. There I saw the beauty of the natural ecosystem, and I also saw strip mines and clear-cutting. We need to preserve natural areas as best we can,” says Ralph. Over the years Ralph and Rosalie Webb watched the scenic places they loved dwindle because of encroaching development, and they had to do something to stop it. When they learned about the work Anza-Borrego Foundation does to protect and preserve Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, they decided to support us. As experienced travelers, Ralph and Rosalie have explored the West Coast from Baja California to British Columbia. Ralph and Rosalie first came to AnzaBorrego “to stay at the lovely Borrego Valley Inn as it was rainy season at home in Marin and we needed some sun,” says Rosalie. “The Inn was excellent, and we returned later with our RV to camp at the state park.” The

warm winter and scenic beauty of Anza-Borrego had them convinced that this was a special place worth protecting. The Webbs choose to live generously. True to their commitment to preserve land, Ralph and Rosalie have been annual donors to Anza-Borrego Foundation since 2004. Beyond their financial resources, they also generously give their time. Ralph has been a volunteer with the AnzaBorrego Desert State Park Paleontology Society since 2008. He enjoys exploring geological sites like the Borrego Badlands and, of course, the mammoth fossil site, but he’s also enjoyed getting to know the dedicated and interesting paleontology volunteers. Rosalie volunteers to turn her talents and connections into much-needed funding for Anza-Borrego Foundation and the Park. For several years Rosalie

has led the silent auction for AnzaBorrego Foundation’s spring fundraising events. Rosalie has worked tirelessly to get support from businesses and friends throughout California. Through her work, more than $20,000 has been raised for critical programs that benefit Anza-Borrego. “As we look across the countryside outside our home, we think we’re in paradise and we want to help preserve it,” says Ralph. Rosalie adds, “We work for environmental initiatives, but politics can change. The Park is an irreplaceable resource and the source of knowledge and recreation. We must protect it.”  www.theabf.org

Fall 2013

The New Faces of ABF The Foundation is pleased to welcome a few new staff members and trustees. Be sure to stop into our office to meet them in person the next time you are in Borrego Springs.

Emi Gates, Member Services Representative for ABF, was born and raised in San Diego, California. She first visited the desert a few years ago and has been in love with it ever since. She moved to Borrego Springs with her fiancé in 2012 and has followed her passion for all things AnzaBorrego by learning everything she can about it. Emi feels that by joining the Anza-Borrego Foundation team, she will be able to spread her enthusiasm for the Park to others as well as educate them about the great animals and plants found here. Emi is excited to meet people who love Anza-Borrego as much as she does!

Kathleen Sliter joins ABF as Development Officer. Kathleen is a native San Diegan and an avid outdoors-person. She is passionate about preserving our natural environment and encouraging others to do so too. She has worked for several nonprofit organizations in the region including Stanford University, UC San Diego, and The New Children’s Museum. Prior to her nonprofit career, Kathleen worked in finance as an analyst for Credit Suisse. As an outdoor enthusiast she enjoys hiking, backpacking, and kayaking. Kathleen also keeps busy with her two active sons and one unpredictable dog. 4

Fall 2013

www.theabf.org

Ashley Kvitek, our Education Coordinator, comes from Bellingham, Washington, where she worked for Whatcom Land Trust, gaining experience in many aspects of nonprofit organizations, including community outreach, extensive work with volunteers, conservation easement monitoring, event coordination and marketing. Ashley is a recent graduate of Western Washington University and North Cascades Institute where she earned, respectively, a Master’s in Environmental Education and a Certificate in Non-Profit Administration and Leadership. There she gained insight into the workings of the National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service – two organizations that deal heavily in the world of public access through conservation, stewardship and education. Originally from the Midwest, Ashley hopes to learn as much as she can about the ecology and natural history of our area in order to foster her initial knowledge into something greater: understanding and passion. She said that she is excited to discover what Anza-Borrego Desert State Park has to showcase. Ashley began working at ABF on August 5. She took over for Joan Carskaddan, who for eight years coordinated field programs, Desert Hostel trips and volunteer hosts. Joan will remain on staff to plan and facilitate all the multi-day Desert Hostel trips. ABF staff expresses their gratitude to Joan for her years of dedication to the Foundation!

New to the ABF Board of Directors is Bill McDonald, who has a very interesting and extensive background, including everything from a career in the Navy to one in academia on both the East and West Coast. Originally from Massachusetts, Bill has lived in the San Diego area three times during his life, and this time, he says, he plans on staying. With his background in communications and his work supporting various institutions, ABF believes Bill will be a great asset. Bill loves the geographical variety that San Diego County offers; within two hours one could go from hiking in the AnzaBorrego Desert to sitting on the beach watching the waves roll in. Through his work with ABF, Bill hopes to preserve that same enjoyment of the great outdoors for others wishing to explore ABDSP.

Also new to the ABF Board of Directors is Joanne Ingwall, who has been coming to Borrego Springs since the mid1970s. In 2006, she and her husband decided to relocate here permanently. It wasn’t until last year, however, that Joanne actually retired from her professional life as a biochemist and professor at Harvard Medical School. Joanne and her husband love this place for many reasons, including its geologic history and diverse flora and fauna. Joanne is an active member of the Paleontology and Botany Societies of ABDSP. In her own words, “What more could anyone with a life’s work devoted to education and discovery ask for?” Joanne is excited to put her background in research to good use as a part of the ABF Board of Directors, and we are excited to welcome her aboard! 

Scholarships Make Research in Anza-Borrego Possible Anza-Borrego Foundation, with the generous help of friends and partners, grants money to students to carry out research in the Colorado and Mojave Desert areas. ABF currently administers two grant programs: the Howie Wier Memorial Conservation Grant and the Begole Archaeological Research Grant. ABF is pleased to announce that a new Paul D. Jorgensen Memorial Ornithology Grant will be administered starting in 2014. The grant was established in Paul’s memory by his family and friends to remember his work as a passionate birder and steadfast conservationist. Additional information will be available at www.theabf.org soon. With the help of these important grant programs, research relevant to ABDSP and the surrounding region is made possible.

Howie Wier Memorial Conservation Grant Announcement The Howie Wier Memorial Conservation Grant is in honor of Harold A. “Howie” Wier. Howie was a native of San Diego and a naturalist throughout his lifetime. He worked as a biological consultant and conservation biologist in Southern California, was an active member of the California Native Plant Society, a past president of San Diego Audubon and a long-time member of the Anza-Borrego Foundation. ABF established the Wier Grant Program with the help of Howie’s family, friends and colleagues in honor of his service to the environment and education and as a tribute to his passion for knowledge. The Howie Wier Memorial Conservation Grant awards up to $2,500 annually to assist graduate students conducting field studies in ecology, systematics, evolutionary biology and conservation biology in the Colorado Desert and Peninsular Range region of Southern California. Proposals for this year’s grant cycle are due on December 15, 2013 by 5 pm. Awards will be made on or before January 31, 2014. For further information, contact Briana Puzzo at briana@theabf.org or visit www.theabf.org/research.

technologies (photogrammetry, 3-D modeling and silicon casting) to compare cultural landscape features, including boulder and bedrock mortars, basins, slicks and cupules at two previously recorded Native American sites – one in the Anza-Borrego Desert and one in Cuyamaca. The objective is to interpret manufacturing techniques and the use of features within the context of the environmental, cultural, ethno-historic and experimental data. A broader project goal is to test and standardize a documentary history that will later be extended to landscape features in Arizona and Israel as part of a global comparative study. Researchers from Arizona, Israel and Texas will assist Dr. Burton. Mariam Dahdul will be using her grant to obtain chronometric dates for corncobs collected from the Coachella Valley. This dating is necessary in order to proceed with more detailed analysis of these and other specimens from a site in the city of Indio, Riverside County. This is part of an investigation to determine if crop plants were cultivated locally or were obtained through exchange with groups living along the lower Colorado River during the prehistoric period. Should the radiocarbon dating indicate that these samples date to the prehistoric period, it will provide a strong argument for more detailed analyses of these samples as well as further investigations of the site where the specimens were recovered. Ms. Dahdul is currently a PhD candidate in Anthropology at UC Santa Barbara. Kent Manchen, currently a Master’s Degree Candidate at San Diego State University, will be investigating a form of bedrock milling feature known as the Cuyamaca Oval. This investigation will use a combination of information gathered from archaeological site records, protein residue analysis, collecting and dating of obsidian artifacts and data comparisons using Geographic Information Science software to refine the definition provided by previous researchers. It will also describe the use and temporal context of the Cuyamaca Ovals and predict where they may be expected to occur in areas that have yet to be surveyed.

2013 Begole Archaeological Research Grants Awarded Written by Chuck Bennett The Begole Archaeological Research Grant program was instituted to support scientific research in the Colorado and Mojave Desert areas. Robert “Bob” Begole, an avocational archaeologist who worked for many years in the AnzaBorrego Desert State Park, endowed this program. The Colorado Desert Archaeological Society and the AnzaBorrego Foundation administer the program. We are pleased to announce that three research grants have been awarded for 2013 to promote research in the Colorado and Mojave Desert areas. Grants were awarded to Dr. Margie Burton, Mariam Dahdul and Kent Manchen. Dr. Burton’s research will use high-resolution

 Joan Schneider, Anna Noah, Chuck Bennett, Sue Wade, and Sam Webb

This year the evaluation committee was Sue Wade (Colorado Desert District), Sam Webb (Colorado Desert Archaeological Society), Anna Noah (archaeological private sector), Claude Warren (archaeological academic sector) and Chuck Bennett (ABF). Dr. Joan Schneider also participated in the evaluation of the applications.  www.theabf.org

Fall 2013

 (left photo) In 2005 – happy and abundant wildflowers. (right photo) Five years later, Sahara Mustard crowds out the native species ROGER RIOLO

The Fight Against Sahara Mustard Continues… continued from page 1

Fall 2013

www.theabf.org

Sponsor of the Year from among the approximately one hundred Project Sponsors throughout the western United States, Alaska and Hawaii. Regional AmeriCorps leaders then evaluated nominees according to numerous criteria, including how well projects reflected AmeriCorps’ core value of service, provided exceptional learning opportunities for team members and integrated the project with the needs and goals of the community at large.

YOU can help reduce Sahara Mustard too! Visit the TCDC website at www.tubbcanyondesertconservancy. org to learn how to identify Sahara Mustard. “Adopt” a patch of land in the Borrego Valley and commit to pulling the weed (you may want to recruit some friends to help you). Record your progress on the TCDC Mustard Map by using the TCDC Mustard Map App (both available on their website). The work you and your group do to eliminate mustard will become part of the larger effort to protect the AnzaBorrego Desert. 

Dr. Garmon said in his acceptance speech: “I am honored to accept this award on behalf of the many, many people in Borrego Springs who worked to make our project successful. In particular, I am grateful to our cosponsor, the Anza-Borrego Foundation, and to the superintendent and rangers of the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. These friends, along with representatives of schools, churches and businesses, as well as private individuals, were at the heart of our project – a project that could not have been successful without the participation of each and every one of them. “I would also like to say how honored I feel to be a part of AmeriCorps. Your mission of service to the nation is a beacon of hope and inspiration for all who witness it. Your hard work – whether in the field or in an office – is greatly appreciated; but it is your innumerable acts of service that are truly remarkable and that set you apart from your peers. I am very proud to be in your company.” The success seen these last few years was made possible by many groups, including TCDC, AmeriCorps, and The Sahara Mustard Weed Eradication Task Force, formed in 2010. The Task Force brought together agencies, organizations and private citizens to increase public awareness and involvement in controlling Sahara Mustard in the Anza-Borrego area. ABF would like to thank all of our partners for their role in preserving the Borrego Valley.  

There is good news, however! The most reliable data from researchers indicate that three successive years of no Sahara Mustard seed production in a particular area effectively eliminates the Sahara Mustard seed bank, thus ridding that area of Sahara Mustard. If the researcher’s data are correct, we are one season – this season! – away from demonstrating that specific areas can be successfully cleared of this invasive threat in just three years. For the past two years, TCDC and ABF worked with AmeriCorps teams whose mission was to pull Sahara Mustard plants out of designated areas in the Borrego Valley and thereby help prevent the plant’s spread. The AmeriCorps NCCC (National Civilian Community Corps) is a full-time, residential, national service program that combines the best practices of civilian service with the best aspects of military service. The mission is to strengthen and develop leaders through team-based national and community service. On July 22, 2013, the AmeriCorps NCCC recognized the Tubb Canyon Desert Conservancy for its preservation efforts in the fight against Sahara Mustard. J. David Garmon, MD, President of the Tubb Canyon Desert Conservancy, received the Sponsor of the Year award for the AmeriCorps NCCC Pacific Region during their 19th annual graduation ceremony at McClellan Air Force Base in Sacramento. In the weeks leading up to the AmeriCorps graduation ceremony, AmeriCorps team members and staff submitted nominations for

AmeriCorps team member Sadie Ditler pulls the invasive weed, DAVID GARMON

Fall 2013 Education Programs Visit theabf.org/events or call 760-767-0446 for full event information. Introduction to Desert Stargazing Dennis Mammana October 19, 1 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. $10

In this entertaining and enlightening introductory presentation, Borrego Springs astronomer Dennis Mammana will demonstrate how to read a star map, use your eyes like a pro and find those seemingly impossible star patterns that have eluded you all your life! Introduction to Desert Night Sky Photography Dennis Mammana October 19, 3 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. $10

DENNIS MAMMANA

In this fun-filled introductory presentation, you’ll enjoy some of Mammana’s classic night sky images as you learn the basics of capturing beautiful celestial photographs with little more than a manual camera, tripod and a starry nighttime sky. Volunteer Program Host Training November 15, 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. Free

ABF is looking for energetic and dedicated volunteers to help with our education programs. There is no minimum time commitment, but we do ask that Program Hosts be aware that field programs may require daily hikes of 7-12 miles. Training includes basic first aid and radio operation, as well as general ABF information and guidelines. Canyon of Ten Caves

Paul Remeika November 16, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. $70 / $60 for ABF Members

Join longtime ABF instructor Paul Remeika as he leads a discovery hike over sometimes uneven terrain into the Canyon of Ten Caves. Learn about the layers of sediment that make up this breathtaking formation and experience the landscape from a geologic perspective.

PAUL REMEIKA

Desert Stargazing for Beginners

Dennis Mammana November 23, 12 p.m. – 3 p.m., 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. $80 / $70 for ABF Members

Sights that boggle the mind are visible in the clear, dark desert skies each evening. This workshop is designed for beginning stargazers interested in exploring the enjoyable and mind-expanding hobby of amateur astronomy. www.theabf.org

Fall 2013



Borrego Badlands Photo Safari, PAUL JOHNSON

Borrego Badlands Photo Safari

Split Mountain Auto Tour

Join us for an expedition to photograph some of the dramatic and unique places in and around the Borrego Badlands of Anza-Borrego. Scenery will vary from huge, upthrust sandstone blocks to delicate gypsum crystals embedded in tilted clay walls.

Paul Remeika will lead participants up Fish Creek Wash for several short excursions to introduce the complex history of the badlands highlighted with shellfish from the northern Gulf of California, petrified woods that once occupied the river delta and footprint impressions from an extinct vertebrate fauna.

Paul Johnson November 23, 7:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. $85 / $75 for ABF Members

Your Ultimate Guide to Viewing and Photographing Comet ISON

In December, an icy cosmic nomad named Comet ISON will swing past our planet on its way back to the outer solar system; stories abound about how big, bright and dramatic it will be and all the sorts of calamities it will bring. Learn the facts about comets, what makes ISON special and how to view and photograph it like a pro.

Paul Johnson December 15, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. $70 / $60 for ABF Members

DENNIS MAMMANA

Desert Night Sky Photography for Beginners

Dennis Mammana December 7-8, Sat. 12 p.m. – 3 p.m., 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.; Sun. 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. $100 / $90 for ABF Members

If you love photography and are fascinated by the spectacular desert night sky, this two-day hands-on DENNIS MAMMANA workshop is for you! Not only will you get to enjoy some of Mammana’s classic night sky images, but you will also learn the basics of capturing beautiful celestial photographs with little more than a camera, tripod and a starry night sky. Harper Canyon Wildlife Hike Mike Puzzo December 7, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. $45 / $35 for ABF members

Join CA State Parks Environmental Scientist Mike Puzzo on a steep and strenuous hike in Harper Canyon to the Harper Flat guzzler to learn about the use of this supplemental water source and what the Park hopes to gain from an ongoing monitoring program. Fall 2013

www.theabf.org

Paul Remeika December 14, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. $70 / $60 for ABF Members

Salton Sea: The Neglected Treasure

Dennis Mammana December 1, 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. $10

Split Mountain, PAUL REMEIKA

The Salton Sea is a treasure of abundant wildlife and mysterious geology. Explore the area looking for birds, fascinating geology, mud volcanoes, the clay mountain that one man has been painting for over 20 years and much more! Lunch at the Wildlife Refuge and learn about the natural and cultural history of this place.

Calumet Photography Classes

PAUL JOHNSON

Join our partner Calumet Photographic and Ernie & Kati Cowan on exciting photographic adventures in AnzaBorrego Desert State Park! Visit www.calumetphoto.com for more information and registration: Cactus and Canyons Photo Tour Ernie & Kati Cowan Saturday, November 9 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Join veteran nature and landscape photographers Ernie and Kati Cowan to explore some of the most scenic and secret places of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. This tour is dedicated to increasing your understanding of the techniques that transform your landscape photography into works of art, instead of just snapshots.

ERNIE COWAN

48th Annual Borrego Days Desert Festival October 25-27 Bring your family and help ABF and Borrego Springs celebrate the Borrego Days Desert Festival! Friday, 7:30 p.m.: Friday, 7:30 p.m.: Mammoths & Mastadons of Coastal Mammoths Mastadons San&Diego Countyof Coastal San Diego County As part of the Paleontology Society’s Open As part of the Paleontology Society’s Open House, House, visiting scholar Thomas A. visiting scholar Thomas A. Deméré, PhD, Curator of Deméré, PhD, Curator of the Paleontology the Paleontology Department and Director of the Department and Director of the Department of Paleontology Services for the San Diego Department of Paleontology Services for Natural History Museum, will speak at the Borrego the San Diego Natural History Museum, Springs Performing Arts Center. $5 at the door will speak at the Borrego Springs Performing Arts Center. $5 at the door Saturday, 10 a.m.: Parade Saturday and Sunday: Paleontology Lab Open House at the Stout Research Center

PAT ORTEGA

Lecture & Book Signing with Rider South and Diana Lindsay

October 26, 7:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. $35 / $30 for ABF Members

Eighty years ago, Marshal and Tanya South began a journey to reconnect with the earth and prove that life did not have to be constrained by society’s conventions and routines. During their 17-year stay on Ghost Mountain, they had three children. Join the eldest, Rider South, as he makes a rare appearance at the Borrego Springs Performing Arts Center to talk about his father, his childhood and his memories. As part of your paid registration you receive the special edition of Marshal South Rides Again: His Anza-Borrego Novels, Rider’s wife Lucile South’s book Dancing Thru Life on Toes of Gold, and a program that features a limited edition reproduction of a Marshal South painting signed by Rider South.

Join us for a series of bicycle rides in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park this winter. Our partner Bike Borrego will offer free bike rentals to any new ABF members; current ABF members receive $10 off rentals. Participants provide their own bike, helmet and any other necessary equipment. Registration fee per ride: $20 / $10 for ABF members

Grapevine Canyon Bike Ride Jim Roller & Gary Haldeman November 17, 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.

This 14-mile strenuous mountain bike ride takes you through Grapevine Canyon and ends at Tamarisk Grove Campground. The largely downhill ride starts in Hoover Canyon’s chaparral wilderness and follows scenic dirt roads past springs and cactus gardens. Tour of Borrego Bike Ride

John and Elena Thompson December 28, 8 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Enjoy this 20-mile intermediate ride around Borrego Springs on your road bike. Cruise through De Anza, Indian Head Ranch, past date and solar farms, by some interesting geologic formations and other highlights along the way. Finish at the newly reopened La Casa del Zorro for coffee/breakfast before heading back. Old Borrego Bike Ride

January 19, 8 a.m. – 12 p.m.

This ~8-mile loop mountain bike ride follows Old Borrego Road toward Hwy 78 and returns along a pole line road. Enjoy gorgeous views of the Borrego Valley and the Borrego Badlands on the ride back. The dirt road route has many fun, short, down- and uphill sections that make this ride moderately strenuous.

Ghost Mountain Hike with Rider South and Diana Lindsay

October 27, 8:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. $120 / $100 for ABF Members

Join Rider South on this very special trip as he recalls his childhood and his talented poet/writer/artist father, Marshal South. Walk around Yaquitepec, the House of the Sun, where Rider and his siblings lived, played and were homeschooled in the great outdoors. We will be walking up the Ghost Mountain trail at a slow, leisurely pace. This price also includes the Saturday night Lecture and Q & A. www.theabf.org

photos, ELENA THOMPSON

Fall 2013

SALLY THERIAULT

Pollination Ecology Field Lecture Pat Flanagan January 12, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. $35 / $25 for ABF Members

This class will take advantage of the diversity of plants in the Visitor Center Gardens. Explore the plants individually and their interactions within the various plant communities. You will also get an introduction to the Park’s herbarium collection and an invitation to use it. Beyond The Slot: Borrego Mountain Wash

Paul Johnson January 18, 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. $70 / $60 for ABF Members

Most know about The Slot, the narrow, upper end of Borrego Mountain Wash, but few have explored the smaller canyons and eroded sandstone formations that make up the wash’s middle and lower sections. Highlights will be the “wind caves rocks” and the PAUL JOHNSON “secret sand dune,” but there will be lots of fascinating grottoes and side canyons to explore. Please consider very carefully if you have good balance and are comfortable climbing uphill over rough, rocky terrain before you sign up for this trip.

LAND OF ENCHANTMENT April 25 - May 5, 2014 with Paul Remeika An introduction to the natural and cultural resources of the FOUR CORNERS area, Homeland of the Ancients. Join us on this geologic and archeological visit along spirit paths to rock art, buttes and mesas, trading posts, and cliff dwellings. Check our website for details and registration, or call 760-767-0446. Details at www.theabf.org soon!

Fall 2013

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Join retired ABDSP Superintendent Mark Jorgensen on a two-week tour of Mongolia’s Gobi Desert during the summer of 2014! Tour leader Mark Jorgensen, along with a bilingual guide, will lead you on a variety of hikes and drives that explore the Gobi Desert’s wildlife, history, and current research. Visit grasslands, sand dunes, STEVE BIER and steppes habitat. This all-inclusive adventure will introduce you to the distinctive culture, wildlife, and varied terrain of Mongolia, including remote desert landscapes and Mongolia’s bustling capital, Ulaanbaatar. Contact Education Manager PHIL ROULLARD Briana Puzzo at briana@theabf. org for details.

STEVE BIER

BILL CHIONG

Arroyo Hueso Discovery Hike

Paul Remeika January 25, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. $70 / $60 for ABF Members

This moderately strenuous hike will lead participants PAUL REMEIKA on an adventure centering on the fossil history and geologic history of East Hueso Wash. Paul Remeika will introduce participants to the landscape and scenery of many years past and will help to interpret what that earlier landscape looked like based on the physical evidence viewed from the trail. Nature Writing Workshop

Judy Fort Brenneman January 26-31

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Faults and Figures: The San Andreas Fault and Corn Springs Petroglyphs

Have you taken a fabulous photo in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park? Share it by submitting it to ABF’s annual photo contest! Adult and youth categories include: Desert Plants, Desert Animals, Desert Landscapes/Skyscapes, People Enjoying the Desert and Black & White Photography. Entry forms and contest rules can be found at www.theabf.org/photocontest Important Dates December 1: First day to submit entries January 31: Entry Deadline February 9: Judging February 10–11: Winners Notified February 1–March 1: Exhibition of winning photos at Borrego Art Institute March 1: Awards Ceremony at BSPAC and Reception at BAI    

Over the course of the workshop, participants will go on field trips, have daily workshop sessions with topics of focus, an optional one-on-one session with Judy and time to write, reflect and explore. This is an open workshop appropriate for writers of all levels and genres. More details will be available on our website soon!

2014 Anza-Borrego Desert Photo Contest

Paul Johnson February 8, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. $70 / $60 for ABF Members

This trip will offer an opportunity to visit two of the more dramatic places in the Colorado Desert. Join Paul Johnson on a trip to touch the San Andreas Fault, see the spectacular Painted Canyon and then head to the Corn Springs Petroglyphs.

Archaeology for Citizen Scientists Series

PAUL JOHNSON

Secrets of Desert Cahuilla

Paul Johnson March 15, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. $70 / $60

On this 4WD trip explore PAUL JOHNSON the geologic wonders of Big Wash and Verbena Wash, parts of the Desert Cahuilla area of ABDSP. See many different kinds of sandstone concretions, fault offsets, rich plant life, deeply patinated rock deposits and some of the most pristine desert views in Anza-Borrego.

Thanks to Our Sponsors!

Joan Schneider, PhD Starting January 9-10 and repeating for 6 weeks Thursdays, 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. and Fridays, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Non-Credit Course Fee: $350 / $300 for ABF Members For-Credit Course Fee: $550 / $485 for ABF Members

This series of classes introduces the discipline of archaeology to nonarchaeologists. Students will learn archaeological terminology and practices along with the basic ethics and practices of archaeology, including why it is often important to maintain confidentiality to protect our cultural heritage. Completion of 6 weeks provides the training necessary to participate in volunteer archaeological field surveys, steward an archaeological site and complete a simple site form.

photos, SAM WEBB

www.theabf.org

Fall 2013

Paleontology Society to Host Mammoth Open House Mammoths and their kin have been turning up in the AnzaBorrego Desert State Park for 60 years – as fossils of course, recorded from over 80 localities. This makes the Park one of the most productive proboscidean fossil areas in North America. Proboscidea is the order that includes mammoths and modern elephants. The Paleontology Society’s annual Open House, “Mammoth Discoveries,” will focus on the ABDSP’s mammoth collection. The October Open House will display a selection of mammoth fossils, including jaws, tusks, teeth and other very  George Miller and paleontology volunteers working at the Miller large bones. mammoth site, February 1988. Photo credit: Colorado Desert District Stout The proboscideans from ABDSP are represented by at least Research Center Archives three separate groups: mammoths, mastodons and gomphotheres. Mammoths were the tell us much about the living conditions and largest of the proboscideans, resembling the the environment in ancient Anza-Borrego. Asian elephant but with larger tusks. A fullMany of the specimens found are fragmentary grown male of this extinct giant stood around due to the activity of scavengers and the harsh 15 feet tall at the shoulder. weathering conditions prior to original burial as well as subsequent damage by erosion Mammoths are the most readily identifiable prior to discovery and collection. and appear to be the most abundant fossil proboscidean in the Park. Mammoths crossed The most complete mammoth skeleton in the land bridge from Siberia and arrived in the Park’s collection is the “Miller Mammoth.” North America about 1.8 million years ago. The skull and about 70% of the skeleton  Commemorative patches will The earliest known mammoth fossil found in were discovered by George Miller of the be sold during Borrego Days and ABDSP is about 1.2 million years old; the most at the Paleontology Society’s Imperial Valley College Museum in December Open House for $5 recent is probably close to 100,000 years old. 1986. The skeleton has been identified as a mature female southern mammoth known The first ABDSP proboscidean was discovered scientifically as “Mammuthus meridionalis.” She is considered on a cool January day in 1954 by Harley Garbani, a local, to be approximately 1.1 million years old. The skull of the and ultimately world famous, amateur fossil hunter, and Dr. Miller Mammoth is on display at the Visitor Center. Ted Downs from the Los Angeles County Museum. Garbani and Downs found a large cusped tooth of the gomphothere The Paleontology Society’s Open House is held during Stegomastodon while visiting a spot in the Park referred to Borrego Days weekend, October 26 and 27, at the Stout by Garbani as “Mastodon Station.” Research Center. For more info, please see the Borrego Days Several sites have yielded partial mammoth skeletons. These listing on page 9. 

Marshal South Rides Again: The Anza-Borrego Novels Written by Diana Lindsay Republication reintroduces a great American Western writer to a new generation. The enigmatic Marshal South of California’s Anza-Borrego desert region remains a controversial character. His descriptions in Desert Magazine of his family’s experiment in primitive living obscured the memory of this man as an acclaimed Western novelist. With the publication of Marshal South Rides Again, two novels 12

Fall 2013

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in one book, a new generation is being introduced to these fast-paced, nonstop action cliffhangers that are set in the land he knew best – the desert that surrounded his Ghost Mountain home. To develop his storyline and characters, South wove local tales about the old Butterfield Vallecito Stage Station around stories he had heard about his backcountry neighbors. He wrote what he knew firsthand and gave apt descriptions of local landmarks that readers familiar with the Anza-Borrego area will recognize. Get ready for a rollicking good read as the hero uses his wits to save the day, win the damsel in distress and acquire the wealth of his dreams. 

Colorado Desert Cultural Heritage Symposium November 1 – 3, 2013 in Borrego Springs, CA Join us for our three-day event dedicated to the cultural history of the Colorado Desert with a program of accomplished speakers on topics including archaeology, history, ethnography, anthropology, and cultural issues. The symposium will be an opportunity for students, professional and amateur scientists, park lovers, and desert enthusiasts to connect and facilitate new opportunities for collaboration. Topics and speakers include: • • • • • • • • • • •

Desert Characters - Phil Brigandi Ethnozoology - Lowell J. Bean, PhD Keynote Speaker Kumeyaay Ethnobotany - Michael Wilken Julia Bendímez Patterson Land Preservation - Kumeyaay Diegueno Land Conservancy Linguistics - Ernest Siva Director of Baja California’s Prehistoric Landscape Archaeology - Don Laylander National Institute of Ranching History - Sue Wade Anthropology and History The Blake Expedition of 1853 - Nicholas Clapp The Desert Landscape - Richard Carrico The Garra Uprising - George Harwood Phillips, PhD & Joan Schneider, PhD Begole Archaeological Research Grant Awardees: » Dr. Suzanne Griset » Dr. Mark W. Allen » Barbara J. Roth » Mariam Dahdul

AGENDA

REGISTRATION

Friday, November 1 Welcome Reception & Poster Presentation, Borrego Art Institute

Symposium (includes welcome reception, Saturday

Saturday, November 2 Oral Presentations & Banquet Dinner, Borrego Springs Resort Sunday, November 3 Field Tours, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park & the surrounding region

breakfast & lunch, and Sunday tour):

$150 - Public Rate $130 - ABF Member Rate $115 - Student Rate

Welcome Reception: $20 / $15 ABF Rate Banquet Dinner (with Keynote Speaker): $30

Learn more and register online by October 18 at www.theabf.org/symposium

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