Homestead Valley Improvement Project -  Despite the unfavorable weather forecast, the temperature was perfect and the skies were clear. Registration began at 7:00 a.m. where over 70 people gathered in the parking lot of the Mojave Pizza Parlor ready to roll up their sleeves and lend a hand on public lands. 

 

Work crews set out at 8:00 a.m. and worked until noon.  These various crews cleaned-up nearly 4 tons of trash from the Big Horn Mountain Wilderness boundary, and Hondo Wash.  At the entrance to Hondo wash an information kiosk was erected, painted and posted with a map of the area.  Several volunteers worked near the end of Hondo Wash to restore a Native American petroglyph site that had been trashed and vandalized. Volunteers also removed trash and graffiti from the popular Giant Rock area. 

 

After the work ended, the volunteers collected their NPLD t-shirts and were treated to a variety of pizzas from the Mojave Pizza Parlor.  Volunteers also enjoyed a wildlife display from Dr. Mike Glassey, a medical entomologist who works with the Directorate of Public Works Environmental Division at Ft. Irwin.  His display includes birds, insects, tortoises, spiders, small mammals, and a lot of great information on desert wildlife.  Other displays were set up by Dora McKeever from the Mojave Preserve, Helen Fields from the Desert Discovery Center, Pete Dolan from Ft. Irwin, and BLM Park Ranger Art Basulto.  Guest speakers for the event were BLM archaeologist, Jim Shearer and Britt Wilson, cultural resource director for the Morongo Band of Mission Indians.