News.bytes Extra, issue 559

ACE crew helps out at BLM Surprise Field Office

ACE crew members work on a fence project during a snowstorm.

The American Conservation Experience crew recently visited the Surprise Field Office for an 8 day hitch. The crew came arrived in Cedarville only to be greeted by a snow storm and freezing temperatures. The crew worked in Nevada and California public lands managed by BLM California Surprise Field office.

Much of the work involved decommissioning 2-track roads, fence work and removal, campground maintenance and construction of a buck and rail fence around a spring. The highlight was converting two miles of 2-track roads to 1-track hiking trails. One of the new trails leads to the boundary of the South Warner wilderness and the other leads to a high-elevation vista point over the Surprise Valley. These are the office’s first established trails.

The Surprise Field office was really appreciative that the crew worked on these projects even during blizzard conditions.

During their visit, the crew worked on:

• 3.2 miles of fence removal in wilderness
• 2 miles of new trail
• 2.5 miles of illegal road closures
• 1 natural game hang structure built
• 1 20’x20’ buck and pole fence around a spring
• 3 natural spring enclosures built with juniper
• 20+ junipers removed from camp sites and around springs.

The crew takes a break as a buck and pole fence takes shape.

Crew members cross the remote expanse of public lands managed by the Surprise Field Office.

Crew members fell a juniper the old-fashioned way – with muscle power.

A completed buck and pole fence at a spring site.

-  Dan Ryan, Realty Specialist, Minerals and Recreation, BLM Surprise Field Office (November 2012)

BLM California News.bytes, issue 559 -- To subscribe to News.bytes, send an e-mail to: mailto:Join-Newsbytes@List.ca.blm.gov OR visit our News.bytes subscription page.