D e s e r t E x p o s u r e
February 2010
Wilderness About Harry
Thanks for your editorial about Rep. Harry Teague's voting record (Editor's Notebook, January). One of the main reasons I voted for Harry Teague for Congress is the simple fact that he unequivocally supported the Citizens' Wilderness and National Conservation Area Proposal for the Organ Mountains, including Sierra de Las Uvas, Broad Canyon, Robledos and Greater Potrillo Mountain areas. During his congressional campaign he sent two letters to me stridently stating that we need their preservation for future generations. Now he is waffling on the well-crafted Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks Wilderness Act sponsored by Senators Bingaman and Udall.
Wilderness is a sad story in New Mexico. According to the US Fish and Wildlife Service, our neighbor Arizona has 4,528,913 acres of designated wilderness areas while New Mexico has only 1,623,843 acres. This is a disgrace to New Mexicans. In addition, wilderness will be a boost to tourism and will help our local economy. Congressman Teague should follow the strong leadership of former President Andrew Jackson: "Take time to deliberate; but when the time for action arrives, stop thinking and go in." The time is now for the Organ Mountains wilderness!
Greg Lennes
Las Cruces
Boundary Business
I very much enjoyed reading "The Secret History of 'Arizona'" in your January 2010 edition. The Parsons did a fine job gathering and summarizing this obscure information.
It would have been helpful to the reader if the map drawn by W.H. Emory in 1855 had shown the boundary determined by his survey. The international boundary depicted is that determined by Bartlett et al several years earlier, prior to the Gadsden Purchase. If both boundaries were shown, the reader would have a clearer understanding of the discrepancy between the two surveys and the full extent of the Gadsden Purchase.
I thank the Parsons for their research and look forward to their article on Pinos Altos ("The Lost History of Pinos Altos," in this issue).
Ken Emery
Columbus, NM
Park Fans
Ron, my husband, makes a beeline to COAS the first of each month to pick up your paper. We believe the quality of writing and the variety of subjects explored by your paper tops any free newspaper, weekly or monthly, that we've ever read. Thank you for Desert Exposure.
Congratulations to your senior writer, Jeff Berg, for his article "A Walk in the Park" in January's edition. Ron and I love the National Parks and before settling down in Las Cruces from Oklahoma, we spent three months working as sales clerks at the Grand Canyon. We experienced its beauty in sun, snow and rain as well as hearing about a few tragedies in that short time. National parks are truly "America's best idea".
Violet Cauthon
Las Cruces
Egret Addendum
Author Jay W. Sharp writes with an update on his recent article:
In my article "The Cattle Egret: Vagabond of the Water Birds" (January 2010), I indicated, based on several accounts, that the bird had flown across the Atlantic Ocean, probably from the west coast of Africa to the northeast coast of South America, to begin its colonization of the Americas. Dr. Sanford Schemnitz, professor, retired, from New Mexico State University's Fishery and Wildlife Sciences Department, called me to say that while he thought that, overall, the article was informative and accurate, he disagreed with those who would hold that the Cattle Egret had flown completely across the Atlantic. He said that the bird is generally a weak flyer that could not possibly cover such a distance by wing. He said, in fact, that the bird would have a difficult time flying as far as from Doa Ana to Las Cruces in a continuous journey. He suggested that the Cattle Egret may have crossed the Atlantic by riding driftwood on westbound currents or by hitching a ride on westbound ships. Either way, the egret would have to survive many perilous weeks in an open sea. However the bird crossed, it managed to come in sufficient numbers to establish breeding populations and extend its range across wide stretches of the Americas. It is a remarkable expansion of territory by a species.
My thanks to Dr. Schemnitz. I appreciate his comments.
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