projects/events
2006 National & Global Youth Service Day
On April 21 and 22, the Sierra Blanca Service Corps, Ecoservants, and Cornerstones Community Partnerships hosted a community service activity that included projects at the Fort Stanton cave, stables and the Bureau of Land Management’s land in Lincoln to celebrate National and Global Youth Service Day and Earth Day. Many people from around the area attended this community service project, including Gavilan Canyon, Camp Sierra Blanca, Mescalero and Carrizozo Schools. Other people attended just to help and be a part of a good cause, along with people who had to do community service for one reason or another. During the first part of the day, the volunteers hunted for musk thistles, a nasty little noxious plant that prevents natural vegetation growth, dug them up and bagged the big ones! After all the tiring work, they munched out on the lunch that the staff supplied for them. Afterwards, they were separated to fulfill different duties. The larger groups were split in half, and the smaller groups had their choice of work. One of the missions was to learn a bit about caves, and check out exactly what restoration is. The other mission was to be a part of Phase 1 of the Fort Stanton Stables Preservation Project to clean up the stables a bit and remove unnecessary fences, remnants of a dog kennel. All and all, it was very successful. “I enjoyed exploring the cave the most because it was something I’ve never done before.” “I learned caves remain the temperature of the earth throughout the year and I saw a bat!” stated sophomore Jessie Hansell. Everybody had fun, accomplished a lot in a short amount of time and learned some interesting facts about the environment.Autumn Kratochvil, Carrizozo High School
Fort Stanton Update
Fort Stanton, located in Lincoln County, was established in 1855. It is the only intact New Mexico military fort built before the Civil War, and is one of the Southwest’s most significant and best preserved military sites. The stables, dairy, and agricultural areas of Fort Stanton are in disrepair and a state of abandonment. Years of neglect, non-use, and vandalism have led to serious deterioration of the infrastructure in this important area of Fort Stanton’s past, present and future. The historic restoration and educational interpretation of the Fort Stanton Stables, Farm, and Ranch (beginning with stables/corral area) will be completed through a multi-partner process. We will restore the area for the end goal of practical uses that promote positive youth and community development through hands-on working and learning. We also seek to provide a pilot project for the larger Fort Stanton revitalization strategy. SBSC is partnering with Cornerstones Community Partnerships on the planning of the preservation of the stables which consist of five stone and wood units constructed in 1883. The planning process is divided into three phases: (1) conditions assessment, (2) stabilization plan, and (3) preservation plan. Each of these components will rely upon professional experts, and expertise within the community. The stables area represents an important history not only of the military history but also of the agricultural base that sustained the fort, the federal tuberculosis Hospital, then later the state hospital. There is broad support for this preservation project, particularly in that it will bring volunteers and experts together. The objectives of the project are far-reaching in not only preserving the stables area, but also in bringing several entities together in its reuse, and accomplishing that with community area youth and volunteers....And expansion to silos and milk operation, and agricultural/ranch areas. Connect the project to CCC- Bridges in History Time Line of the National Service movement from CCC to today. YCC for next year… Ruidoso News November 30th 1951 said of Fort Stanton- “The station conducts range and dairy operations, producing all the beef, veal, pork, milk and cream used by the hospital. During the last fiscal year the following was produced; beef and veal 64,516 pounds, pork 27,814 pounds, cured ham and bacon 12,826 pounds, milk 25,950 gallons, cream 10,173 gallons. Inventory of station animals on June 30 1949 was: beef cattle 779, dairy cattle 89, hogs 393, and horses 59.”
ecoservants.org
