What's Going on at the El Paso Museum of Archaeology?

Click on image to enlarge. The sign by which El Pasoans identified their Museum of Archaeology.

If you have never been to the El Paso Museum of Archaeology, make time to go. It "presents 14,000 years of prehistory in the El Paso area, the greater Southwest, and northern Mexico." The museum and the 17 acres on which it sits is dedicated to interpreting the ancient ancestors of 82% of El Paso's population - Mexican Americans, Mexicans and indigenous peoples in our region.

The carefully crafted landscaping around the museum is meant to display native flora as it blends into the Chihuahuan desert ecosystem surrounding it. What people learn inside is interpreted by the desert-scape that they experience outside and vice versa. The artifacts displayed inside came from the desert. Indeed, our identity as El Paso is more than just the magnificent Franklin Mountians - it is also the beautiful Chihuahuan Desert to which those mountains and ourselves belong. Our ancestors survived here and we can learn from them. That is why the museum and its grounds are so important and a key part of the education of all - adults as well as school children.

Yet, the City pays it sparse attention and has failed to act expeditiously to repair damage after recent floods. There seems to be little communication between the City and TxDOT or Ft. Bliss to resolve some of the flooding issues bedeviling the museum. 

Another ugly brown Parks and Rec sign is now displayed. Be sure to bring your binoculars so you can see it as you speed past the Musuem on Transmountain

Cosmetic changes are being made. There's a new sign (smaller and uglier than the previous sign that came to stand for the museum and grounds for so many El Pasoans for so long.) A fence has been removed although that fence diverted visitors away from the pristine desert floor to proper nature paths. Larry Nichols, the new head of Planning and Inspections, and Tracy Novak, the Director of Parks and Recreation, together have deemed the cherished gazebo as unsound. Of course, neither is a structural engineer and no inspection by an engineer is forthcoming.

There is a grounds crew that is untrained when it comes to caring for the native plants. General Services which once maintained park space no longer does so. GS was put under the direction of Ted Marcus of Transportation and you know where his focus is. By the way, Tommy Gonzalez's NOT Lean Six Sigma is based on eliminating staff and not making systems more efficient. Therefore, do not expect much attention to maintenance and do not expect a full-time head of the museum. 

I've just given you the tip of the iceberg. There is more to this story of neglect and mismanagement which will follow including the situation with Indian Springs Canyon.

For now, some good news. In spite of being the step-daughter of MCAD. the Museum of Archaeology offers some very fine programs supported by the El Paso Archaeological Society and others. Tomorrow's talk is especially noteworthy as it is being given by one of the heroes of the El Paso environmental/conservation movement, in fact it's Paul Revere: Mike Bilbo, who will speak about the life of soldiers in this region around 1858, was a key player in events that led to the creation of Franklin Mountains State Park, saving our mountains from commercial development. As a teenager, he and a friend were hiking in the Franklins looking for eagle's nests. They spotted a bulldozer going up to the top of North Mount Franklin and they quickly spread the word. It turned out that old man Knapp, the patriarch of the family now bulldozing more pristine mountain land, wanted to develop on top of the mountain. The rest is history and we have the Franklin Mountains State Park and the Franklin Mountains Wilderness Coalition the vanguard of protection for our mountains.

You can get more info about Mike's talk HERE.

Please support elpasonaturally©. Go HERE to donate and help turn the El Paso southwest "green".

Tree-gate: Girdling at High Ridge Community Park

Click to enlarge image.

Tree-gate continues.

The picture above was taken by someone who knows trees and plants and gardening and owns a dog. Here is his report:

"This is the west side dog park at the bottom (west) end of High Ridge. This is the section for small dogs where I've been walking my dog for the last three years since the official ribbon cutting. The trees that the city Parks Dept. people planted the first year died, so they were replaced the second year. Those trees didn't make it either, so last year the trees, ten of them, were replaced yet again! These trees will never leaf out, because they have been girdled around the base; the living bark has been stripped away by the mowers and/or weed-whackers. This is really ignorance in action. Any suggestions? Call the Mayor?"

Quoting from the Policy and Standards Manual for the Care of Trees and Shrubs in the City of El Paso, section 10.4 (Other prohibited actions):


"Taking any action foreseeable leading to the death of a tree or shrub or permanent damage to its health, including but not limited to excessive pruning, cutting, girdling,poisoning, improper irrigation, unauthorized relocation or transportation of a tree, or trenching, excavating, altering the grade, soil compaction, or paving within the drip line area of a tree." [Emphasis mine]

Usually Parks and Recreation (or, up until recently, General Services) subcontracts the mowing of parks. Were the sub-contractors informed about the prohibitive actions not to mention the entire City's Tree Manual? Were they properly trained? Did Parks and Rec inform and consult with the City Arborist? Did Parks and Rec supervise and/or inspect? 

No. No. No. And Hell No.

Three years in a row and ten trees have died each year. Thirty trees! And El Paso needs more trees.

When will Parks and Recreation properly manage our parks and our park trees?

Advice on who to contact: Your City Representative in this case Cortney Niland, nilandcc@elpasotexas.gov. Also, Parks and Rec Director, Tracy Novak, novakta@elpasotexas.gov. Most especially Tommy Gonzalez, TGonzalez@elpasotexas.gov, our esteemed City Manager.

[One warning about Gonzalez. He doesn't know proper tree care either. In an email from him to Fred Lopez and others on December 10, 2014 with subject of San Jacinto Plaza, he wrote: "I saw a tree today that I was told was used for a Christmas tree. It is not representative of a xmas tree. Would you make sure we trim it in the shape of a true xmas tree….don’t make it a Charlie brown tree – but for sure make it triangular. That make sense? Make sure we get that done this week. Thanks! Tommy Gonzalez." More on what email shows about Tree-gate soon.]

BTW, the main search engine for the City web site still won't take you to the Tree Manual. A friend pointed out that one could find it at the Parks and Recreation page. Indeed you can, if you look under "Administration". In essence still hidden. Certainly not intuitive - requires psychic ability. A casual visitor would never take the time to find it.

City Parks Director Neither Sought nor Approved Removal of Palms from San Jacinto Plaza

"No Responsive Documents" - that is the official City of El Paso response to this open records request made by me:

"Mr. Novak [Tracy Novak is the City Parks and Recreation Director], The Policy and Standards Manual for the Care of Trees and Shrubs in the City of El Paso 17.1.4 stipulates "in the case of park trees, the Parks and Recreation Department Director approves the removal in writing after consulting with the Project Arborist." The California fan palms were taken from the San Jacinto Park and given to the contractor rather than to the El Paso Tree Farm. Please supply me with all documents (email, letters, etc.) which reveal your consultation with the Project Arborist and/or our City Arborist, Brent Pearson, prior to the removal of the palms. Please also supply a copy of your approval in writing of the removal of those palms."

"No Responsive Documents" means that Mr. Novak failed to approve the removal in writing. There is no record that he consulted with either the Project Manager or our City Arborist.

Why pass ordinances and have policy and standard manuals when City officials just ignore them?

Also read elpasospeak's post today. 

Why tell the truth at all?

Water Conservation through Sod Reduction

The following slide presentation was prepared by Mr. Tracy Novak, the Assistant Director of Parks and Recreation at the City of El Paso to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board last night, April 8, 2013. Novak used this program during his tenure in Nevada. It presents an excellent idea for water conservation through sod reduction at public parks.  Novak has been in his job in El Paso for a short while.  The big question is this: Where have they been hiding this guy!?

Compare the picture of Las Vegas Bay below in 2002 with an image of Elephant Butte in 2013. (Be sure to click on the image to enlarge it.)

Normally water would have been released to the El Paso area for irrigation in March.  It won't be this year until June.

Water Conservation and Sod Reduction