What Happens in the Desert, Stays in the Desert

I apologize to the tour guys that originated the phrase “what happens on tour, stays on tour,” but in the case of deserts it is also very true.  When I first bought my hacienda in Placitas New Mexico, my wife and I laughed at a sign that said in effect:  “Protect our ecology, stay on the road.”  We looked around at the Chamisa, and cactus, and ridges of the arroyos cut by the water and said: “O.K….. what ecology?”

 Unlike other parts of the country, the desert doesn’t get much rain fall (which is why they call it the desert).  In a non-draught year, the annual rainfall in my part averages about 9 inches a year.  That means that most things that happen here from tire tracks to animal spoor will remain here for years until the rain and wind eventually removes it.

Since then, we have learned to love the stark beauty of the high desert and we have learned a few lessons.  The picture that I have shown here is of tire tracks behind our house.  When construction workers were re-roofing our house, I allowed them to turn their vehicles around here.  They didn’t use it often, only 5 or 6 times during the 4 days they were here.   That was three years ago! 

The ground in this area also has very high clay content and when it rains, the clay forms a tight cap and the water runs off of it.  Engineers use this principle at completed landfills.  They cover the area of a landfill with an umbrella of clay (covered with soil and plants to stabilize it).  The clay keeps rain from penetrating area of the fill and contaminating ground water.  The bad part( and why I am mentioning this), is that compression from the weight of tires, etc. can make this capping worse.  Then the water runs off the soil and, as it picks up speed, it starts an erosion channel.  The tiny channels we call “leg breakers,” the bigger ones “arroyos.”

We pick up trash on the trail, and I have to admit my horse is gettin’ rather tired of it.  Besides being unsightly, a blowing bag, or plastic bottle can sure spook a horse.  Those plastic shotgun shells can be seen a long ways off.  And don’t leave your beer bottles and grill out there either, no matter how much you believe an archeologist in the year 3000 will cherish it.

So, as we go and play, or herd, or whatever, in the desert, what we leave behind is going to remain there for a very long time.  I believe we can find ways to share this land with ATVs, hikers, cattle and horses.  But let’s all of us remember that the high desert requires it’s own set of rules adjusted for our climate.  If you want to be respected, you must respect others….that’s Cowboy Logic.