NEWS RELEASE
USDA Forest Service
Lincoln National Forest 1101 New York Avenue Alamogordo, NM 88310
Contact: Eric Dillingham (505) 434-7200 Joe Garcia (505) 434-7200 VOLUNTEERS NEEDS FOR MEXICAN CANYON TRESTLE RESTORATION PROJECT Alamogordo, NM (May 18, 2007) – A cool mountain air morning greeted 14 volunteers on Saturday May 12, 2007, as they prepared to begin work and clear brush from out and around the Mexican Canyon trestle, near Cloudcroft, N.M. Congressman Steve Pearce’s Alamogordo office representative Manny Gonzales; the El Paso Ridgewalkers, the local Alamogordo Civil Air Patrol military cadet club, and New Mexico Rails to Trails members met at the trestle trailhead. On hand to greet the volunteers were Lincoln National Forest Acting Forest Archaeologist, Eric Dillingham and Peg Crim, Partnership Coordinator. The group was provided safety briefings and a tour of the trestle area before work got underway. With no time to waste, the participants were provided hard hats and tools. Next, the sure-footed volunteers began their hike to the bottom of the trestle location where the first brush removal was to begin. The hike back up was a good reminder to the participants that there is still a lot of work to be accomplished involving the completion of this restoration project. The Forest is seeking more volunteers to help and to be part of this process not only for brush clearing but also to reconstruct trails and other tasks during the upcoming summer months. Many participants that morning expressed how the spirit of volunteerism affected them and how they were part of a project and team, whose goal is the restoration of this historical structure.
The Mexican Canyon trestle built in 1900 and maintained for use through 1947, is one of the most recognized scenic stops along US Highway 82 that leads to the Village of Cloudcroft. The trestle is on lands managed by the Lincoln National Forest. The Lincoln National Forest is still seeking more volunteers to assist in brush clearance, trail construction and other support tasks. The volunteers will be completing this work throughout the summer and will be part of Passport in Time, a volunteer archaeology and historic preservation program of the US Forest Service. There is no fee to participate; however, you must get yourself to the project. The goal is to preserve the nation’s past with the help of the public. If you are interested and would like to join us in this historic restoration effort please contact Eric Dillingham or Peg Crim at (505) 434-7200, Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and you will be notified of upcoming work days. For more information on the Lincoln National Forest, please review our website at: www.fs.fed.us/r3/lincoln. ####