FORT UNION Administrative History

The growing interest in natural resource management at Fort Union resulted from the changing cultural climate in the United States. The passage of the Wilderness Act of 1964 announced the third natural preservation movement, following those of the Progressive and New Deal eras. This time, the noble cause attracted powerful grassroots support. Throughout the second half of the sixties, Americans, led by burgeoning environmental groups like the Sierra Club and the Wilderness Society, began to introduce environmental agendas into both local and national politics. The entire country articulated concerns about the state of America's physical environment. The "Keep America Beautiful" campaign that Lady Bird Johnson initiated during her husband's presidency educated the public on the issue. Environmental movements won a significant victory in 1970 when the federal government proclaimed "Earth Day." [15]

Americans cared about their land and the Park Service responded to the nation's call. The tone of the era made the agency reconsider its priorities and responsibilities. The MISSION 66 program was designed to provide visitors with high standard services that would encourage maximum enjoyment for those who used the parks. In 1966, the 80-million-dollar program ended successfully. However, an increase in visitation brought a need to protect the natural resources from the depredations of people. If the Park Service hoped to continue quality service in the future, the natural resources in its domain required more attention. After a decade in which the use of the nation's parks overwhelmed the system's capabilities to preserve its resources, Park Service policy began a dramatic shift in the opposite direction.

Astute officials in Santa Fe lost no time in implementing Washington's policy. Recruiting enthusiastic young preservationists armed with the latest scientific knowledge, the Southwest Region began to implement various environmental programs. As early as 1969, it launched a campaign for environmental awareness and education. Regional Environmental Education Coordinator William Brown arranged a field exercise, in which people contributed their ideas and suggestions about the program, at Bandelier National Monument on February 27 and 28. Representatives from the different park units in New Mexico, including Fort Union, attended the meeting, and the participants were "imaginative and positive in their commitment to the environmental management concept." [16] Each unit drew up its own plan.

In comparison with its counterparts, Fort Union's plan for environmental education appeared a little sketchy but practical. According to the plan, the staff was going to discuss the issue during daily coffee breaks and scheduled monthly meetings, with the hope that various themes for natural resource management could be developed before the end of 1969. In the following year, the monument would create an environmental study area for the use of Las Vegas schools. Thus, students would gain first-hand experience in the program. Also, Superintendent Hastings contacted the local agency of the Forest Service and Highlands University in order to obtain their advice. [17]

The environmental education program continued through the early 1970s. After Superintendent Hastings' retirement, park ranger Robert Arnberger carried on the unfinished mission, laying the groundwork for the establishment of an environmental study area at the First Fort. Like his predecessor, he solicited the local schools and college for support. With the help of professors Werner Muller and Bob Lessard, an introductory course on the environment became a part of the teachers' preparation program at Highlands University. [18] A group of public school teachers also showed an interest in taking an active role in the program.

Applying the same tactics used in the interpretive program to natural resource management, Fort Union sought to build close relations with the community. The park personnel frequently contacted preservation organizations such as the Sierra Club and the Adelante Conservation to recruit assistance. Arnberger was invited to speak to the local Sierra Club. [19] These contacts and meetings helped the park determine its agendas and goals. Meanwhile, environmental education materials were distributed at the visitor center. As a result, both the Park Service and society benefited from the environmental education program. It strengthened the public's belief in conservation. For the first time, the monument devoted much time to environmental issues. Indeed, a balance between cultural resource and natural resource management began to emerge.

As natural resource management formally occupied the fort's administrative calendar, a series of actions involving preservation and research occurred at the site. One of the priorities was soil conservation, because erosion threatened the safety of the historic structures. Every cloudburst washed away dirt and created unwanted ravines in the park. Although Fort Union occasionally conducted a few emergency measures to fight erosion, the problem was beyond the park's capabilities. It had neither the money nor sufficient knowledge to retain the soil. This situation lasted until 1970 when the National Park Service addressed the issue in a serious manner. In November, Assistant Park Service Director Edward Hummel sent to the regional headquarters guidelines for soil and moisture conservation at each unit. Washington also agreed to appropriate more funds for such purposes. [20]

Under the guidance of Washington and Santa Fe, Fort Union started planning soil erosion control. For the first time, the Park Service asked the experts to conduct a systematic study on both the conditions of, and the solutions to, soil erosion. In October 1973, U.S. Soil Conservation Officer Harold Dineen inspected the situation of arroyo erosion at the monument and outlined the necessary measures. [21] According to his suggestions, masonry check dams and ripraps should be placed in arroyos to stabilize the banks. In the following year, the maintenance crew experimented with his methods and filled some of the arroyo heads with rubble and debris. Their work proved effective against the severe summer storms. [22]

The preliminary research and experimentation led to a well-planned and funded project for soil erosion control. In 1975, Fort Union and the U.S. Soil Conservation Service Mora-Wagon Mound District reached a cooperative agreement. It required the district to prepare a land inventory map of Fort Union National Monument, showing the soil, water, and vegetation potentials and limitations. Also, the conservation officers were willing to supply available technical assistance and information on how to treat the land. In return, the monument followed the district's instructions and recorded data about its soil, water, and vegetation. The chief beneficiary of this agreement was Fort Union, which received a detailed proposal for soil erosion control. [23]

Designed by conservation specialist Gary Storch, the proposal detailed work that was to occur in two stages. During the first year it focused on diverting water. Sheer vertical arroyo banks would be sloped and cut to no greater than a 2:1 slope to limit damages from runoff to downstream areas. Several new waterways with erosion-resistant rock lining were to be constructed to help dispose of large quantities of runoff water more efficiently. For 1976, the second season, the main objectives were rack building and grass seeding. Certain spots would receive either wooden posts or metal bars to catch debris in the arroyos and reduce the speed of flux after a rain. But nothing was more effective than grass cover. Thus, the plan suggested that workers seed the disturbed sections with native grasses such as blue grama, little bluestem, and western wheat. Careful planning was the first step toward success. [24]

Meanwhile, the Park Service received funds for a number of projects from the Economic Development Administration as part of the Job Opportunity Program. Fortunately, Fort Union was a chief beneficiary, and got a lion's share of the funds with $71,000. The unexpected funds enabled the monument to hire twenty unemployed veterans from Mora County and to execute its elaborate scheme for erosion control immediately. Following the plan, the workers accomplished their assignments and went home before Christmas. In the spring of 1976, eleven returned for the second season. They labored through early December until both the Job Opportunity Program and the erosion control project were completed. [25]

As a result, the two-year program eased most of the troubles concerning soil erosion. Although it was impossible to solve all the problems at once, this intensive conservation program stopped the further depletion of the earth to a great degree. For the time being, park administration could shift its attention to other natural resource issues.