Information provided by DRMP Director, Thora Padilla
The DRMP Thinning Crew has been working hard to remove the non-native Siberian elms from areas in Mescalero where we have source water that needs to be protected. This is the reason we are removing the elms near the new community well at the Gravel Pit and around the various springs that feed the North Springs area. As mentioned in our previous article, the elms grow very aggressively and spread primarily through underground sprouting. The roots can get into the drinking water distribution lines and damage the pipelines.
Once the elm trees are cut, DRMP staff follows up with a small squirt of an herbicide EPA-approved for use around water sources. Prior to the start of the project, 4 of our Crew Members got Federal and State Applicator certification through USEPA to properly apply the herbicide using all appropriate safety protocols. The herbicide will help to prevent re-sprouting of the elms treated, but it will not completely eliminate the elms. This will require several phases of work to keep the re-sprouting of elms at bay.
In the coming days, we will be working our way back down the highway, removing the large elms along the right-of-way, and then going back over to the south side of the highway and around St. Joseph’s Mission. There are numerous springs and seeps in this area, and we want to reduce the damage being done to these springs. It is hoped that we can also increase the amount of water going into the springs that feed the Tribal Fish Hatchery.
Since the work has started, we have applied for additional funding to treat another 50 acres along the river corridor going through Mescalero. Our primary focus with these first phases of the elm removal will be to open up areas along the creek and around springs. As we are seeing the changes in weather being brought on by climate change, we are proactively working to maintain and restore groundwater levels. In future phases of the elm removal, we will work within the community to remove elms in the Agency area and within the residential areas of Mescalero.
Following is a photograph from approximately 1900, showing how this valley looked before all the development. St. Joseph’s Mission was not yet built; see the red arrow. As you can see, this was a wide-open valley with very few trees in the bottom areas. But I bet that some of the small trees you see near the original Agency buildings are the original elm trees planted here over 100 years ago. Some of those little trees are also the original apple trees that were planted in this area, that are still growing by the Head Start building.
As you are driving through Mescalero, please be sure to slow down and watch out for our Crew Members. They are loading trailers with the brush and hauling it to the C-Side Transfer Station. We are also stacking the elm rounds separately over there.
