BajaNomad

Serious Mountain Problems

Baja Bucko - 10-15-2011 at 12:11 PM

With years of severe drought in Baja-yes, I know it is a desert-there are now very serious issues in the mountain areas of central and southern Baja.

Livestock is dying in great numbers not only due to lack of feed but due to the drying up of usual water sources especially in the Sierra de San Franciscos. The usual water sources are now completely DRY and the mountain families are in dire straits. With no rain in sight, no growth of grasses the goats are not producing milk for cheese making -a major source of income for the SSF families. Ranches are being abandoned because there is NO WATER and what livestock is left will either be sold or will die if a family can not get feed and water. Seed animals are in this situation with ranchers having to either sell the animals or watch them die.

Tourism in the range is a major income producer and in this case, it is a double-edged sword. There is little feed for animals and yet without the tourists traveling in to see cave art, there is NO INCOME. I am hoping that anyone who would like to see some of the most remarkable cave art in the world and wants to get in to the San Franciscos please consider doing so. WHOEVER you hire to use PLEASE make sure that they are having hay hauled in for the animals as there is no feed up there. I suspect there are some tour group organizers who will not even think about these issues but without feed and tourists there will be an exodus from the mountains. When the cowboys leave the mountains then there will be no one to protect the archeological sights. I do not even know if INAH or the government is really aware of the seriousness of the situation in the Sierra de San Franciscos......

So please think about a trip into the SSF-please bring hay bales (or arrange to have brought in) for your animals. Travel as light as possible and bring your tourist pesos. My trips have changed to ease up certain stress areas and I am getting hay (and water) hauled in to any place I will be camped-near what is left of any water sources. PLEASE visit w the ranchers and even bring along bags of beans and rice and fresh fruits. If the winter does not bring any wetness to restock historical water sources, we will see an empty mountain range.

I know there will be those here who say hay, the range has been overly grazed for years and needs a rest from livestock, and I agree, there are just too many families in such a sensitive area, BUT I am very close to many of these families and we need to find someplace "in the middle" of a really baaad situation.

Please go see the cave art, get your feed hauled in for any animals. If you hike in with no pack animals, spend the money you might save on getting hay hauled in to the families you visit. Bring beans and rice and fresh fruits if you can. Conserve water....

If you are not a hiker or rider traveler then drive into Santa Marta and visit Nacho or Patricio Arce, bring a bag of food for their families and share some tea or coffee and "platicando". If you are driving up to San Francisco, look up Pole' (R. Palo Rayo) and see about distributing rice and beans etc to various families with his recommendation. They do NOT need used clothing-they need supplies.

Please make sure that any tour company you might hire for a rock art trip BRINGS IN FEED for the animals used!!!!!

Jack Swords - 10-15-2011 at 03:07 PM

Thanks for the suggestions...we head down the first of Dec. for 5 months and usually spend a great deal of time in the backcountry visiting with the families. It was very dry last year, I can only imagine how it is now. We will travel with rice, beans, and fruit and try to help out as we can.

tiotomasbcs - 10-15-2011 at 03:31 PM

Arriving down south on the sw Pacific side there is no evidence of any rain. Traces fell about a month ago! Very little green vegetation. I'm hoping for one last rainfall?! Osprey has written about the drought. Any chance the local delegaciones could donate feed to the ranchers. The Ejidos or fishing Coops? WildCoast so how about some world organization for Baja mountain folks? Let's put our heads together. Tio

Baja Bucko - 10-15-2011 at 03:42 PM

Good idea!!!!

Next week I will be headed south to the border for Santa Marta and San Francisco -in Santa Marta abt Nov 5 until 16th- then off to San Francisco abt Nov 18 until the 29th for a lot of time in San Gregorio. I will be hauling in supplies and my truck is full but if anybody wants to at least drive in w me, let me know, and I can meet you in San Ignacio or at Bonfil.

Animals are dying because of these problems and mules are dying also because when they can't find enough to eat, they eat the WRONG STUFF and too much of it and get ill and die. Its a tough country.....

shari - 10-15-2011 at 07:36 PM

thanks so much for bringing this to our attention...I had no idea things were so dire there...excellent suggestions about what to bring the folks of the ranches. It would be such a tragedy to see this way of life disappear. Putting our heads together is a good idea....alfalfa and food donations could be dropped off at a central place...maybe vizcaino or san ignacio?

David K - 10-15-2011 at 08:51 PM

Teddi, write your book about riding mules on the Camino Real and increase the interest in the mountain ranchos that are on the old Spanish trail!:D

[Edited on 10-16-2011 by David K]

shari - 10-16-2011 at 06:21 AM

teddi...also the fantastic video Corazon Vaquero...I could use another 10 copies to sell here and proceeds could go to the alfalfa fund.

CaboRon - 10-16-2011 at 07:27 AM

This is really a tragic situation .... Is there any way to get water up there ? would it have to be brought in by mule ??

And lastly ... how may those of us who have moved back to the states help ?? Perhaps through a PayPal account ?

mcfez - 10-16-2011 at 07:33 AM

is this issue wide spread throughout many parts of Baja?

Baja Bucko - 10-16-2011 at 09:54 AM

Yesterday I was told that the mountains in the south are also experiencing the same problems-animals are dying in the Sierra Giganta and southward with families leaving the mountains.

Baja Bucko - 10-18-2011 at 09:04 AM

I'm bumping this topic so that we can keep it on the burner. If you have a favorite guide or family in Santa Marta or San Francisco, please drop off a "care package" when you are headed down. There is a drop off point in Vizcaino but I need to get directions if needed. BIG bags of rice and beans, flour, fresh fruit, shampoo and hand lotion for the women, coffee, hot chocolate and a bale of hay is good....you can buy hay at points south of the border and at Vizcaino.

If going to San Francisco check w Pole' at R. Palo Rayo and he will direct any supplies to the families he thinks needs them most.

BajaBlanca - 10-18-2011 at 09:29 AM

I always send clothes up as this is a very needed thing as well ... the locals here send fish ....

BajaBlanca - 10-18-2011 at 09:32 AM

actually, if anyone wants to drop stuff off for the mountains at the restraunt called EL CRUZERO, right on on highway 1 exit to Punta Abreojos, I will find a way to get it to the mountain people. Please give me advance notice so as to give me time to coordinate.

Of ocurse, you can always come and explore la bocana and drop it off too.

MitchMan - 10-18-2011 at 11:58 AM

I wonder if Slim Helu was apprised of this situation whether or not he would consider investing into the country that has been so good to him financially and use his considerable influence to mobilize the Mexican government together with just a tiny, tiny bit of his fortune to help remedy the situation?

[Edited on 10-18-2011 by MitchMan]

Bajatripper - 10-18-2011 at 01:34 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by mcfez
is this issue wide spread throughout many parts of Baja?


Yes, this is a problem through much of Baja. Unfortunately, it is something that happens frequently down here, as evidenced in the literature of Baja's history.

David K - 10-18-2011 at 11:59 PM

The land can support only so many people... Over the hundreds of years places like San Francisco de la Sierra has been populated, the 'excess' population over what the mountain could support would move to San Ignacio and beyond... The number of Arce's and Villavicencio's through-out Baja is an example... Their family tree has roots up there... then back to the mainland and Spain... Soldiers hired to protect the missions, who were rewarded with that land.

baja Steve - 10-19-2011 at 12:43 AM

Teddi
Thanks for bringing this to the attention of the Nomad folks. Been seeing this com on over the last year and it is not good. We have been sending supplies into Santa Marta and also to a couple of families West of San Ignacio also. Last week I picked up about 2,500 pounds (which is a lot) of Freeze Dried food donated by Oregon Freeze Dry in Albany Oregon. It includes items like freeze dried chicken, eggs, corn, pork, milk, fruit and so on. This product will leave Bend for Baja next week. Oregon Freeze Dry donates a considerable amount each year for Baja and has been used in the past in areas like La Bocana, Punta Abreojos, Bahia Tortugas and other fishing villages on the gulf and actually all over BCS. Thanks for all your good work on this and hopefully we will cross paths this winter.

gnukid - 10-19-2011 at 04:58 AM

Be realistic, if a region is suffering from harsh climate the best approach is move, that's why they are called Nomads. It wasn't possible to fight the dry period of the early mid west, the flooding of New Orleans, or the recent issues in Japan. People need to start getting real and move on if a region is not hospitable or habitable now. There is no requirement to stay in an area which is inhabitable right now. You can return in the future. Trying to compete with mother nature, with limited resources is not possible.

baja Steve - 10-19-2011 at 05:52 AM

Been through this in Baja before and also other countries. A lot of the people will and do move but some of the family will stay to prevent having their home or ranch damaged or items stolen. A lot of these ranches now have roads and it is amazing how things disappear. Any of you that know Coco knows how that goes. And yes this also happens in the good old USA.

mtgoat666 - 10-19-2011 at 06:44 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by gnukid
Be realistic, if a region is suffering from harsh climate the best approach is move, that's why they are called Nomads. It wasn't possible to fight the dry period of the early mid west, the flooding of New Orleans, or the recent issues in Japan. People need to start getting real and move on if a region is not hospitable or habitable now. There is no requirement to stay in an area which is inhabitable right now. You can return in the future. Trying to compete with mother nature, with limited resources is not possible.


newkid,
it is simple matter to move on for someone like you born with a silver spoon in their mouth. not so easy for landed poor to pack up and move on to greener pastures. rural people can always move to city, live in a slum and work in a malquiadora, eh, newkid? perhaps get a job for $1/day assembling the next large flat panel TV you buy for your vacation home?

Cypress - 10-19-2011 at 07:06 AM

Oh boy, a little class warfare. Seems to be popular nowadays. Toss in a few insults! That's a winning strategy. It worked in elementary school.:biggrin:

wilderone - 10-19-2011 at 10:21 AM

"I wonder if Slim Helu was apprised of this situation whether or not he would consider investing into the country that has been so good to him financially and use his considerable influence to mobilize the Mexican government together with just a tiny, tiny bit of his fortune to help remedy the situation?"

Good point. A couple wells would help. There must be a substantial aquifer at the bottom of the canyons. They have the mules to bring water up to the ranchos - or fill some water troughs and lead the goats and mules to it. Many NGO's sponsor such projects all over the world. Maybe some grant writing assistance by someone who can communicate specifics?

astrobaja - 10-22-2011 at 01:52 PM

Last time my Wife and I were talking to her uncle Crosby, he told us that the cave paintings were now a world heritage site by UNESCO. Would that not quilify them for aid? I will forward the info to Harry to see what he has to say.
Historically have the ranchers of the region not traditionaly kept goats instead of cattle? Seems like maybe they grew their livestock beyond what the region can support, maybe a time to go back to goats.

Here in the SPM livestock are now not allowed although one rancher still blatently ignores that rule. Livestock running around the park here look very thin, and many carry tuburculosis. I imagine the ranchers of the san Francisco mtns are much poorer than those here!

Baja Bucko - 10-22-2011 at 02:08 PM

The SSF has been DECIMATED by too many years of too many goats...if there is a good feed year that means families want to increase their herds instead of getting together w others in some sort of conservation plan so that each family is allowed so many goats and so many cows. Have tried to ask around for what Mex gov body might be included to help w such a plan...but there are too many families now and not enough land...goats can get EVERYWHERE and EAT EVERYTHING!

In the ole days in the US sheep were often known as "range maggots"...in Baja, goats are the "range maggots".