Mysterious stick structures in Santa Fe National Forest in NM pose safety risk, Forest Service says

NORTH NEW MEXICO – Quoted from KOB News:  "It looks like something out of a horror movie, and officials say it's illegal and dangerous."  Seriously?  This should be an interesting story to follow... 

Mysterious stick structures have been popping up in the Santa Fe National Forest, and people are stumbling upon them. Jake Matthews, who mountain bikes in the area, said he's always noticed them all over the area.

"I've seen them as long as I've probably been riding these trails, for 10 or 12 years now. I've seen them that whole time," Matthew said.

But forest officials say they've become more common, especially around Tesuque Peak Road at Aspen Vista.

"I don't think they're necessarily a nuisance, but I understand the rules are definitely the rules here," Matthew said.

And the rules say the mysterious structures are being illegally constructed. In fact, a fine of as much as $5,000 could await the person building them. A group of people would be looking at even bigger consequences.

Forest Service officials say the structures pose a health and safety hazard; one of them could collapse or could even spark a big fire, especially as some of the structures are built around fire rings.

"I guess if it's something they're trying to do and they're being proactive about it, that's a good thing," said Robert Matthews, Jake's brother. "As far as trail work and stuff like that, I think it's also a good thing. The more everyone works together (the more) it's going to be a better experience for everybody."

One stick structure that KOB crews were able to find on Sunday was relatively small compared to some that Forest Service officials say they've seen in the area. Some stand two stories tall, measuring 20 feet in diameter.

Now they're working to dismantle them.

"They're typically removed from the trails, so you kind of see them through the trees," Jake Matthews said. "But they don't really impact anything I do up here, personally."

For now, officials are asking people who come upon the structures to report them to any nearby Ranger District office, so that the forest can continue to be explored without risk.

"It's great that we have access to all these trails," Jake Matthews said. "Anything we can do to continue promoting that access (and) continue building trails out here I think is great for our economy, and for the city as a whole."

Source:  KOB News,  December 03, 2017 10:39 PM,  See Story Here

Another Source: SFNF News

Stick Structures Pose Hazards On Santa Fe National Forest ... So Who’s Building Them And Why?

SANTA FE – The number of human-built conical stick structures – some as tall as two stories and 20 feet or more in diameter – popping up on the Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF) seems to be on the rise, and Forest Service officials are wondering why.

They also are concerned about the significant health and safety hazards posed by these structures.

This week, employees from the Española Ranger District went into the field with a volunteer who showed them seven or eight of these stick structures off Tesuque Peak Road at Aspen Vista.  At least 10 more have been reported below the Aspen Vista picnic area, and they have also been spotted on the Winsor Trail and in the Big Tesuque drainage.

SFNF staff said the structures are elaborately constructed out of 1,000 or more individual sticks or

Found near Aspen Vista. Courtesy/USDA Forest Service

logs. The wood is seasoned and dry, and the design is similar to a classic kindling pyramid but on a much larger scale. And to exacerbate the obvious fire danger, people appear to be using fire rings inside many of the structures.

Citing the high risk of these structures collapsing or catching on fire, Española District Ranger Sandy Hurlocker said, “We are concerned about the safety of our visitors, and we are extremely worried about the fire danger to forest resources and other values at risk. A high-severity fire in this popular recreation corridor would have catastrophic consequences not only for the Santa Fe National Forest, but for the Pueblo of Tesuque, the Santa Fe Municipal Watershed and residents in nearby neighborhoods.”

The Forest Service is not sure who is building these structures and what their motives may be. “But our response is to dismantle them, and we are asking the responsible individuals not to reconstruct them,” Hurlocker said. The SFNF is also asking members of the public to report these structures and their approximate location to Forest Headquarters at 505.438.5300 or any of the Ranger District offices.

The construction of these structures on National Forest System lands is prohibited under Title 36 of the Code of Federal Regulations (36 CFR 261.10(a)). Violators are punishable by a fine of not more than $5,000 for individuals and $10,000 for organizations, imprisonment of not more than six months, or both.

I also felt this story in New Mexico a few months backwas at least worthy of mention :

Storm flattens trees in Santa Fe National Forest

 ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- The vantage point from Chopper 4 shows the result of nature's raw power. The Santa Fe National Forest reports a massive tree blow-down on Windsor Trail near Stewart Lake.

According to witness reports, the damage was found shortly after May 5. Still, the forest service says that down trees pose a major hazard. Even standing trees in the area could be damaged and susceptible to collapse.

The damage was most likely not caused by a tornado. From the looks of it, this result could be from a dry microburst.

Exactly how does a dry microburst work? In many cases, dry thunderstorms will actually evaporate the rain before it hits the ground. This causes the air to become cold, dense and heavy and it comes rushing to the ground.

That's a likely culprit for the tree-flattening we saw in the Santa Fe National Forest.

Microbursts happen all the time in New Mexico, during severe weather season and throughout the monsoon. The damage can be devastating, even destroying structures and overturning vehicles.

Source:  KOB News,  May 11, 2017 05:25 PM,  See Story Here

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