AN ORTIZ DOCENT'S PERSPECTIVE
Barbara Briggs

Of all the Ortiz Mountain Preserve tours, for me nothing is more pleasant than to explore the flora, watch for deer, and delight in the old stone walls and scattered "rastra" rocks of the "loop." An evocative place, the "loop" draws you back to mid-19th century New Mexico when miners panned for gold hoping for enough flakes to make their hard work worthwhile.

But that isn't the only experience in our Ortiz Mountains Educational Preserve. During 2004, eighteen docents led twenty-seven bird walks, bat watches, hikes to Placer Peak and North Mountain and tours of the old mine area. Plus, thanks to SFBG member Todd Brown, we've got benches to sit on up there, shelters to protect us from the summer heat, a great kiosk for talks and . . . an outhouse!

Now, the mountains are quiet for the winter. Except for an occasional storm, the wind rustles through the trees while nature gradually repairs the effects of human intervention. All is well in this beautiful preserve, high above the plains, hidden in the heart of the Ortiz Mountains.

BECOME AN OMEP DOCENT Want an experience like this? It can be yours when you become an OMEP docent. We'd love to have you join the marvelous, interesting, and delightful group of OMEP docents. Call the SFBG Office at 428-1684 and join the group!