CHRISSY OHLINGER / Special to the PVT Christina Nalen explains the importance of preservation of the Longstreet Spring. A net stretches from the bucket across the spring to try to isolate some largemouth bass rumored to be in the pond. CHRISSY OHLINGER / PVT A boardwalk will lead visitors to these ancient Anasazi grinding stones. Walking level to the stones on raised platforms, visitors will be able to peer down into the holes. Mesquite beans like those in the inset and cat-tail roots were ground by the Anasazi. CHRISSY OHLINGER / PVT Mesquite beans like those in the inset and cat-tail roots were ground by the Anasazi. Advertisement

This fall changes to the Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge are under way to provide new attractions for visitors to explore and learn about the area's rich natural and cultural history.

Christina Nalen, visitor services manager for the refuge since 2006, is excited about the new services being offered to visitors promoting, at the same time, the principal theme of habitat conservation.

Two new boardwalks are being constructed at specific natural and cultural points of interest and a new primitive trail will be developed.

The first boardwalk will be constructed at Point of Rocks and will be a half-mile in length, round trip. It will have an informational kiosk and be wheelchair accessible. It will begin at the parking lot and wind through the mesquite forests, past King's Pool and lead to a series of ancient Anasazi grinding holes.

The forest area of Point of Rocks and springs of King's Pool were restored 11 years ago.

Originally, the land was used for farming cotton and alfalfa. Nearly all the natural features of the land were wiped out. Later, a development company backfilled and covered many springs to try to make lakes. At least three different springs of the 19 known to have existed are now restored.

The mesquite forest was replanted and the streams were re-contoured based on pictures that the agency has of the land before farming and development voided the area of its natural plant and fish habitats.

Even some soil in the area is not native, as less salty dirt was needed to grow farm crops. Miraculously, the Anasazi grinding holes survived unharmed.

Further efforts at natural restoration are still under way as salt cedar is being eradicated. Where salt cedar trees are being pulled up and ground, the chippings can be seen on the drive into Point of Rocks.

The second boardwalk will be shorter, only an eighth of a mile round trip, at Longstreet Springs. The boardwalk will lead from the parking lot to the historic Longstreet Cabin and spring.

The small 24-by-15-foot single-room cabin has been restored but has a much more interesting history than its appearance might suggest.

According to Anan W. Raymond's 1991 archeological report for the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service, Andrew Jackson Longstreet was a prickly character.

In 1891 he led a lynch mob of Nevada Paiutes to the home of a mining superintendent to reap revenge for labor exploitation.

By 1895, Longstreet was known to be living in a cabin at Ash Meadows, but he could have been there longer, laying low from the law.

He built his stone cabin against a spring mound that provided him with indoor running water, air conditioning and refrigeration, all of which were virtually unknown in those times.

Longstreet panned for gold and silver out of the local streams and married a native girl, an Ash Meadows Southern Paiute named Fannie Black. Longstreet worked on both sides of the law for the next four years until he left the area in 1899, selling his ranch in 1906.

The cabin has been restored to its original state, except for the spring in the back wall.

A trail exists now where the boardwalk will be constructed, but the area is considered dangerous because of the possibility of sinkholes in the soft dirt. A boardwalk will keep many visitors on safe footing and help to preserve the marsh surrounding the spring.

An informational kiosk will also be constructed so that visitors can learn about the colorful past of the cabin. Rest room facilities will be available.

In addition to boardwalks, a primitive walking trail is being developed for visitors to hike the area from Crystal Loop Road behind the visitor office to Lower Crystal Marsh. The hike will be about three-quarters of a mile long and will utilize a two-track road that already exists as a hunting trail but needs more attention to be user friendly to tourists.

With more programs, Nalen hopes to attract more visitors to Ash Meadows.

She wants "to give local visitors the opportunity for greater appreciation of this area as a wildlife refuge ... by offering education and information for them to understand why we're here and appreciate the importance of the refuge and support it."

Nalen added a moment later, explaining the importance of local support for the national agency, "Pupfish don't vote. People do."

She has dozens of ideas for community involvement that she would like to implement, but funding and time management play roles in determining how soon and which ones are realized.

In spring 2008, Nye County elementary school students got involved at the refuge, and Nalen hopes to expand the program in 2009. She would like to see a future revival of the local Youth Conservation Corps get involved at the refuge, too.

This fall she is meeting with professional photographers to discuss plans to construct "blinds" or shelters to camouflage photographers shooting wildlife at Peterson Reservoir and Lower Crystal Marsh.

With enthusiastic refuge staff like Nalen heading visitor services, the coming years at the Ash Meadows Wildlife Refuge should see major changes and a lot more reasons to get out and enjoy one of our most prized local natural attractions.