8== January 23, 1987 American ChamberSymphony to perform Tues. Music loverS have a treat in store for them when the Los Angeles-based Ameri- can Chamber Symphony performs at the Center theater at 7:30p.m. Tuesday. The 2:;-person orchestra is under the direction of youthful Nelson Nirenberg and features violinist Mischa Lefkowitz. Pr<>o gram selections are Tartini's Concerto No. 58 in F Major and the Concerto No.5 in A Major for violin and orchestra by Mozart. The finaJ offering of the evening will be Haydn's Symphony No. 60 in C Major, "The Absent-Minded Man." Nirenberg is regarded as one of the world's outstanding young music directors; be bas won highest awards in many inter- national competitions. Concertmaster and soloist Lefkowitz is equally outstanding. He won the 19115 Yebudi Menubin Award, among other prizes, and is """ember of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. He appears here under partial support with funds from tbe California Arts Council and the Na- tional E~dowment for the Arts. Art collection to be shown China Lakers can take advantage of a spe"j al reception and private viewing of the selection from Dr. Armand Hammer's world renowned art coUection at California State CoUege, Bakersfield on Saturday, Feb. 7in the Stockdale Room at CSB. Sponsored by the Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce Military Mfairs Committee, the Military Day for the Hammer CoUection will begin at 6:30 p.m. with a reception, foUowed by the private viewing from 8 to 9 p.m . Reservations are limited and can be made by calling the Chamber Office at (1105) 327-4421. Tickets are $10 per person. Dr. Thomas Arciniega, CSB president, said the coUection will be shown in the Todd Madigan GaUery on campus from Jan. 24 to Feb. 22. The Hammer CoUeotion is coming to Bakersfield direct from an exhibition in the Soviet Union. The art works in the selection include 25 impressionist and post-impressionist works by artists such as Van Gogh, Cezanne, Gauguin, Renoir and the American Mary Cassatt. Also, six paintings by the Old Masters, incuding Rembrandt's Juno and Gilbert Stuart's portrait of George Washington. The exhibition is made possible by the Armand Hammer Foundation, Occidental Petroleum Corp. and tho. Dorian Society of California State CoUege, Bakersfield. VIATEK.viewing NWC's Enlisted Mess Drydock Room will host the 1987 VlATEK Product Viewing on Jan. 29 from 9a.m. to 5p.m. On display will be Mlcor-VAX and Q-Bus compatible board level products aJong with VME and Multi-Bus compatible board level products for COOlDIercia! and military ap- plications. Max Fri. 42 Sat. 51 Sun. 59 Mon. 61 Tues. 55 Wed. 60 Thurs. 57 ",.H..- J2_: Dr" Peel< MIa GtoIt 24 29 knots 19 15 knots 20 8knots TI 31 knots 36 Tlknots 16 6knots 18 5knots All measurements are made at Armitage Airfield. Single event tickets for this Indian Wells Valley Concert AssocIation program are $7 for general admission or $5 for full-time eoUsted military personnel and people over 65 or under 21. Tickets can be purchased at The Music Man, Medical Arts Pharmacy, Maturango Museum and the Art Buffet in Ridgecrest. Tickets will also be available at the box of- fice on the evening of the concert. Season ticket-holders unable to attend the concert are asked to release their seats by telephoning 375-5600. Lefkowitz and piano accompanist Brent McMunn will present a student program the morning after the concert for loeallifth and sixth grade students. This special 56- minute program will begin at 10 a.m. at the Center theater. Limited seating is also available to the general public. There is no charge for the student pro- gram, which is provided as an educational service of the IWVCA. This is made possi- ble by contributions to the Student Educa- tionFund. Conductor Nelson Nirenberg "New Tax Laws" wiU be the topic for the February 3 meeting of the China Lake Post, Society of American Military Engineers. liaTold Manning from Burkey and Cox Accounting Corporation of Ridgecrest wiU be the speaker at the lunch meeting, which will be held at the Commissioned Officers' Mess starting at l1 :30 a.m. Menu choices are either a chef salad or a steak sandwich; both choices are $5.25 for SAME members and $5.75 for non-members. Reservations are required and must be made no later than Thursday, Jan. 30 by telephoning Sam Miller, 3411, ext. 287. +++ Highlighting a special Fathermaughter Valentine's Day dinner for fathers and their young ladies (from pre-school to sixth grade) will be the outstanding performance of professional magician Eugene Silvers and his delightful magic show. Each of the young daughters will also receive a carnation, and a polaroid picture of each father/daughter couple is included in the cost of the evening. The dinner will be held at the Enlisted Mess on Friday, Feb. 13 from 6 to 9 p.m. Din- ner special for the evening wiU be spaghetti, garlic bread, salad and chocolate sundaes. Cost for the evening, including the show, flower, picture and dinner, wiU be, for couples, $15 for active duty military, $16 for DOD civilians and retired military and $17 for private citizens. Tickets can be purchased at the door for an additional 50 cents per couple. Tickets can be purchased at the Information, Ticket and Tour Office during regular business hours, Mondays through Fridays from 9a.m. to 5p.m. +++ Soup (homemade - the very best kind) and salad from the salad bar at the Com- missioned Officers' Mess is a great way to eat a nutritious lunch for the low cost of only $3.25. The soup and salad bar is open from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily. All government employees are invited to drop by the COM for a great meal. +++ Another Beef and Burgundy Dinner will be featured at the Commissioned Officers' Mess next Friday. Enjoy an all-you-can-eat (and drink) dinner of Steamship Round, wine, plus a giant salad bar for only 57.95. Reservations arc required by Wednesday (Jan. 28). +++ Prime rib or white fish will be the special at the Chief Petty Officers' Mess tonight. Dinner will be served from 5:30 to 9 p.m. +++ Disco to the ·Sound Waves· at the Enlisted Mess tonight from 9 p.m. to I a.m. Admission is free. +++ Jan. 25 is Super Bowl Sunday at the Enlisted Mess. For only 55 admission, enjoy the game on a large-screen TV while enjoying a delicious deli buffet. +++ Wednesday's night OJ at the Enlisted Mess will be Ted Lemon of ·Sound Waves: Dance to popular tunes from 8 to 11:30 p.m. for only 51 per person. +++ Friends of the Ridgecrest Library will hold an organizatiOflllI meeting of that group on Thursday at 7 p.m. in the conference room of that library, 131 E. Las Flores, Ridge- crest. Eloioe Nelson of the Kern Library Friends will be a guest speaker. Anyone interested in supporting and improving local library services in Ridgecrest is welcome to attend. Further information about the group can be obtained by telephoning Imelda Nee at 37i>-M36. +++ "Secrets of Searles Lake - fron Brine to Bicycles, BoWes and Baking Soda," is the new Saturday adventure to be presented tomorrow from 3 to 4 p.m. at the Maturango Museum. The program is open to "children of aU ages" and will foeus on how Searles Lake cbemicals are used to produce such items as ceramic We, gypswn waU board, clothing, soaps, cleansers, bicycles, boWes and baking soda. Margaret Cothran, a former teacber, will make the presentation in the new museum building,l00 E. Las Flores in Ridgecrest. Swap meet NWC's Recreational Services Depart- ment will sponsor the second of its monthly Swap Meets on Saturday, Feb. 7 at Ben- nington Plaza's parking lot. The sale will be held the first Saturday ofeachmonth. Anyone interested in selling need pay on- ly a $3 fee which covers sales space and publicity. The sales lot will be open from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. Buyers can table hop rather than go yard sale hopping throughout the town, saving time and gas money. Space rental information is available at the Information, Ticket and Tour (ITT) Of- fice, NWC ext. 2010, Monday through Fri- dayfrom 9a.m. to 5 p.m. NWC HOTLINE Integrity, erticlency program Call: NWC ••t. 3636(24 hrs.) or call the InspeClor General at: (800)522·3451 (toll free) 288·6743 (AuIOvon) C202)433-6743 (commercial) FRIDAY, SATURDAY JAN.l3, 2.4 "SOUL MAN" Swrin, C. Thanu Ho-.ll and James EarlJcma: (Comedy. Awd PG-ll. lOS min.) SUNDAY JAN.~ -TWELVE MONTHS" (Animuod. rated O. 64 min) MONDAY JAN. U "AGNES OF GOD" Sturin) Jane fo1da aDd AnneB.nadt (Dram., rated PG-t3, 99 min.) WEDNESDAY JAN. 11 "OUT OF BOUNDS" Sturin, Anlhon.tMichael Hall aDd Jenny Wriahl (Dram" Ated R. 92 min) rRIDAy JAN. 3. -SHANGHAI SURPRISE" Swrina Macbma and Scan PeM (Adva1lureJDnma. nwd PO-IJ. 91 min.) 7pm 1(;1 ALL A(;eS AOMITIeD IPGIALL A(;eS ADMITTED p.,,,n," (;..odanc" S",,,.,,,," IRI RESTfUCTED * U.S. G.,,","_n' Pronhftt Olhe. 1987 - No. .40()39 FROM TO. PLACE STAMP HERE • \ i , • LNl Gorden chosen as NWC's Sailor of the Year CaUed a "superb professional" by his supervisor and ooe of four sailors at the Naval Weapons Center to attain SaIlor of the Quarter booors during 19116, Legalman First Id !lOll, Robert. They have been busy enjoying the variety of entertainment and recreation opportunities offered by the area. In fact, Gordon said they hope to return to the area after be retires from the Navy in severalyears. The Hi-year Navy veteran came to NWC from a Ibree-year tour of duty with the Naval Legal ServIces OffIce in Naples, Ita- Iy. He noted he spent his first year in the Navy as a yeool811 before converting to the chaUenging legaJman's rate. There Is nothing boring about duties as a legaJman for a command like the Naval Weapons Center. "It's always very inter- estIng," noted LN1 Gordon, of his Naval careeras a legaJman. When be was selected as SaIlor of the Quarter, Petty OffIcer Gordon was credited with having been able to process report (Continued on Page 3) Stewardship of land presents exciting challenge Many laws, regulations and directives apply to resource management With one-third of aU Navy lands belong- ing to NWC, concerned stewardship of these lands and their resources is a real challenge to Dr. Tom McGiU and the dozen or so anthropologists, biologists, engineers and tecbnicians in the Environmental Branch of the Public Works Department. The Naval Ordnance Test Station (now NWC) was established in the Mojave Des- ert because it was seen as a desolate, isolated area. Despite its not being heavily populated, however, the desert was and stiU is rich in both natural and cultural resources. These resources are protected by a wide range of laws, regulations and directives with which the Center must comply; Dr. McGill and his personnel are tasked to ensure such compliance. . Prohably the most dramatic instance of efforts made by the Navy to protect the natural resources of the desert was the major burro removal program that began in 1979. Burros, not native to the area, had been involved in such a population explo- sion that they were threatening the habitat of many other wildlife as well as proving a major hazard to human safety by straying onto the runways at the airfield and Center roads. The burro removal program resulted in more than 8,000 being taken from Center lands. Since this meant that water and food were now available for native species, the Center has joined with other agencies in re-establishing bighorn sheep on Navy lands where they roamed naturally for eons. Also being removed are wild horses - horses that either escaped from ranchers or Indians or were turned loose by them. The horses do not pose the threat to other species that burros did because they have different eating and drinking patterns and because the horse population doesn't grow as rapidly as the burro population did. However, their numbers have still exceed- ed the capability of the range resources. So far more than 1,500 horses have been captured and removed and Dr. McGiU estimates that there may be as many as another 1,500 yet on the north range; another removal will be carried out in con- junction with the Bureau of Land Management early this year. Both horses and burros are released to various humane groups, who run adoption programs for these animals. Horses from the Navy's land can also be adopted direcUy from BLM. Of particular concern also are en- dangered, threatened or protected species native to the area, such as the Mojave ground squirrel. Biologists estimate that a large portion of the total remaining popula- tion of these charming creatures lives a sheltered life on Center lands. Not native to China Lake is the Mojave chub, an endangered fish species whose total remaining number were at ZZyzzx Springs unW the 1970., when some of the chubs were removed to 14 different -Ioea- tions in an effort to save the species. Around 400 chubs were placed in the Lark seep on the Center's inner range - and have multiplied to an estimated more than 100,000. Since the chubs are covered by special laws relating to endangered species, Center biologists are required to exert special effort for their protection. Surveys to detenrune what animals, birds and insects actually call China Lake lands home are ongoing at aU times. "Only if we know what species we've actuaUy got here and how many of each can we teU what good stewardship requires us to do," says Dr. McGill. The variety and amount of animal life is astounding, he notes, adding that more than 237 varieties of birds alone have been identified. The nora (plant life) of the area is also of great interest, he adds. For example, Dr. Frank Vesek of the University of California at Riverside is a world authority on creosote rings; he has studied living creosote plants at China Lake that he has correlated through a carbon-14 dating method as being from 6,000 to 10,000 years old. A creosote plant propagates at its edges. As the inner portion of the plants die, the creosote plant grows outward in a ring-like fashion and some or the very ancient creosote plants found have a growth diameter in excess of 30 feet. Man-made resources on board Navy lands are also covered by many laws and regulations. There protection is in many ways more critical than natural resources, because they are not renewable. Once damaged or destroyed, they are gone forever. Both Little Petroglyph and Big Petroglyph Canyons are national registered historic landmarks. Anthropologists from throughout the world have come to the loeal area to study these drawings incised into the rocks. The variety of fi~ures that seem (Continued on Page 7) RANCH RUINS - Fanning and ranching near the ex- Isting SNORT facility existed before the Navy came to the Indian Wells Vallay during World War 1\ to create the Naval Ordnance Test Station. _ . , OCR Text: 8== January 23, 1987 American ChamberSymphony to perform Tues. Music loverS have a treat in store for them when the Los Angeles-based Ameri- can Chamber Symphony performs at the Center theater at 7:30p.m. Tuesday. The 2:;-person orchestra is under the direction of youthful Nelson Nirenberg and features violinist Mischa Lefkowitz. Pr<>o gram selections are Tartini's Concerto No. 58 in F Major and the Concerto No.5 in A Major for violin and orchestra by Mozart. The finaJ offering of the evening will be Haydn's Symphony No. 60 in C Major, "The Absent-Minded Man." Nirenberg is regarded as one of the world's outstanding young music directors; be bas won highest awards in many inter- national competitions. Concertmaster and soloist Lefkowitz is equally outstanding. He won the 19115 Yebudi Menubin Award, among other prizes, and is """ember of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. He appears here under partial support with funds from tbe California Arts Council and the Na- tional E~dowment for the Arts. Art collection to be shown China Lakers can take advantage of a spe"j al reception and private viewing of the selection from Dr. Armand Hammer's world renowned art coUection at California State CoUege, Bakersfield on Saturday, Feb. 7in the Stockdale Room at CSB. Sponsored by the Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce Military Mfairs Committee, the Military Day for the Hammer CoUection will begin at 6:30 p.m. with a reception, foUowed by the private viewing from 8 to 9 p.m . Reservations are limited and can be made by calling the Chamber Office at (1105) 327-4421. Tickets are $10 per person. Dr. Thomas Arciniega, CSB president, said the coUection will be shown in the Todd Madigan GaUery on campus from Jan. 24 to Feb. 22. The Hammer CoUeotion is coming to Bakersfield direct from an exhibition in the Soviet Union. The art works in the selection include 25 impressionist and post-impressionist works by artists such as Van Gogh, Cezanne, Gauguin, Renoir and the American Mary Cassatt. Also, six paintings by the Old Masters, incuding Rembrandt's Juno and Gilbert Stuart's portrait of George Washington. The exhibition is made possible by the Armand Hammer Foundation, Occidental Petroleum Corp. and tho. Dorian Society of California State CoUege, Bakersfield. VIATEK.viewing NWC's Enlisted Mess Drydock Room will host the 1987 VlATEK Product Viewing on Jan. 29 from 9a.m. to 5p.m. On display will be Mlcor-VAX and Q-Bus compatible board level products aJong with VME and Multi-Bus compatible board level products for COOlDIercia! and military ap- plications. Max Fri. 42 Sat. 51 Sun. 59 Mon. 61 Tues. 55 Wed. 60 Thurs. 57 ",.H..- J2_: Dr" Peel< MIa GtoIt 24 29 knots 19 15 knots 20 8knots TI 31 knots 36 Tlknots 16 6knots 18 5knots All measurements are made at Armitage Airfield. Single event tickets for this Indian Wells Valley Concert AssocIation program are $7 for general admission or $5 for full-time eoUsted military personnel and people over 65 or under 21. Tickets can be purchased at The Music Man, Medical Arts Pharmacy, Maturango Museum and the Art Buffet in Ridgecrest. Tickets will also be available at the box of- fice on the evening of the concert. Season ticket-holders unable to attend the concert are asked to release their seats by telephoning 375-5600. Lefkowitz and piano accompanist Brent McMunn will present a student program the morning after the concert for loeallifth and sixth grade students. This special 56- minute program will begin at 10 a.m. at the Center theater. Limited seating is also available to the general public. There is no charge for the student pro- gram, which is provided as an educational service of the IWVCA. This is made possi- ble by contributions to the Student Educa- tionFund. Conductor Nelson Nirenberg "New Tax Laws" wiU be the topic for the February 3 meeting of the China Lake Post, Society of American Military Engineers. liaTold Manning from Burkey and Cox Accounting Corporation of Ridgecrest wiU be the speaker at the lunch meeting, which will be held at the Commissioned Officers' Mess starting at l1 :30 a.m. Menu choices are either a chef salad or a steak sandwich; both choices are $5.25 for SAME members and $5.75 for non-members. Reservations are required and must be made no later than Thursday, Jan. 30 by telephoning Sam Miller, 3411, ext. 287. Highlighting a special Fathermaughter Valentine's Day dinner for fathers and their young ladies (from pre-school to sixth grade) will be the outstanding performance of professional magician Eugene Silvers and his delightful magic show. Each of the young daughters will also receive a carnation, and a polaroid picture of each father/daughter couple is included in the cost of the evening. The dinner will be held at the Enlisted Mess on Friday, Feb. 13 from 6 to 9 p.m. Din- ner special for the evening wiU be spaghetti, garlic bread, salad and chocolate sundaes. Cost for the evening, including the show, flower, picture and dinner, wiU be, for couples, $15 for active duty military, $16 for DOD civilians and retired military and $17 for private citizens. Tickets can be purchased at the door for an additional 50 cents per couple. Tickets can be purchased at the Information, Ticket and Tour Office during regular business hours, Mondays through Fridays from 9a.m. to 5p.m. Soup (homemade - the very best kind) and salad from the salad bar at the Com- missioned Officers' Mess is a great way to eat a nutritious lunch for the low cost of only $3.25. The soup and salad bar is open from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily. All government employees are invited to drop by the COM for a great meal. Another Beef and Burgundy Dinner will be featured at the Commissioned Officers' Mess next Friday. Enjoy an all-you-can-eat (and drink) dinner of Steamship Round, wine, plus a giant salad bar for only 57.95. Reservations arc required by Wednesday (Jan. 28). Prime rib or white fish will be the special at the Chief Petty Officers' Mess tonight. Dinner will be served from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Disco to the ·Sound Waves· at the Enlisted Mess tonight from 9 p.m. to I a.m. Admission is free. Jan. 25 is Super Bowl Sunday at the Enlisted Mess. For only 55 admission, enjoy the game on a large-screen TV while enjoying a delicious deli buffet. Wednesday's night OJ at the Enlisted Mess will be Ted Lemon of ·Sound Waves: Dance to popular tunes from 8 to 11:30 p.m. for only 51 per person. Friends of the Ridgecrest Library will hold an organizatiOflllI meeting of that group on Thursday at 7 p.m. in the conference room of that library, 131 E. Las Flores, Ridge- crest. Eloioe Nelson of the Kern Library Friends will be a guest speaker. Anyone interested in supporting and improving local library services in Ridgecrest is welcome to attend. Further information about the group can be obtained by telephoning Imelda Nee at 37i>-M36. "Secrets of Searles Lake - fron Brine to Bicycles, BoWes and Baking Soda," is the new Saturday adventure to be presented tomorrow from 3 to 4 p.m. at the Maturango Museum. The program is open to "children of aU ages" and will foeus on how Searles Lake cbemicals are used to produce such items as ceramic We, gypswn waU board, clothing, soaps, cleansers, bicycles, boWes and baking soda. Margaret Cothran, a former teacber, will make the presentation in the new museum building,l00 E. Las Flores in Ridgecrest. Swap meet NWC's Recreational Services Depart- ment will sponsor the second of its monthly Swap Meets on Saturday, Feb. 7 at Ben- nington Plaza's parking lot. The sale will be held the first Saturday ofeachmonth. Anyone interested in selling need pay on- ly a $3 fee which covers sales space and publicity. The sales lot will be open from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. Buyers can table hop rather than go yard sale hopping throughout the town, saving time and gas money. Space rental information is available at the Information, Ticket and Tour (ITT) Of- fice, NWC ext. 2010, Monday through Fri- dayfrom 9a.m. to 5 p.m. NWC HOTLINE Integrity, erticlency program Call: NWC ••t. 3636(24 hrs.) or call the InspeClor General at: (800)522·3451 (toll free) 288·6743 (AuIOvon) C202)433-6743 (commercial) FRIDAY, SATURDAY JAN.l3, 2.4 "SOUL MAN" Swrin, C. Thanu Ho-.ll and James EarlJcma: (Comedy. Awd PG-ll. lOS min.) SUNDAY JAN.~ -TWELVE MONTHS" (Animuod. rated O. 64 min) MONDAY JAN. U "AGNES OF GOD" Sturin) Jane fo1da aDd AnneB.nadt (Dram., rated PG-t3, 99 min.) WEDNESDAY JAN. 11 "OUT OF BOUNDS" Sturin, Anlhon.tMichael Hall aDd Jenny Wriahl (Dram" Ated R. 92 min) rRIDAy JAN. 3. -SHANGHAI SURPRISE" Swrina Macbma and Scan PeM (Adva1lureJDnma. nwd PO-IJ. 91 min.) 7pm 1(;1 ALL A(;eS AOMITIeD IPGIALL A(;eS ADMITTED p.,,,n," (;..odanc" S",,,.,,,," IRI RESTfUCTED * U.S. G.,,","_n' Pronhftt Olhe. 1987 - No. .40()39 FROM TO. PLACE STAMP HERE • \ i , • LNl Gorden chosen as NWC's Sailor of the Year CaUed a "superb professional" by his supervisor and ooe of four sailors at the Naval Weapons Center to attain SaIlor of the Quarter booors during 19116, Legalman First Id !lOll, Robert. They have been busy enjoying the variety of entertainment and recreation opportunities offered by the area. In fact, Gordon said they hope to return to the area after be retires from the Navy in severalyears. The Hi-year Navy veteran came to NWC from a Ibree-year tour of duty with the Naval Legal ServIces OffIce in Naples, Ita- Iy. He noted he spent his first year in the Navy as a yeool811 before converting to the chaUenging legaJman's rate. There Is nothing boring about duties as a legaJman for a command like the Naval Weapons Center. "It's always very inter- estIng," noted LN1 Gordon, of his Naval careeras a legaJman. When be was selected as SaIlor of the Quarter, Petty OffIcer Gordon was credited with having been able to process report (Continued on Page 3) Stewardship of land presents exciting challenge Many laws, regulations and directives apply to resource management With one-third of aU Navy lands belong- ing to NWC, concerned stewardship of these lands and their resources is a real challenge to Dr. Tom McGiU and the dozen or so anthropologists, biologists, engineers and tecbnicians in the Environmental Branch of the Public Works Department. The Naval Ordnance Test Station (now NWC) was established in the Mojave Des- ert because it was seen as a desolate, isolated area. Despite its not being heavily populated, however, the desert was and stiU is rich in both natural and cultural resources. These resources are protected by a wide range of laws, regulations and directives with which the Center must comply; Dr. McGill and his personnel are tasked to ensure such compliance. . Prohably the most dramatic instance of efforts made by the Navy to protect the natural resources of the desert was the major burro removal program that began in 1979. Burros, not native to the area, had been involved in such a population explo- sion that they were threatening the habitat of many other wildlife as well as proving a major hazard to human safety by straying onto the runways at the airfield and Center roads. The burro removal program resulted in more than 8,000 being taken from Center lands. Since this meant that water and food were now available for native species, the Center has joined with other agencies in re-establishing bighorn sheep on Navy lands where they roamed naturally for eons. Also being removed are wild horses - horses that either escaped from ranchers or Indians or were turned loose by them. The horses do not pose the threat to other species that burros did because they have different eating and drinking patterns and because the horse population doesn't grow as rapidly as the burro population did. However, their numbers have still exceed- ed the capability of the range resources. So far more than 1,500 horses have been captured and removed and Dr. McGiU estimates that there may be as many as another 1,500 yet on the north range; another removal will be carried out in con- junction with the Bureau of Land Management early this year. Both horses and burros are released to various humane groups, who run adoption programs for these animals. Horses from the Navy's land can also be adopted direcUy from BLM. Of particular concern also are en- dangered, threatened or protected species native to the area, such as the Mojave ground squirrel. Biologists estimate that a large portion of the total remaining popula- tion of these charming creatures lives a sheltered life on Center lands. Not native to China Lake is the Mojave chub, an endangered fish species whose total remaining number were at ZZyzzx Springs unW the 1970., when some of the chubs were removed to 14 different -Ioea- tions in an effort to save the species. Around 400 chubs were placed in the Lark seep on the Center's inner range - and have multiplied to an estimated more than 100,000. Since the chubs are covered by special laws relating to endangered species, Center biologists are required to exert special effort for their protection. Surveys to detenrune what animals, birds and insects actually call China Lake lands home are ongoing at aU times. "Only if we know what species we've actuaUy got here and how many of each can we teU what good stewardship requires us to do," says Dr. McGill. The variety and amount of animal life is astounding, he notes, adding that more than 237 varieties of birds alone have been identified. The nora (plant life) of the area is also of great interest, he adds. For example, Dr. Frank Vesek of the University of California at Riverside is a world authority on creosote rings; he has studied living creosote plants at China Lake that he has correlated through a carbon-14 dating method as being from 6,000 to 10,000 years old. A creosote plant propagates at its edges. As the inner portion of the plants die, the creosote plant grows outward in a ring-like fashion and some or the very ancient creosote plants found have a growth diameter in excess of 30 feet. Man-made resources on board Navy lands are also covered by many laws and regulations. There protection is in many ways more critical than natural resources, because they are not renewable. Once damaged or destroyed, they are gone forever. Both Little Petroglyph and Big Petroglyph Canyons are national registered historic landmarks. Anthropologists from throughout the world have come to the loeal area to study these drawings incised into the rocks. The variety of fi~ures that seem (Continued on Page 7) RANCH RUINS - Fanning and ranching near the ex- Isting SNORT facility existed before the Navy came to the Indian Wells Vallay during World War 1\ to create the Naval Ordnance Test Station. _ . , China Lake Museum,Rocketeer Newspaper,Rocketeer 1980s,Rocketeer 1987,Rktr1.23.1987.pdf,Rktr1.23.1987.pdf Page 1, Rktr1.23.1987.pdf Page 1