A student’s journey in military land stewardship at Holloman Air Force Base, written by William Schultz

Average reaction to the final game camera being set up

Surprise discovery of a ring-necked snake

Horned lizard in the shadow of the Sacramento Mountains

Sunset in the desert

Handling endangered White Sands Pupfish during population monitoring. To note, all interaction with this species was conducted under valid, authorized, and current permits.

Getting a transect and game camera set up before afternoon monsoon (which later flooded our only road in).

Refreshing waterfall on an off day

Desert horned lizard

Pupfish habitat

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Spending a summer working hands-on with endangered species in the heart of the Chihuahuan Desert is an experience I’ll never forget. I had the chance to use field techniques I had never even heard of before and to work closely with remarkable desert-adapted species, from the endemic White Sands Pupfish (Cyprinodon tularosa) to burrowing owls (Athene cunicularia) and even the elusive American badger (Taxidea taxus). Every day offered something new, challenging, and rewarding.

Holloman Air Force Base, located near Alamogordo in southern New Mexico, is best known for training elite pilots and conducting research. But beyond these missions lies another responsibility: environmental stewardship. Under the leadership of Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute’s Dr. Sarah Lucht, our team helped the Department of War (DoW) fulfill its duties under federal regulations, including the Migratory Birds Treaty Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the Sikes Act.

Our work involved a diverse blend of monitoring techniques: morning and evening bird surveys (including burrowing owls), remote camera deployments for mammal inventories, properly permitted pupfish population counts in a narrow desert “river,” and extensive vegetation sampling across the 75,000-acre installation. Because NRI has collected nearly a decade of data here, each dataset contributes not only to compliance but also to long-term management recommendations as desert ecosystems evolve under a hotter, drier climate.

Our days typically began between 3:00 and 6:00 a.m., often with long drives into remote parts of the base. Mornings belonged to the birds, which were most active then, before transitioning to placing or checking game cameras strategically across the whole base. Some cameras sat miles into the gypsum dunes; others were set only a few feet from young rattlesnakes, waiting for the sun to find its way over the towering Sacramento Mountains.

Vegetation sampling followed, often taking days. Though not always the most electrifying part of fieldwork, vegetation transects reveal the true health of the land that supports wildlife: ground cover, canopy cover, species abundance, and woody plant density. Looking back at years of data made it especially fascinating to see how these plant communities shift over time. One of the most memorable sites was a lush grassland in the high desert, used as a bombing range for all but four weeks of the year. I have spent a good deal of time in the Chihuahuan Desert, but this summer brought me to some of the most beautiful grasslands I have ever seen, the kind that can turn anyone into a plant person.

Fieldwork, of course, is not always gentle. Conducting a transect deep in an eroding, brush-filled ravine, in 103-degree heat is a true test of morale. What made it not only bearable but enjoyable was the team I worked with in Alamogordo. Their positivity, humor, and genuine care created a working environment unlike any other. Being treated as a colleague and not just a student worker was incredibly uplifting and gave me a good look into the culture of NRI. I am excited for future interns to experience that same support.

Coming into the summer, I was uncertain about my post-graduation direction, whether research, long-distance hiking, or something entirely different. But through this work, I discovered an interest in environmental consulting, especially at the intersection of conservation and regulatory compliance. My experience at Holloman, alongside my academic studies, gave me a strong understanding of the laws, policies, and collaborative processes that shape conservation on military lands.

Working with agencies like DOW and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service showed me the importance of communication at every stage of a project. Dr. Lucht’s commitment to both communication and preparation is a big part of why the partnership between NRI and Holloman Air Force Base has worked well for so long.

I cannot recommend this experience enough. For students interested in research, desert ecosystems, or simply the thrill of traveling for fieldwork and driving through bombing ranges or massive sand dunes to handle a tiny, endangered fish, this summer was transformative, not only for the work and research being done but for the lessons that cannot be taught in the classroom.

I would like to thank Dr. Sarah Lucht, Frank Cartaya, Hanna Hardt, Caitlyn Cruz, and David Rizzuto for a life-changing experience.