In the past year I have come across some tidbits of information. I don't think they use nearly as much pesticides as I thought. I believe I overlooked the fertilizers are in use.
I ask around and I believe this is "public land" in that it is owned by the local community and individuals exercise their rights to use this public land on an allocated basis. (A common land ownership system used in rural areas of colonial era Mexico.) That said I have been watching for signs of any maintainance at all...yeah, none of that to be had. I think the last maintainance was +20 years ago when they did some repair work to the dam. I see signs of human life, but mostly people cutting wood, farming, etc.
Regardging wild life, I have FINALLY seen some sign of sizable life. Twice I have caught a glimpse of a larger critter (+1 lb) breaking the water near the edge. Might be a turtle or a large frog, I wouldn't be surprised if it was a muskrat.
In the area I have seen a number of field mice and chipmunks in the fields nearby. Other than that, not much. (No deer, raccon tracks, etc) Oh it might be worth mentioning that I last time I was up there I thought I heard a few small frogs singing. I hadn't noticed that before. (Maybe I wasn't holding still for long enough. I was tring to see what was breaking the water like that.)
I would be tempted to see if there are any fish etc but I wouldn't be able to check on the traps with any regularity. As you can tell, I don't get up there as much as I would like.
