Black Rock City 2009: Officially GONE

2009 MOOP Map (click to enlarge)
2009 MOOP Map (click to enlarge)

We’re happy and proud to share this glowing report, received from Black Rock City Superintendent Tony “Coyote” Perez:

“The vanishing of Black Rock City ’09 was complete today with the passing of our annual October BLM playa surface inspection.  Roger Farshon was the BLM agent presiding and was deeply pleased to inform us that we passed well under the limits set by us and the BLM (those limits being less that one square foot of debris per acre of BRC city site).  Judging by his initial observations, Mr. Farshon was of the opinion that MOOP levels were lower than last year’s.

The MOOP map, which will be on display at Decom, was over all greener that last year as well. Especially Center Camp…!!  There were not as many red areas, but the ones that were the worst ever.  Fewer offenders are offending worse.  Don’t they know that they are surrounded?!

This marks the eleventh passed inspection in a row with a steady overall improvement as our event matures.

Special thanks, and all my love and respect to an amazing crew that toward the end had been enduring sub-freezing temperatures and snow, picking up litter for days on end, and kept their cheer and good spirits to the last.

Special thanks to my fellow Ops team members that kept the project on track and worked tirelessly, flying the ship through mine fields with just a few dings in the paint job. To DA the Playa Restoration Manager – he has become an expert in his field. To Logan, our volunteer coordinator for orchestrating and taking care of this amazing crew. And to the super staff of managers that each owned their tasks to the highest levels of professionalism.

I am not a person with shit-loads of money – but I am extremely wealthy in family, friends, and a community that truly is changing our world.  We are succeeding in getting an entire city to pick up after themselves – there’s hope for us yet!

Coyote
City Superintendent
BRC-DPW”

We’d like to add our heartfelt thanks to this hardy crew!!  If you agree, let ’em hear it in the comments.

About the author: Will Chase

Will Chase

Will Chase is Burning Man's former Minister of Propaganda, working on global communications strategy. He was the editor-in-chief for the Jackrabbit Speaks newsletter and the Burning Man Journal, and content manager for Burning Man’s web properties. He also oversaw the ePlaya BBS and Burning Man’s social media presence. Will first attended Burning Man in 2001. He volunteered as the Operations Manager for the ARTery (Black Rock City’s art HQ) and was on the Burning Man Art Council from 2003-2008. He was Web Team Project Manager and Webmaster from 2004 until he transitioned to the Communications Department in 2009.

67 Comments on “Black Rock City 2009: Officially GONE

  • Sarah says:

    Will you show a map from this year? I want to see how our camp rated.

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  • Awesome says:

    THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

    I cannot thank all of you enough for “cleaning up” after all of us after we left.

    I, for one, tried to ensure that everything that was garbage came back with me, even if it was not my own. I picked up moop everywhere (I did stop short of fishing stuff out of the toilets ;)

    I appreciate you.

    You are all AWESOME BEYOND WORDS!!!

    Hugs, love, peace and light.

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  • Mark Lewis says:

    Hooray and hearty congratulations to all the volunteers! Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to return next year to this wonderful place.

    Mark

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  • Regyna Longlank says:

    yay! great job…thanks everybody

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  • We can’t thank you all enough for your hard work. It looks like our beloved Kidsville could’ve done better (though much improved from 2008), and we pledge to work that much harder next year to leave it greener than any other! You guys rock!

    The Denchasy Family
    LA, CA

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  • songa says:

    thanks all of you ppl,who did great,hard and amazing work.
    you are blessed!!!!

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  • Anthony says:

    Thank you so much!

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  • Tristan/Ku says:

    Mad props to all of the Volunteers and to DPW!!! YOU GUYS ROCK!!

    Thanks for all of your hard work.

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  • Barb Coffy says:

    Thank You! We all tried to help out, But you guys are the last out and did a great job in making sure we did what we were suppose to do! Great Job Everyone!
    xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

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  • Big Red says:

    Thank you so much for cleaning our home!! Words cannot express the gratitude that the residents of BRC feel about the important job that you do!

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  • Magpie says:

    Thank you DPW! We got to take our neighbors cinder blocks and broken bottle pieces home but of course there is always stuff left behind. I wish you all a wonderful year, and a big ol round of hugs, kisses, and booze.

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  • Ezbake says:

    Hip Hip Hooray Hip Hip Hooray Hip Hip Hooray!!!! Thank you all for a super year. All of you volunteers rock my world! Already planning 2010.

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  • Erick C. says:

    Thanks so much for cleaning after us but you REALLY shouldn’t have to. Where is the MOOP Map for this year so we can be held responsible??? The 2006 map was awesome! Also the image above is the only one I’ve been able to find for 2008 and it’s hardly visible or accurate with a hat in front of it. :)

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  • laura d says:

    Thanks! You guys rock!

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  • Risky says:

    Thanks for wiping our sorry asses.

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  • Emperor says:

    I love you guys!
    That’s damn hard work you do and it underlines your love for Burning Man and the Playa.
    You all are definitely the strong of the strong!

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  • SunBeam says:

    Unbelievable! you guys and your tenacity is crazy amazing. thank you thank you thank you from the bottom of my heart. The team that is left behind to do clean up work should get the most kudos. Hats off to you!!

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  • Green Monkey says:

    showing the moop map is a great way to make people aware that they are being watched! I was thrilled to see our GREEN MONKEY camp site – GREEN
    really appreciate all the hard work you DPW moop crew dooo (((((((big hug and sloppy kiss))))))))

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  • PIKO! says:

    hoping that our camp WE EAT ORPHANS will report ZERO moop next year, just like we did this year! way to go campmates! always best to clean up bones, and other parts not eaten!!! i would be hard to explain the piles of uneaten body parts to those wandering into our camp. could raise suspicion with potential dinner guests!

    PIKO-NESS!

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  • PIKO! says:

    hoping that our camp WE EAT ORPHANS will report ZERO moop next year, just like we did this year! way to go campmates! always best to clean up bones, and other parts not eaten!!! it would be hard to explain the piles of uneaten body parts to those wandering into our camp. could raise suspicion with potential dinner guests!

    PIKO-NESS!

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  • threat says:

    Ditto what everybody else said! You guys rock!
    And nice to know see the MOOP map too — definitely feels good to see we were in the green!

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  • Suz Kaufman says:

    I guess all the sprinting our guys did after moop blowing down G near 6 paid off! Human Frolic Project is hoping for a big green rectangle again this year on the moop map! Hurray for all you folks who stayed and combed the city into non-existence…we are nothing without you all *big wet smooches*

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  • Alexander Carpenter says:

    Thanks. Just want to echo the previous calls for seeing the 2009 MOOP map

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  • Ben Wenner says:

    I’m extremely excited to hear this. However I was just blown away this year right after the rocket launch and the man burn by how much trash was on the ground when everyone got up and started moving around again! Thanks so much for staying out there and cleaning up after us!

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  • Awesome Work!
    Would love to see the map in full, please post it!

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  • Sparkle Ann says:

    This is clearly labeled at the 2008 Moop Map. How about posting the 2009 map!!

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  • battlechief says:

    Thank you entire crew for an outstanding job; well done.

    As virgin’s my GF and I did not know how to ‘give back’ until our sixth day on the playa … she volunteered as a greeter and we volunteered for graveyard shift perimeter security detail … we appreciate the feeling of being part of something very special.

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  • Amy says:

    Mahalo nui loa! Aloha!

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  • C says:

    Here be a photo of the 2009 Moop Map whiteboard…
    http://twitpic.com/l6xoz
    …enjoy, and wonder.

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  • Aubrey says:

    Thank you for your continuing caring efforts for this event. Nothing is ever forgotten.

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  • Luscious says:

    I love you!!!

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  • Simon says:

    Awesome work folks! Much appreciated and would love to see the 2009 map.

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  • Sally says:

    Thank you so so much, guys!

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  • dino boy says:

    PLEASE PLEASE POST A LINK TO A LARGE VERSION OF THIS MAP…
    I WANT TO BE RESPONSIBLE AND LEARN…

    MAYBE SEND OUT SOMETHING ON JRS WITH THIS.

    AND MY UTTER RESPECT TO THE CLEAN UP CREW…. LESS THAN 1SQ FOOT PER ACRE… IN SNOW!!!

    THANK YOU….. THANK YOU… THANK YOU…..

    XX

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  • Ice Melts says:

    Thanks, it sounds like you guys did a great job this year! Without you there would be no BM.

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  • india says:

    ROCK ON
    you guys are legends!!

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  • Janet says:

    I have Chills from reading this report. THANK YOU SO MUCH TO ALL who devoted so much heart, soul, and physical energy into leaving no trace. The land begins to prepare itself for next year’s 2010 festivities. What a beautiful thought that is. Thank you for this beautiful cycle, my family.

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  • JP says:

    I second what Janet above said… YAY!

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  • Ace says:

    How can I get in touch with the creators of the Moop map, whether by phone or email or in person? My camp location was completely mis-assigned on the map that was posted at Decom and marked red. The ACTUAL physical location of the camp was green! We spent an entire day doing nothing but MOOPing, so I don’t want to have a red mark against us.

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  • Ayla says:

    Where oh where is the 2009 MOOP map?

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  • My first burn, and I thought I was moopin pretty good.
    But on the way to the porta pots, I watched a girl on crutches with a bandaged foot stop, struggle, and pick up a small moop.
    Humbled, I mooped more.

    Please join in my celebration video of BRC on my blog.
    arppworks.blogspot.com

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  • squishe)'(e says:

    i’m sure the 2009 moop map will come out in better format, in the meantime, someone’s personal capture from Decomp:
    http://twitpic.com/l6xoz

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  • Marcus says:

    here is a link to a closeup of this years map.

    http://twitpic.com/l6xoz

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  • KosmicKitten says:

    Wow! Playa Restoration ROCKS! Thanks you guys! We’re THRILLED to see that Camp of the Living Dead came up green! We worked all week at keeping our camp clean, picking up after some MOOPy neighbors, and gathering MOOP whenever, where ever we saw it! Takes a village, huh? Already counting the days to 2010!

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  • Thaddeus says:

    Here is the 2009 moop map:

    http://twitpic.com/l6xoz/full

    Thanks all involved to varying degrees.
    What a GREAT BURN!!!
    I LOVE YOU ALL!!!

    –Thaddeus–

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  • Skyzer says:

    Thanks again to everyone who helped to make this another great year!! Sounds like the playa restoration crew is getting bigger and stronger every year. Major props go out to all of you!!! You guys rule!!! Can’t wait for Metropolis ’10

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  • Genie says:

    This is awesome — and a HUGE thanks to the Playa Restoration crew for all you do.

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  • Erick C. says:

    it’s very hard to find the street names and locate small camps. can you please post a really big hi-res version of this map???

    thanks!

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  • Jeffz says:

    Thanks to all citizens for doing a great job and thanks much to playa restoration for doing what some could not and babysitting for us all! Hope you don’t get too bored out there as people get better and better at LNT!

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  • Driana says:

    Way to go! I left on Tues afternoon and was kind of worried seeing all that was left behind. Especially the plot I saw with a tent surrounded by garbage and the inside full of trash as well! I’m sure that wasn’t the only one though unfortunately. Commendable job! I wish I had the life that would’ve allowed me to stay and help out even a few days longer. Maybe next year, but I’ve been toying with the idea of trying to get some sort of MOOP contests going in the city in the future. ’09 was my virgin year so it might take me a bit to really get it going, but that is a long term goal of mine.

    cheers!

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  • oddlet says:

    Wooooo! Mission Country Club is green!

    We’re inspired by you guys to work that much harder to keep our space clean. You do the amazing job that others don’t want to.

    Much love!!!!

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  • xtraslky says:

    So sorry to see that the liminal labs is showing as yellow – we scoured our entire camp for moop, walked a grid formation, and took pix when we left showing that we were completley moop free. How to recocile this with the moop map? I hate the thought of having a bad reputation – unless its the fun kind of bad!

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  • Fairy Godmother says:

    You folks ROCK!!!
    And I didn’t even have to use my wand!
    Chuck De Luck – great observation AND reaction.
    If each of us did just a little bit more, no one would get stuck mooping in the snow.
    Great job and many thanks to everyone who really did LEAVE NO TRACE.

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  • playa says:

    Thanks to all those who mooped. I coined a term this year for a growing phenomenon on the playa and particulary at center camp. I would like to make a map like the ones above to show where I have found People Out of Place, or “poop”

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  • Sister CC says:

    Your amazing hardwork and dedication is respected and appreciated!!
    Thanks to everyone that moops… Hugs and kisses to you all ;-)

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  • Sassy Danger says:

    On behalf of camp Coco Velvet – 10 year burners in the AEZ – I send you our heartiest applause and deepest thank yous for the incredible work you do. We ourselves have consistently been committed to picking up MOOP not only in our own camp and extended perimeters but every where we go down to the minutia of bits of indoor outdoor carpet frays to matchsticks because we know that you guys are doing that too. This was our first year with a mutant vehicle and one of the first pieces of MOOP we picked up on our first drive about was a big bag which became our on board MOOP bag. We made frequent stops and chanted to our passengers ‘get the moop’! So we spread the love for you fine folks and got random people to be more concious on behalf of the work you do.

    Three cheers, big smooches and then some to you all!!!
    Sassy danger

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  • Em says:

    I’d like to see a map of the camp names superimposed onto the Moop map. After reading several of the comments, it sounds like the winds may have blown moop into some formerly moop-free areas. Maybe include wind directions and if the moop was moveble (yellow) or more along the lines of disturbed ground and general trash (red). Then we could all aim our dirty looks and point our shame fingers in the right direction. Also, we’d know where to add extra moop-effort next year, just to make us all look pretty in green.

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  • Raenbow says:

    Awesome job, all you hard workers. Thank you!!!!! I’m glad to see (and expected) that where we camped is GREEN.

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  • I’m so glad to hear the reports. I missed 2009, was hoping it would turn out amazing so I could come and participate in 2010. I’ll be glad to help keep the city clean.

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  • Jen Thomas says:

    I’ve never been to this, but of all the things I’ve read on the site this aspect is the one that makes me think there must be some pretty cool people at this event.

    I’m definately going to put this event on my list of destinations for next year – thanks for sharing!

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  • Terri Andersen says:

    WoW… I just looked at moop map and some of the people that were supposed to set examples. did not fair so well.

    Terri
    FairFax

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  • Thanks for finally talking about > Burning Blog

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