New plan for the Gila Forest could leave wildlife and the waterways and wilderness they rely on without needed protections

Local organizations and wilderness advocates are beginning to review a long awaited plan by the Forest Service that will guide how the Gila National Forest will be managed for decades to come. The groups welcome a 90-day public comment period that started today, with the hope the community and those who value the forest will propose ways to strengthen and improve the plan.

Early reviews show that the Forest Service planners have worked diligently to address the environmental, economic, and social challenges and issues facing the Gila, but the draft plan falls far short of charting a sustainable future for wildlife or protecting the forest from the impacts of climate change. Instead of identifying and protecting wildlife migration corridors, the river and critical tributaries, the draft plan increases or maintains the status quo for resource extraction and motorized recreation.

“The Gila National Forest has been an important part of our community and culture for many generations,” said Corina Castillo, an organizer with Nuestro Gila. “It has been a place of many “firsts” for my family and many others -- camping, fishing, and hunting. We need to protect those opportunities for the generations to come by being part of the process to help determine how the Gila will be managed for several decades. Now is the time for us to show how important the Gila is to us and use this opportunity to stand for Nuestro Gila and improve what the Forest Service is planning.”

The draft plan also recommends wilderness protections for several important areas totaling 110,000 acres, including McKnight Canyon, Mineral Creek, Rabb Park, Aspen Mountain, and Taylor Creek.   However, the Forest Service’s own evaluation of wilderness suitability found that more than 300,000 acres of the Gila are highly qualified for wilderness designation, and New Mexico conservationists have recommended wilderness or other special protection for 600,000 acres.  The draft plan does not recommend wilderness for roadless areas such as Lower San Francisco, Mogollon Box, Tadpole Ridge, and Gila Middle Box, which – according to the Forest Service’s own wilderness evaluation – have “outstanding” wilderness characteristics.

The Gila forest plan is integral to maintaining the unique wildlife, water quality, and vast scenic landscapes that attract people to hunt, fish, raft, hike, camp, ride equestrian, bird-watch, study nature, and take leisurely drives. The 3.3 million-acre forest is known nationally for its distinctive wilderness heritage and as the headwaters of the Gila River – the last free-flowing river in New Mexico. 

"For several years, many local conservation groups and concerned citizens have been engaged in the Gila’s forest plan revision process and other efforts to protect the Gila River,” said Donna Stevens, Executive Director, Upper Gila Watershed Alliance. “We want to see a strong forest plan that protects wilderness, streams and watersheds, wildlife habitat, and forests. Because of climate change, the Gila National Forest may be dramatically altered in the coming decades, and we want the Gila’s revised plan to protect the forest for future generations.”

Together, the Gila’s existing wilderness, other vast roadless lands, and significant river and stream systems provide essential wildlife habitat, outstanding backcountry recreational opportunities, and the Southwest’s premier wild and intact ecological strongholds in the face of climate change and other human-caused stressors.  

“Over the next 90 days our community has a chance to give their input to the Forest Service to do more to ensure the Gila is protected for future generations and to fight against the threats of climate change,” said Michael Casaus, New Mexico director for The Wilderness Society. “I grew up in Silver City and recognize how important the Gila is to the overall health and well-being of the region. We have one shot at getting this right and need to do all we can to ensure the plan the Forest Service ultimately adopts recognizes those values.”

RESOURCES:

US Forest Service’s planning documents and public meeting schedule.

CONTACTS:

• Jennifer Dickson, Senior Communications Manager, The WIlderness Society, (303) 650-9379, jennifer_dickson@tws.org
• Michael Casaus, New Mexico State Director, The Wilderness Society, (505) 247-0834, michael_casaus@tws.org

The Wilderness Society, founded in 1935, is the leading conservation organization working to protect wilderness and inspire Americans to care for our wild places. With more than one million members and supporters, The Wilderness Society has led the effort to permanently protect 109 million acres of wilderness and to ensure sound management of our shared national lands. www.wilderness.org