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ALDO LEOPOLD vs. EROSION
Field Trip; 9:00 am – 2:00 pm. Participant limit: 25. Fee: $15 . Hike level: moderate. Meet at the Silver City Visitors Center at 8:45 am. Registration required, please click here for more info.
Two Forest Service professionals, archaeologist Bob Schiowitz and hydrologist Carolyn Koury, will co-lead a field trip to an historic site of dozens of Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) erosion control structures. They will discuss and demonstrate Aldo Leopold’s epiphany of the early 1920s on the need for active erosion control measures to repair the damage caused by the unregulated grazing of forest lands in the late 19th century. Participants will observe the success of these 1930s era CCC structures. Please dress appropriately, and bring water and a lunch.
THE CHARMS OF CHERRY CREEK:
Wildflowers of the Gila National Forest Field Trip
8:45 am – 2:00 pm. Participant limit: 25. Fee: $15. Hike level: moderate. Meet at the Silver City Visitors Center at 8:30 am to carpool to the hike location. Registration required, please click here for more info.
Author and botanist Gene Jercinovic, of the Native Plant Society of New Mexico, leads a native plant hike to Cherry Creek, a tributary of the Gila River. Plant enthusiasts can expect to see Red flowered potentillas, Rothrock basket flowers, mints, gentians, ferns, and much more. Please dress appropriately, and bring water and a lunch.
LIVING HISTORY PERFORMANCE: Tim Evans as Aldo Leopold
7:00 pm – 8:30 pm Silco Theater, Silver City. Fee: $5 donation at the door.
Though Aldo Leopold is no longer with us in person, he lives on through his writings. Actor Tim Evans brings this prominent conservationist to life with his performance of Leopold’s most moving and relevant works.
BIRD ON BIRDS: Field trip to the Gila River
7:30 am-1:00 pm. Participant limit: 15. Fee: $15. Hike level: moderate. Meet at Silver City Visitors Center at 7:15 am. Registration required, please click here for more info.
Southwestern New Mexico Audubon Society’s Jerry Bird (Yes, that’s his real name!) leads a birding field trip to The Nature Conservancy’s Iron Bridge Tract on the Gila River. Target birds include Common Black-hawk, Zone-tailed Hawk, Gila Woodpecker and Vermilion Flycatcher. Please dress appropriately, and bring water and a lunch.
THINKING LIKE A MOUNTAIN: THE WOLF AND ALDO LEOPOLD
Field trip to the West Fork of the Gila River. 8:00 am–4:00 pm. Participant limit: 22 Fee: $20. Hike level: moderate, with some stream crossings. Meet at the Silver City Visitors Center at 7:45 am. Registration required, please click here for more info.
“Just as a deer herd lives in mortal fear of its wolves, so does a mountain live in fear of its deer,” wrote Aldo Leopold, based on his comparison of the impacts of deer herbivory on trees in the Gila headwaters where he helped get wolves exterminated, and in the still-wolfy Sierra Madre of Mexico. “So also cows,” he wrote. “The cowman who cleans his range of wolves does not realize he is taking over the wolf’s job of trimming the herd to fit the range. He has not learned to think like a mountain.”
Join author and conservationist Michael Robinson in exploring the West Fork of the Gila River and discussing how the watershed was altered through wolf extermination, how Leopold came to change his view of the role of predators, and how wolves can help the Gila recover. Please dress appropriately, wear water shoes, and bring water and a lunch.
ALDO LEOPOLD’S VISION, 100 YEARS LATER
Keynote address by Dave Foreman; 7:00 pm -9:00 pm; Silco Theater. Fee: $10 donation at the door. 311 North Bullard St. Dave Foreman has a long history in the conservation movement, and is currently the Director and Senior Fellow of the Rewilding Institute. In 1998, he was named by “Audubon Magazine” as one of the 100 Champions of Conservation of the 20th Century.
In the early 20th century, conservation pioneer Aldo Leopold argued that America was on a path to losing its wildlands forever. He outlined a list of requirements for “wilderness areas” that included “a continuous stretch of country preserved in its natural state, open to lawful hunting and fishing, big enough to absorb a two weeks’ pack trip, and devoid of roads, artificial trails, cottages, or other works of man.” The headwaters of the Gila River were identified by Leopold as the most logical area to set aside given its relatively intact natural communities, minimal grazing and virtually no development. He submitted his proposal in 1921; on June 3, 1924, nearly 558,000 acres of land were set aside for the Gila River Forest Reserve, now called the Gila Wilderness, the nation’s first such designation.
In a world where so many river systems are degraded by over consumption, pollution, dams and diversions, the Gila River is a rarity, as it remains one of the last wild rivers in the Southwest. Conservation historian and leader Dave Foreman will explore the connections between Aldo Leopold’s conservation ethic and Gila River protection. We have Leopold to thank for permanent protection of the Gila’s headwaters. Local conservation groups continue in his footsteps, but how will Leopold’s legacy of wildness be carried into the future?
Round River: Fishing Trip in the Gila National Forest
Interpretation with Dutch Salmon, Gila Conservation Coalition Founder and Chairman, and Jeremy Vesbach, Director of the New Mexico Wildlife Federation. 9:00 am – 4:00 pm Participant limit: 15 Fee: $20. Hike level: moderate, with some stream crossings. Meet at the Silver City Visitors Center at 8:45 am. Registration required, please click here for more info.
All day interpretive hike/fishing trip to the Gila River with discussion of Aldo Leopold’s writings on why he chose the Gila National Forest for the nation’s first Wilderness Area, and his “Round River” parable, as it applies to the Gila River. Please dress appropriately, wear water shoes, and bring water and a lunch. Conditions permitting, field trip participants will visit a portion of the river under consideration for a major water development, where one may fly-fish for smallmouth bass or bait-fish for catfish or carp. If you are going to fish, you will need a current New Mexico fishing license. Non-fishers and non-hunters are welcome, too. Common Black-Hawks, Vermilion Flycatchers, Bullock’s Orioles, javelina, and coatimundi are sometimes seen.
FAMILY ACTIVITIES
Farmers’ Market, downtown Silver City; Ongoing from 8:30 am – noon. FREE
CREATE YOUR OWN GILA RIVER. Aldo Leopold High School students mentor younger kids as they create their very own Gila River, complete with sand and water, and the plants and animals that live along the Gila.
GILA RIVER SKIT. Kids make their stage debuts as black-hawks, cottonwood trees, beavers, or river otters! Aldo Leopold High School students are the stage managers for this short drama, complete with costumes, of the Gila River’s inhabitants.
WHAT WOULD ALDO LEOPOLD DO? How did Forest Service employees get around a century ago? The Gila National Forest’s Mike Carr demonstrates how mules were packed in the days of Aldo Leopold.
ALDO AND THE WOLF. Nancy Kaminski of the Southwest Environmental Center presents hands-on activities about the Mexican Gray Wolf.
WHO LIVES ALONG THE GILA RIVER? The Gila Conservation Education Center presents activities about the Gila River’s importance for native vegetation, wildlife, Native Americans, early European settlers, and today’s inhabitants.
KAYAK TRIP DOWN THE GILA
with Far Flung Adventures. 9:00 am – 2:00 pm Participant limit: 15 Fee: $50 Meeting location – TBD. Registration required, please click here for more info.
Participants will paddle inflatable kayaks on a 1.5-2 mile section of the Gila River in the Cliff-Gila Valley, visiting recovering riparian areas and river diversions. Although previous river experience is not necessary, all should be in good physical condition for several short carries. Leaders/interpreters are Steve Harris of Far Flung Adventures, and Adrian Oglesby of The Nature Conservancy. Participants should bring: hat; sunglasses with retainer strap; shorts; short-sleeved shirt; sneakers, booties or water shoes (with sandals a distant second choice); 1-2 liters of water; lunch and snacks; sunscreen; and a lightweight shelled jacket in case of weather. Far Flung Adventures will provide one-person inflatable kayaks, paddles, helmets and lifejackets.
THE WILD IN WILDERNESS
Hike with Al Koss, Gila National Forest Wilderness District Ranger. 10:00 am – noon. FREE. Participant limit: 15. Hike level: moderate. Meet at the Gila Cliff Dwellings Contact Station at 9:45 am. Registration required, please click here for more info.
On June 3, 1924, at Aldo Leopold’s urging, the Gila Wilderness became the world’s first designated wilderness area. On this hike, learn about the role Aldo Leopold played in the creation of the Gila Wilderness and the value of wilderness, while observing the fall display of wildflowers.
Gallery Tour
Downtown Silver City, 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Blue Dome Gallery
307 N. Texas St.
Lisa Walraven: Portraits of Local Avian Species
Anthony Howell Studio
200 W. Market St.
Landscape Photography of the Southwest
Moonstruck Art
110 W. Yankie St.
Swallowtail Butterfly Sculptural Books by Pat Bouchard. River Reflections Photos by Bill Blakemore
Seedboat Gallery
214 W. Yankie St.
Contemporary Southwestern Artists: Painting, Photography, Ceramics, Sculpture & Jewelry
Silver City Museum
312 W. Broadway St.
Featuring Gila Libre! by M. H. Salmon and companion book Free Flow: The Gila River in New Mexico by Jan Haley
What’s a Pot Shop?
300 N. Arizona St.
Scenes of the Gila River: Oil Paintings by Harry Benjamin
Wild West Weaving
211-D N. Texas St.
Weaving, Spinning and Dyeing Demonstrations
Yello on Yankie
108 W. Yankie St.
Susan Szajer: Contemporary Fiber Art Featuring the Gila River
JW Art Gallery
99 Cortez Ave., Hurley
Gila Wilderness Landscapes by Thomas Edwin Holt.
Meet Tom Holt Sunday, Sept. 20, 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Refreshments served.
GALLERY OPENING
Lois Duffy Art, 5:00 pm -7:00 pm pm. 211-C N. Texas St.
This art show features Lois Duffy’s Aldo Leopold painting, featured on the Gila River Festival brochure and poster. Duffy’s other works, as well as those by Aldo Leopold High School students, will be on display.
Aldo Leopold Exhibit
Silco Theater. The exhibit will be ongoing throughout the Gila River Festival.
Historic Photos and Documents of Aldo Leopold, the Gila National Forest, and the Gila and Aldo Leopold Wilderness Areas. In 1921, Aldo Leopold proposed the nation’s first wilderness area, a visionary concept at a time when few Americans valued the preservation of wildlands. The Gila Wilderness Area was created in 1924, a full 40 years before the passage of the celebrated Wilderness Act. This exhibit features historic photos and artifacts related to Aldo Leopold and the creation of the Gila Wilderness, including the original proclamation authored by Leopold.
SOME PERSONAL THOUGHTS ON THE LIFE AND TIMES OF ALDO LEOPOLD AND THE FLORA OF THE GILA NATIONAL FOREST
A presentation by Jack Carter, Professor Emeritus, Colorado College 3:30 pm – 4:45 pm, Silco Theater. Fee: Suggested donation $5 at the door.
Are we reaching the objectives Aldo Leopold anticipated for the conservation of our national forests and wilderness areas? If Aldo Leopold could join us today, as we enjoy the beauty of our native plants and examine our baseline data on the flora of the Gila National Forest, would he be pleased with our conservation effort? Where have we been successful and how have we failed?
This presentation features photos and descriptions of the native flora of the Gila National Forest, including the Gila and the Aldo Leopold Wilderness Areas. We will demonstrate the connections this important floristic island makes with the southern Rocky Mountains, the Chihuahuan and Sonoran Deserts, and the Sierra Madre Occidental of northern Chihuahua, Mexico.
“It is clear without further discussion that mass-use involves a direct dilution of the opportunity for solitude; that when we speak of roads, campgrounds, trails and toilets as development of recreational resources, we speak falsely in respect to wilderness. Such accommodations for the crowd are not developing, in the sense of adding or creating anything. On the contrary, they are merely water poured into the already-thin soup.” Aldo Leopold, “The Land Ethic,” 1947
NATURAL HISTORY HIKE AT THE GILA RIVER
With Manda Jost and William Norris of the Western New Mexico University Natural Sciences Department; Mogollon Box Campground 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm. Participant limit: 20. Fee: $15. Hike level: moderate. Meet at the Silver City Visitors’ Center at 3:00 pm. Registration required, please click here for more info.
Zoologist Manda Jost and botanist Bill Norris lead participants on an easy hike, discussing the natural history along the Gila River. After dark, join in the down-home music and conversation around the campfire. Overnight camping available at the site.
ALDO LEOPOLD FILM FESTIVAL
Two documentaries about Aldo Leopold 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm, Silco Theater, 311 N. Bullard St. Fee: suggested donation $5 at the door. These two excellent films are introduced by local writer and fire lookout Philip Connors, whose essays have appeared in The Nation, Harper’s, The Wall Street Journal, The Paris Review, and the London Review of Books. Connors will read from his forthcoming book, Lookout: Seasons of Fire in the World’s First Wilderness, about his years spent in the high country of the Gila National Forest and the landscape’s significance in the history of American preservation.
Film 1: Greenfire: The Life and Legacy of Aldo Leopold
This film is a sneak preview of a movie currently in production by the Aldo Leopold Foundation and the USDA Forest Service. 15 minutes.
Film 2: Wild by Law The United States led the way in creating a national policy to protect wilderness lands. For years, there was no federal law to protect the shrinking wilderness from encroaching industry and tourism, until three men dedicated their lives to finding a remedy. One was Aldo Leopold, the prophet of the environmental movement. His "A Sand County Almanac" and “Land Ethic” made him internationally famous. The second was Robert (Bob) Marshall, a wealthy New Yorker who averaged an astonishing thirty miles of trail hiking a day and covered most of the wilderness in the lower forty-eight by age 35. Howard Zahniser was the third, a new breed of conservationist—a passionate, savvy Washington in-fighter, and the author of the Wilderness Act. Their struggle took decades. Neither Leopold nor Marshall would live to see the fruits of their efforts—the creation in 1964 of a permanent system of federally protected wilderness areas through an Act of Congress. 60 minutes.
KAYAK TRIP DOWN THE GILA
9:00 am-2:00 pm; with Far Flung Adventures. Participant Limit: 15 Fee: $50. Registration required, please click here for more info.
Participants will paddle inflatable kayaks on a 1.5-2 mile section of the Gila River in the Cliff-Gila Valley, visiting recovering riparian areas and river diversions. Although previous river experience is not necessary, all should be in good physical condition for several short carries. Leaders/interpreters are Steve Harris of Far Flung Adventures, and Adrian Oglesby of The Nature Conservancy. Participants should bring: hat; sunglasses with retainer strap; shorts; short-sleeved shirt; sneakers, booties or water shoes (with sandals a distant second choice); 1-2 liters of water; lunch and snacks; sunscreen; and a lightweight shelled jacket in case of weather. Far Flung Adventures will provide one-person inflatable kayaks, paddles, helmets and lifejackets.
MYSTERY TRAIL TOUR
9:00 am – 11:00 am; With Carrie Tomlinson of the Gila Conservation Education Center. FREE. Hike level: moderate, with some shallow stream crossings. Meet at the Silver City Visitors Center at 8:45 am.
Did you know that there is a beautiful, natural walking trail within a stone’s throw of downtown Silver City? It follows the clear water of the San Vicente Creek to a natural wetland near the golf course. The trail has been a labor of love by several local volunteer and non-profit groups and has turned into a wonderful area to find native fish, birds, and archeologically significant sites. Come follow the water down the white granite boulders of the San Vicente to hidden treasures with the Gila Conservation Education Center. The walk is one of the best kept secrets in town; we can walk to the gelato shop afterwards!
WILDERNESS AS WILDLIFE REFUGIA: BIRDING FIELD TRIP
10:00 am-3:00 pm. Participant limit: 15 Fee: $15. Meet at the Silver City Visitors Center at 9:45 am. Registration required, please click here for more info.
Mike Neal, Research Biologist with HawkWatch International, presents a brief lecture and discussion on the critical role designated wilderness areas play in wildlife conservation and the preservation of biodiversity, with an emphasis on avian communities. Mike then leads a brief birding field trip along the San Francisco River, a major tributary of the Gila River. Species of interest include: Common Black-Hawk, Zone-tailed Hawk, Cooper’s Hawk, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Bullock’s Oriole, Black Phoebe, Cassin’s Kingbird, Black-chinned Hummingbird, and others. A potluck picnic at Mike’s property along the San Francisco is a bonus attraction. The potluck will occur at 12:30; attendees are asked to provide their own main course and beverages. A BBQ grill, coolers, and side dishes will be provided. Forays to Southwest Birding Trail hotspots are efficient from this locale.
LECTURE: ALDO LEOPOLD’S PLACE IN THE PANTHEON OF 20TH CENTURY CONSERVATIONISTS
2:00 pm – 3:15 pm; Silco Theater. Fee: $5 donation at the door.
Stephen Fox, author of John Muir and His Legacy: The American Conservation Movement, will present a lecture on Leopold’s role in conservation. One hundred years ago, Aldo Leopold arrived in the Southwest fresh out of the Yale Forestry School. Newly employed in the young Forest Service run by Gifford Pinchot, Leopold operated from the prevailing human-centered model of conservation. During the next fifteen years, which Leopold mostly spent in these parts, he experienced an ideological transformation, moving closer to the ideas of John Muir, Pinchot’s great rival in conservation affairs: an attitude of humility instead of hubris, and a recognition that all forms of life have value in the grand ecological scheme.
Leopold had a distinguished career in twentieth-century conservation, with literary skills and a sweeping intellect that nobody in this field has ever matched. His A Sand County Almanac, published posthumously in 1949, has become the most influential book in modern environmentalism. Fox will consider Leopold’s career in the general context of twentieth-century environmentalism.
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