Southwest's Premier Nature Festival, September 18 – 21, 2014

The 10th Annual Gila River Festival features lively and engaging presentations about the Gila Wilderness, Gila River, and related topics. On September 18 at 7:00 pm at the WNMU Global Resource Center, conservationist Dave Foreman kicks off the festival with "Call of the Wilderness," a talk about the intrinsic value of wilderness and the history of the Gila Wilderness Area, which turns 90 this year. The keynote speaker at the 2009 festival, New Mexico native son Dave Foreman attracted an enthusiastic, standing room only crowd. Always compelling, often controversial, it would be difficult to find someone more eloquent than Foreman to speak to the necessity of wild places. There is a suggested donation of $10 at the door. Students get in free, and no one will be turned away for lack of a donation.

Get familiar with birds of the Gila by attending two free talks on September 18: "Hummingbirds of the Gila" (9:45 am) with WNMU Professor Emeritus Dr. Dale Zimmerman, who's been studying and photographing these fascinating birds for decades. The next presentation is "Birds of the Gila: How Will a River Diversion Affect Them?" at 11:00 am. Ornithologist Mike Fugagli has inventoried, tagged and observed Gila Valley birds for years, and will talk about how a diversion on the Gila River could adversely affect their populations. Both presentations take place at WNMU's Global Resource Center, and are free and open to the public.

At noon on September 18, at the Silver City Museum, Nathan Newcomer leads a virtual tour along the Gila River. Newcomer, the Gila Grassroots Organizer for the NM Wilderness Alliance, walked 50 miles of the Gila River this summer, through the wilderness, in honor of the anniversaries discussed below. The Museum's suggested donation is $3 at the door, and the presentation is open to the public.

On the afternoon of September 18, there are two talks at the Global Resource Center. Martha S. Cooper of The Nature Conservancy summarizes the highlights of a recent, comprehensive report analyzing the existing condition of the Gila River in the Cliff/Gila Valley and the potential impacts of a river diversion and climate change on the riparian ecosystem. Her presentation, "Gila Flow Needs Assessment," takes place at 1:00 pm.

Following Cooper's talk is a presentation and reading by writer Sharman Apt Russell. Her newest book, Diary of a Citizen Scientist, will be released in October 2014. Russell will talk about the exploding world of citizen science, including her own work studying the enthralling tiger beetle.

On September 19, historian and writer Stephen Fox will give a presentation on the fascinating story of the Wilderness Act, which turns 50 this year, and the far-sighted champions who moved wilderness protection from dream to reality. Fox's free talk takes place at 11:00 am at the Global Resource Center.

That afternoon, the Gila River Festival hosts two free presentations by the NM Wilderness Alliance. Executive Director Mark Allison speaks at 1:00 pm about plans to safeguard the Gila River, America's first wilderness river. At 2:15 pm, Nathan Newcomer presents information about the Gila National Forest and Wilderness Area, and how citizens can engage in protection efforts.

The 10th annual Gila River Festival – Celebrating America's First Wilderness River – September 18 - 21, will commemorate two momentous wilderness milestones: the Wilderness Act's 50th anniversary, and the Gila Wilderness Area's 90th anniversary. As America's first wilderness river, the Gila's verdant thread of life weaves through these celebrations.

One of the Southwest's premier nature festivals, the Gila River Festival attracts an audience of nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts eager to learn about and experience the Gila's natural wonders. Festival attendees will enjoy a variety of expert-guided field trips in the Gila National Forest and along the Gila River, water wheel ceremony, a multi-media art exhibit, kayaking, wilderness films, a downtown art walk, Sunday brunch, Gala for the Gila, featuring live music by the Roadrunners, and more.

The full festival schedule is available at www.gilaconservation.org. For more information, contact the Gila Conservation Coalition at 575.538.8078 or info@gilaconservation.org.