SILVER CITY, N.M. -- The Gila National Forest has established a Facebook page to post current news and information for the public.

Along with the Gila National Forest website, Flickr page and Twitter feed, the public now has another source to use to get the latest information on popular recreation sites such as the Catwalk Recreation Area, campsite openings and closures, trail conditions and the status of special programs and projects on the Gila National Forest.

Wildfire prevention is a high priority for the Gila National Forest. The Facebook page will enable the forest to communicate timely updates and status reports on future wildfires. The month of October marks National Fire Prevention Week, and to highlight the importance of wildfire prevention, the Gila National Forest is currently posting daily fire prevention tips on its new Facebook page.

The Gila's Facebook page was established to offer another outlet for forest information as well as to encourage community and user group input. The 3.3 million acre Gila National Forest has the unique distinction of being home to the first Wilderness designated by the U.S. Forest Service in 1924. With its diverse history and richness of beauty, the Gila offers many recreational opportunities, which we also plan to showcase on the Facebook page.

We encourage the public to "like" and "share" the Gila's Facebook page with friends and family to effectively share and exchange information about the Gila National Forest. You can visit the Gila National Forest's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/GilaNForest. In addition, please visit our Twitter feed at https://twitter.com/GilaNForest and Flickr photostream at https://www.flickr.com/photos/gilaforest.