High quality of submissions made selections difficult
SILVER CITY, NM, March 29, 2023 – Last month, the Gila National Forest announced a photo contest in its search for new, high-quality photographs to use in the final forest plan revision and in other documents and media. Submissions were split into landscape, botanical, wildlife, and night sky categories to assist with comparison and selection.
“It is extremely gratifying that so many people were willing to share their photographs of the Gila National Forest with us,” said Gila National Forest Supervisor, Camille Howes. “The wide selection of stunning photographs submitted illustrate the beauty and diversity of the Gila National Forest, its history, flora and fauna, and the people who call this area home.”
The winning photographs and photographers are as follows:
- Best overall: Smokey sunset from Signal Peak by Michael Ruggiero
- Best landscape: Sunrise on Emory Pass by James Apodaca
- Landscape runner-up: Gila by Dana Brajakova
- Best botanical: Beautiful wings by DaLue Mize
- Botanical runner-up: Fendler’s globemallow (Sphaeralcea fendleri) by Andrew Tree
- Best wildlife: Northern goshawk nestling (Accipiter gentilis) by Jim Rogers
- Wildlife runner-up: Mexican spotted owlets (Strix occidentalis lucida) by Sandra Taylor
- Best night sky: Meteor shower from the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail by Michael Ruggiereo
- Night sky runner-up: Claremont Cabin by Belinda Mollard
View winning and runner-up photos at 2023 Photo Contest Winners | Flickr. Additional photographs and videos are always welcome. Contact Maribeth Pecotte at Maribeth.Pecotte@usda.gov to share your photos or videos from your experiences on the Gila National Forest.