August 7 at 10:00 am, 3845 North Swan Street - "Building Climate Resilient Greenways in Silver City”

Gila Resources Information Project Executive Director Allyson Siwik will discuss how our community is coming together in the face of climate change to build resilient and climate-adapted greenways.

Climate change is bringing about a hotter, drier climate in our area, along with more frequent extreme precipitation events, reduced streamflow and increased fire risk. These conditions are impacting our riparian areas, local parks, and trail systems. In partnership with the Town of Silver City and a broad group of local organizations, youth, businesses and volunteers, GRIP is implementing projects in San Vicente Creek and Big Ditch Park to stop erosion on steep slopes, access roads, and streambanks to prevent soil loss and improve water quality; remove non-native, invasive trees to reduce fire risk and benefit riparian habitat; and re-establish drought tolerant, native vegetation that are beneficial to wildlife and pollinators.

Allyson Siwik is the Executive Director of the Gila Resources Information Project (GRIP), a Silver City-based nonprofit environmental organization that works to promote community health by protecting our environment and natural resources in southwest New Mexico. She is also director of the Gila Conservation Coalition (GCC), a partnership of three conservation organizations - GRIP, Upper Gila Watershed Alliance, and Center for Biological Diversity -  that work to protect the free-flow of the Gila River and the wilderness characteristics of the Gila and Aldo Leopold Wilderness Areas. She led the successful coalition to defeat the Gila diversion project.

Siwik has a BA in biology from Colby College (Waterville, ME) and a Master of Environmental Management in Resource Economics and Policy from the Duke University School of the Environment (Durham, NC). Her work with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency brought her to the U.S.-Mexico Border region where she has lived in Silver City since 1996. She has served as director of GRIP since 2003 and GCC since 2004.

UUFSC Safety Protocol as pursuant to our most recent UUA Guidelines:

We will not be serving food or drinks in the building until further notice. Masks will still need to be worn at all times indoors and out, except when eating or drinking. We will continue to serve refreshments on the patio, weather permitting. Visitors are always welcome.

The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Silver City is a diverse group of religious independents seeking knowledge, spiritual sustenance, fellowship and opportunities for service to others. Our programs encompass Humanism, liberal Christianity, earth-based spirituality, Buddhism and many other traditions. If you’d like to find out more, email uufellowshipofsilvercity@gmail.com, visit our website at www.uufsc.com or visit us on Facebook at Unitarian-Universalist-Fellowship-of-Silver-City.