Volunteer at the Gila Riparian Preserve!

Stewardship opportunities include: planting shrubs, removing invasive/exotic plants, maintaining trails, cleaning irrigation ditches, and repairing fences.

Schedule: The following dates have been selected as work weekends in the coming year: Nov 8 – 9, 2008; Feb 21 – 22, 2009; May 16 – 17, 2009; Aug 8 – 9, 2009

Details: The work weekends have been designed as a way to invite TNC members and friends to lend a hand with some much-needed projects, while also providing the opportunity to explore the Gila Riparian Preserve and likely add some bird species to your life list! Saturday is a work day, while Sunday is left open for volunteers to hike along the river.

Volunteers are invited to stay for free at TNC’s Lichty Ecological Research Center during the weekend. The Lichty Center, not to be confused with TNC’s Bear Mountain Lodge in Silver City, is a hostel-like facility. People must provide their own bedding, towels, pillows, and food. There are three bedrooms with multiple beds, so privacy is limited. Camping outside in a tent during these work weekends is an option. Volunteers may arrive Friday evening, volunteer on Saturday, spend Saturday evening, and bird or hike on Sunday. Because of space limitations, we will limit participation to a workable number (10 or 15 people). Pets must stay at home.

Projects will occur all day on Saturday, from 8:30 AM to 5 PM. For the work-day, volunteers should bring water bottles, a hat, sun protection (long pants/long-sleeved shirt), sunscreen, gloves, and sturdy shoes. For staying the weekend, volunteers should bring food, bedding, towels, and a pillow. Group meals will likely occur – there is one large kitchen.

Working and staying near the Gila River are an opportunity you don’t want to miss! Depending on the season, you may see migrating birds, wintering sandhill cranes, or nesting black hawks. Or you might swim in the river.

Directions: Take Hwy. 180 approximately 30 miles west of Silver City. Drive past the turn-off on Hwy. 211 towards Gila. After several miles, take the second turn for Hwy. 211 in the small town of Cliff. After about a mile on 211, go left (north) on Hwy. 293 and drive to mile marker 4. Take a right immediately after the mile marker, turning into the driveway with a small sign that says “Gila River Farm”. The address is 246 Box Canyon Road. You will also see a large metal barn from the road.

Contact: To sign up (required), please call Martha Schumann, the Southwest NM Field Representative at (575) 538-9700. Email questions to Martha at mschumann@tnc.org

9/28/08