By Lynn Janes

Events also happen on May 29 and May 30, as well as June 1, 2, 3 . Please see full calendar link below

The Gila National Forest will host a speaker series to celebrate the Centennial of the Wilderness Act, which named the Gila Wilderness as the first designated wilderness area.

A list of the speakers, subjects and locations will be listed below and can also be found on Grant County Beat https://www.grantcountybeat.com/events-calendars/local-events/83744-gila-wilderness-centennial-week-calendarof-events

The virtual and in-person speaker series starts on Friday, May 31, 2024, and runs from 9:00 am and ends at 8:00 pm. It will take place at various locations, but all can be accessed on Crowdcast. By having it both in person and broadcast it will help widen the conversation and widen the audience. A list of the speakers, subjects and locations will be listed below and can also be found on Grant County Beat https://www.grantcountybeat.com/events-calendars/local-events/83744-gila-wilderness-centennial-week-calendarof-events

Enjoy the conversation at home. To register for the virtual meetings, go to https://www.crowdcast.io/c/gilacentennial

The Gila National Forest became the first federally recognized wilderness area in the United States 100 years ago. This took place with the recommendation of Aldo Leopold, a leading conservationist at that time.

A long-standing debate has continued. What is a wilderness? When the voices of the indigenous cultures that have lived here for thousands of years speak, how does that change it? These will be questions in the speaker series and hope to broaden one's understanding of wild spaces.

All those listed here take place Friday May 31, 2024

9:00-10:30 AM MT

Wilderness: Explorations in Understanding

with Aldo Leopold biographer Curt Meine, Latinx and environmental writer Priscilla Solis Ybarra, and Gila trout biologist Leeanna Torres

Silco Theater

10:45-11:45 AM MT

Explorations in Understanding Panel Discussion

with Curt Meine, Priscilla Solis Ybarra, and Leeanna Torres


Breakdown of speakers:

9:00-9:15 Ray Trejo gives introduction

9:15-9:45 Curt Meine, Aldo Leopold Biographer

9:50-10:20 Priscilla Solis Ybarra, Professor, Writer, Conservationist

10:20-10:50 Leeanna Torres, Writer, Conservationist, former Gila trout biologist

10:50-11:05 INTERMISSION

11:05-12:00 Panel discussion, moderated by Ray Trejo

1:00 PM MT

A Century of Wilderness

with Gila trail steward Melissa Green, wilderness historian Doug Scott, and professor of environmental studies Doug Hulmes

Silco Theater

2:30 PM MT

A Century of Wilderness Discussion Panel

with Melissa Green, Doug Scott, and Doug Hulmes

Breakdown of speakers:

1:00-1:15 Introductions by Buddy Huffaker, Aldo Leopold Executive Director

1:15-1:35 Doug Scott, wilderness historian

1:40-2:00 Chris Barns, former Bureau of Land Management Representative, wilderness writer

2:00-2:20 Doug Hulmes, professor emeritus of environmental studies at Prescott

2:25-2:45 Melissa Green, Gila Back Country Horseman trail stewardship leader

2:45-3:00 Audience Q&A

6:00-8:00 PM MT

Land Relationships Across Cultures

with the Director of the Acoma Pueblo Historic Preservation Office Theresa Pasqual and Fort Sill Apache historian Michael Darrow

Grant County Veterans Memorial Business and Conference Center

Breakdown of speakers:

Theresa Pasqual, Director of Acoma Pueblo Historic Preservation Office,

Michael Darrow, Fort Sill Apache historian

Full speaker lineup and schedule TBA