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
