Heart of the Gila seeks to conserve our watersheds and educate children, adults, and decision-makers about the ecological, social, economic and cultural values of rivers in New Mexico and the bioregions of the greater Southwest. Heart of the Gila celebrates the life of Ella Jaz Kirk, a young environmental advocate who died with her high school friends, Michael Mahl and Ella Myers while conducting aerial research on post-fire conditions in the Gila National Forest of New Mexico.
Education Heart of the Gila promotes and organizes several annual environmental events in Southwest New Mexico and has integrated classroom activities in local schools. We engage in citizen science across the Southwest, including our Monarch Butterfly Tagging program.
Advocacy Heart of the Gila is an active member of the Peaceful Gila Skies coalition and actively campaigns for a wild and scenic designation for the Gila River Watershed.
Our volunteers and members partner with the Gila National Forest. We engage in river clean-ups, invasive species removal, and trail maintenance in the Gila Wilderness. We also maintain habitat restoration sites in the Gila River Watershed.
Heart of the Gila collaborates with partners from diverse communities, organizations and agencies, providing biological research, conservation and ecological restoration, environmental education, public lands stewardship and advocacy for wild places.