Protecting Aldo Leopold’s Great Idea: Help Protect More of the Gila Wilderness
© Wilderness Land Trust
Spring Canyon Project Summary
In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the creation of the Gila Wilderness, The Wilderness Land Trust is working to protect 40 acres of private land within New Mexico’s largest wilderness area.
The Trust has been working with the private landowner to purchase this property for over a decade. As one of only five remaining inholdings in the Gila Wilderness, this acquisition would be a meaningful step toward completing Aldo Leopold’s vision for America’s first wilderness area.
Due to the outstanding recreation access for hunting, if not protected it is likely this property would be developed for commercial use, threatening the integrity of the surrounding wilderness.
Dominated by high mesas, deep canyons, and rolling hills of grassland and pinon-juniper woodlands alongside a spring and creek in the Middle Fork of the Gila River watershed, the property has outstanding wilderness and ecological values. Together we can remove one of the last remaining threats of development within the Gila and protect this critical habitat.
PROTECTING THE GILA WATERSHED
Spring Canyon runs through the heart of the property, feeding into the East Fork of the Gila River, which has been proposed for Wild and Scenic River designation. The Gila is a critical watershed, sustaining abundant wildlife and supplying clean drinking water to Phoenix, AZ before flowing into the Colorado River. This project will help protect the headwaters, benefiting diverse ecosystems and millions of downstream users.
© Wilderness Land Trust
ECOLOGICAL VALUE
At over 550,000 acres, the Gila Wilderness provides important uninterrupted habitat for rare and endangered species like the Gila Trout, the Southwest Willow Flycatcher, the northern Mexican garter snake, several packs of reintroduced endangered Mexican wolves, and the world’s largest population of the rare Mexican spotted owl.
The upper Gila watershed is a critical refuge for a wide range of wildlife like javelina, pronghorn, bighorn sheep, elk, cougars, and black bears. The area is also renowned for its high-quality bird habitat and populations of unusual species like the endangered Southwestern Willow Flycatcher, threatened Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Common Black-Hawk, Montezuma Quail, and Elf Owl, wild turkeys, eagles, and dusky grouse.
To remove one of the last threats of development within the Gila Wilderness, we must raise $152,000. Join us in celebrating 100 years of the Gila by protecting this critical habitat. Donate now!
© Wilderness Land Trust
The Wilderness Land Trust has previously protected 26 properties totaling almost 5,000 acres in 4 wilderness areas across New Mexico.
The Wilderness Land Trust is the only national organization with the sole mission of acquiring and transferring private lands to public ownership to complete designated and proposed wilderness areas, or directly protect wilderness values.
Over the last 32 years, the Trust has protected over 57,000 acres and helped complete 17 wilderness areas from Arizona to Alaska.
The Wilderness Land Trust is the only national organization with the sole mission of acquiring and transferring private lands to public ownership to complete designated and proposed wilderness areas, or directly protect wilderness values. Over the last 32 years, the Trust has protected over 57,000 acres and helped complete 17 wilderness areas from Arizona to Alaska. Learn more at wildernesslandtrust.org.