- A group opportunity. Invite your friends.
-
1 person is interested
September Pollinator Planting at Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument (New Mexico)
ORGANIZATION: Sky Island Alliance
Please visit the new page to apply.
- A group opportunity. Invite your friends.
-
1 person is interested
FOR MORE INFO, OR TO REGISTER, PLEASE VISIT: https://skyislandalliance.givezooks.com/events/september-pollinator-planting-at-gila-cliff-dwellings-n
LOCATION:
Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument is located approximately 2 hours north of Silver City, New Mexico. Surrounded by over 3 million acres of Wilderness, the Monument is an important Ancestral Puebloan cultural site but is also managed for its natural qualities.
Travel time from our headquarters in Tucson is just under 5 hours. Although the distance from Silver City is only 44 miles via State Highway 15, the travel time is approximately two hours due to twisting and winding mountain terrain.
For more information, see the National Park Service's official website: www.nps.gov/gicl
GETTING THERE:
FROM TUCSON: Overview Map: http://mapq.st/1Mxo0Du
Meet us at the SIA office 406 S. 4th Ave at 10 am on Thursday to caravan / carpool to the monument.
FROM SILVER CITY: Take State Highway 15 north from Silver City. Although the distance from Silver City is only 44 miles, the travel time is approximately two hours due to twisting and winding mountain terrain. An alternative route from Silver City is along State Highway 35 and goes through the Mimbres Valley. Even though it is 25 miles longer than Highway 15, it is less winding, wider, more level, and easier to travel; therefore it takes about the same amount of time to drive. NOTE: If your vehicle, travel trailer, or RV is over 20 feet in length, you should take Highway 35.
THE WORK:
Sky Island Alliance is teaming up with the National Park Service and Borderlands Restoration to restore a recently-burned slope near the main ruin loop at the Monument. Volunteers will be installing native pollinator plants like milkweeds. The slope sits just above the riparian zone of the scenic Gila River and our efforts are essential to make sure these fragile soils are not lost via erosion. All tools will be provided by Sky Island Alliance. We'll be bending, digging, and hauling materials on uneven surfaces and participants need to be prepared to get dirty.
Thursday's plan is to arrive at the site and set up camp. Local participants may arrive by 7:30 a.m. on Friday ready to work - please be sure to let us know when to expect you. We will break into teams and work all day Friday, Saturday, and most of the day on Sunday to stabilize the hill slope and install new plantings. We will depart the site by 3 p.m. on Sunday to return to Tucson by late evening.
WHAT TO EXPECT:
We will camp at one of the campgrounds immediately down the road from the work area (TBD). Due to its remote setting, Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument is a "You Pack it In, You Pack it Out" area, meaning there are no trash cans available for visitors. Once you see the access into the site, you will understand. Participants are responsible for providing all camping gear (sleeping bag, tent, pad, etc.) and food provisions for themselves for the duration of the project.
Other important points:
- Bring your own meals for the weekend - a minimum of 3 breakfasts, 4 lunches, and 3/4 dinners, with snacks.
- Potable water is available in some areas such as the Visitor Center. Plan on bringing enough to satisfy your needs for the entire weekend just in case.
- Be prepared to unplug - there is no cell phone service at Gila Cliff Dwellings N.M.
- Bring work clothes and appropriate close-toed shoes that you don't mind getting dirty. You may want sandals for walking in the river.
PLEASE NOTE:
This is a family-friendly trip: let us know if you plan to bring any youngsters and if there are any special concerns. No dogs on this one, though
For more information, please contact Carianne Campbell at carianne@skyislandalliance.org.
More opportunities with Sky Island Alliance
No additional volunteer opportunities at this time.
About Sky Island Alliance
Location:
3127 N Cherry Ave, Tucson, AZ 85719, US
Mission Statement
Sky Island Alliance is a bi-national conservation organization dedicated to the protection and restoration of the rich natural heritage of native species and habitats in the Sky Island region of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico.
Description
We work with volunteers, scientists, land owners, public officials, and government agencies to establish protected areas, restore healthy landscapes, and promote public appreciation of the region's unique biological diversity.
CAUSE AREAS
WHEN
WHERE
meet at SIA office406 S. 4th AvenueTucson, AZ 85701
DATE POSTED
July 26, 2017
SKILLS
- Outdoor Recreation
- Habitat Restoration
- Landscaping
- Botany
- Environmental Education
- Gardening
GOOD FOR
- Kids
- Teens
- People 55+
- Group
REQUIREMENTS
N/A