The Gila Conservation Education Center is a resource center for students, teachers, community members, groups, and government agencies. Resources available include:

  • The Trunks Program.  Educational ‘trunks’ on conservation topics are available for check out upon request and availability.  Curriculum has been prepared by educators following ‘place-based’ education techniques and New Mexico State Teaching Performance Standards and Benchmarks on the following topics (grade level appropriateness in parenthesis):
    • Woodsy the Owl (K-1)
    • Birds (K-6)
    • Wolves (K-6)
    • Fire Safety (K-3)
    • Geology (2-6)
    • Archeology of the Mimbres (2-6)
    • Animal Skulls (2-6)
    • Watershed (2-6)
    • Native Plants (2-6)
    • Solar Energy (3-6)
    • Gila River Natural History (2-6)
    • Gila River Cultural History (2-6)
    • Fire Ecology (3-6)
    • Forestry (4-6)
    • Wilderness (4-6)
    • Mining in Grant County (4-6). 
    • Desert Grasslands (2-6)
  • Outdoor Education Labs.  The Gila Region offers many locations ideal for outdoor education.  GCEC can help facilitate schools, groups, and governments in organizing conservation education events, especially at: 
    • The Nature Conservancy's Lichty Center, Cliff
    • Mimbres Cultural Heritage Site, San Lorenzo
    • Silva Creek Botanical Gardens, Silver City
    • Boston Hill, Silver City
    • Big Ditch, Silver City
    • San Vicente Creek public area, Silver City
    • Penny Park, Silver City
    • Dragonfly petroglyph site, Arenas Valley
    • Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument
    • locations throughout the Gila National Forest and Wilderness
  • GCEC Library.  Located at our office at the Gila National Forest Supervisor’s Office, the GCEC Library has books and videos available for conservation education research.
  • Communication and Organization with our Partners.  GCEC connects individuals, schools, groups, and governments.  GCEC has partnerships with the following organizations: 
    • Agape Christian School
    • Aldo Leopold High School
    • The Wellness Coalition AmeriCorps
    • Bike Works
    • Black Range Resources Conservation and Development, Inc.
    • Catron County Chamber of Commerce
    • Catron County Commission
    • Catron County Tourism Council
    • Coalition for Economic Progress
    • Cobre Consolidated Schools
    • Environmental Protection Agency
    • Gila Conservation Coalition
    • Gila Native Plant Society
    • Gila Resources Information Project http://www.gilaresources.info/
    • Gila National Forest
    • Gila Wilderness Ranger District
    • Grant County Archaeological Society
    • Grant Soil and Water Conservation District
    • Guadalupe Montessori School
    • Hometown Initiative
    • Jobs and Biodiversity Coalition
    • Juvenile Probation and Parole Office
    • New Mexico Environment Department Surface Water Quality Bureau
    • New Mexico Department of Game and Fish
    • Quemado Community Advisory Board
    • Rolling Stones Geology Club
    • San Francisco River Association
    • Silva Creek Botanical Gardens
    • Silver City Daily Press
    • Silver City Museum
    • Silver Consolidated Schools
    • Southwestern New Mexico Audubon Society
    • The Nature Conservancy of New Mexico
    • The Volunteer Center
    • The Wellness Coalition
    • Town of Silver City
    • Trails and Open Space Committee
    • Trout Unlimited
    • Upper Gila Watershed Alliance
    • Western New Mexico University

Additional Information

Map of area

Map of area served by GCEC.