LOCAL COLUMN
OPINION: Two souls, one heart of the Gila
Congress should give Gila River 'Wild and Scenic' protections
Summer is coming and it reminds us that June is National Rivers Month. Not that we would need a reminder here in Silver City, given our place near the beloved Gila River.
Each of us grew up playing along the Gila; it was there that we met, and it is where we now take our own family. We鈥檝e spent countless days hiking riverside trails, playing in the water with our children and picnicking along its banks. The Gila River is where we go to reconnect with nature, with each other and with our extended family.
Growing up near the Gila, we learned that rivers and waterways are part of our community 鈥� we depend on them for fresh, clean water. The river has become part of our traditions too 鈥� a part of ourselves. The Gila River has been exactly that for centuries 鈥� sustaining Indigenous peoples, wildlife and the natural heritage that defines southwest New Mexico.
That is why during National Rivers Month, we are again urging Congress to pass the M.H. Dutch Salmon Greater Gila Wild and Scenic River Act. This comes just weeks after we took time out of our family and work schedules to travel to Washington, D.C., and 鈥渂ring the Gila to our nation鈥檚 capital鈥� to speak with members of Congress about why we support this bill.
This legislation would designate nearly 450 miles of the Gila and San Francisco river systems within the Gila National Forest as 鈥淲ild and Scenic.鈥� The designation safeguards the riverside habitat where countless animals live, protects clean water used by surrounding communities and guarantees access to cherished recreational opportunities.
This bill is the result of a shared community vision for New Mexico鈥檚 longest free-flowing river. For years, residents like us, community elders, tribal leaders, business owners, veterans and local elected officials, have come together to protect the wild Gila River.
What started as local support grew into statewide support. Now, every member of New Mexico's congressional delegation 鈥� Reps. Gabe Vasquez, Melanie Stansbury, Teresa Leger Fern谩ndez, and Sens. Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luj谩n 鈥� are all co-sponsors of the legislation. In fact, 76% of New Mexico voters support Wild and Scenic protection, according to a recent poll.
It is no wonder preserving this slice of paradise for future generations has such broad support.
The Gila is an outdoor recreation hot spot where people from across the country and around the world come to hike, fish, paddle and hunt. The benefits extend beyond the riverbanks. Outdoor recreation is a major economic driver for rural communities across southwest New Mexico, bringing in $3.6 billion and adding 31,000 jobs statewide. Economic opportunities from protecting places like the Gila ripple far beyond outdoor recreation as people actively choose to live and work near protected lands and rivers.
But for us, protecting the river has value far greater than can be measured in dollars.
When we go to the Gila, we find ourselves thinking about the future. We look forward to teaching our boys what this watershed taught us 鈥� respect, stewardship and a deep appreciation for the natural world. We hope to pass down not only a love for the Gila, but a sense of responsibility to care for it. We see them in the future 鈥� exploring the Gila鈥檚 canyons, learning its lessons and then, one day, sharing those same experiences with future generations.
This National Rivers Month, we stand with all river-loving New Mexicans and remind Congress to honor this vision of the future and pass the M.H. Dutch Salmon Greater Gila Wild and Scenic River Act into law this year.
Nick Saiz grew up in Sheldon, Arizona, and Elysha Montoya grew up in Bayard.
