Monthly programs for the 2025/2026 season are held on the third Friday of the month at 7:00 p.m. Whenever possible, programs will be hybrid, both live and via Zoom. Live programs are typically held in Room 111 of WNMU’s Harlan Hall, at the corner of 12th and Alabama Streets; however, see the change below for September 19. For Zoom participants, Gila Native Plant Society members will receive a link by email before the program; others may request a link from gilanative [at] gmail [dot] com. All are welcome.
Friday September 19, 7 pm, at The Hearth (1915 N. Swan Street in Silver City): Dr. Carlos Martinez del Rio will present “Pollination, fermentation, and distillation: The biocultural coevolution of mezcales, bats, and humans." Please note the change in live venue for this specific presentation, which will allow Carlos to share special treats after his presentation.
Agaves (mezcales) and their pollinating bats have co-evolved for several million years. For many thousands of years, Mesoamerican cultures have relied on mezcales for fiber, food and intoxicating beverages. The more recent global human demands for mezcal-based alcohol is placing bats, agaves and mezcal cultures in danger. Please join us in exploring these relationships and learn what we can do to protect them.
Carlos Martinez del Rio was born in Mexico and raised there on a ranch surrounded by cattle dung and books. He earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from the Universidad Autónoma de México and a Ph.D. from the University of Florida. He taught and did research at Princeton, the University of Arizona and the University of Wyoming. In 2022 he retired from teaching and moved to Silver City. However, he continues his pursuit of studying animals that pollinate plants and disperse plant seeds. He also indulges in his disorganized but passionate biophilia by hiking and riding his mule, Susana, throughout the Gila ecosystem.
Agave gatherers from the 16th century Florentine Codex
Friday October 17 at 7 pm, WNMU Harlan Hall Room 111: Eduardo (Eddy) Saldana will present research on Penstemon metcalfei (Metcalfe's Penstemon).
In 2023, Natural Curiosity Wilderness Stewardship Director Tricia Kazemi found a population of the rare Penstemon metcalfei in the Black Range. Natural Curiosity and Bat Conservation International partnered to secure funding from the Gila National Forest to survey, monitor, and study this newly discovered population. The funding supported John Gorey of Underwing Biological to conduct field surveys, and WNMU student Eduardo (Eddie) Saldana to assist with data analysis and reporting. Eddie will be presenting the results of the survey and monitoring, along with a predictive habitat model that will direct future survey efforts.
Eddie Saldana is a WNMU student majoring in Wildlife Biology with a minor in Criminal Justice. Eddie's interest in plants was kindled by WNMU’s Dr. Bill Norris, which he communicated to Dr. Perry of Natural Curiosity while working on a Conservation Corps New Mexico trail crew being hosted by Natural Curiosity. Advisor and mentor Dr. Kathy Whiteman assisted in setting up this experience to fulfil Eddie's practicum requirement for his degree. Eddie plans a future career in wildlife biology and conservation, and this experience is an important stepping stone on that journey.
Please join us to support Eddie’s entry to the world of science communications, to recognize the value of multi-faceted partnerships, and to learn about this amazing rare plant!
Penstemon metcalfei. Credit: Natural Curiosity
Friday Nov 21 at 7 pm in Room 111 of WNMU Harlan Hall: Carolyn Koury will present on the Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) program, particularly as it relates to the 2025 Trout Fire.
The federal Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) program assesses fire effects on vegetation, soils, and watershed function, and executes immediate actions to manage unacceptable post-fire risks to critical values. This summer, the Trout Fire burned approximately 50,000 acres in Grant County, a significant portion of which occurred within the Gila National Forest. Please join us to learn how the BAER program was applied to the recent fire that ran through our fire-dependent ecosystem and put many residents on edge.
Carolyn Koury has served as the watershed and air program manager for the Gila National Forest since 2002. Prior to this she was the Forest Hydrologist for the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests in Arizona from 1994 – 2002. She holds a B.S. in Communications/Pre-Law from Northern Arizona University and an M.S. in Hydrology from the University of Arizona. Prior to the Trout Fire, Carolyn worked on multiple large BAER teams including the 2006 Bear Fire (Gila), 2011 Wallow Fire (Apache-Sitgreaves), 2012 Whitewater Baldy Complex (Gila) and 2022 Black Fire (Gila). She is a native of Arizona but considers Silver City her home.
Trout Fire high severity burn area. Credit: Gila National Forest
Friday. March 21, 2025, 7:00 to 8:30 pm – “The Night Shift: Moths as Nocturnal Pollinators” Kaitlin Hasse, Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, Southwest Pollinator Conservation Specialist
The Night Shift: Moths as Nocturnal Pollinators - YouTube
The work of pollination is never over—even after dark! When our day-active (diurnal) pollinators turn in for the evening, nocturnal pollinators such as moths, bats, beetles, and even some species of bees take on the night shift to feast on nectar. We are just beginning to understand the importance of these nocturnal flower visitors for pollination of wild and managed plants.
As the Southwest Pollinator Conservation Specialist, Kaitlin works to create climate-resilient, connected pollinator habitat in Santa Fe and Albuquerque. She collaborates with and educates public and private urban land managers in New Mexico and the desert Southwest on pollinator-friendly practices for landscaping, gardening, and open space restoration.
Friday, February 21, 2025, 7:00 to 8:30 pm – “Native Landscaping Is Not a Crime” Val Weston and J Courtney Brandon, Silver City Homeowners and GNPS Members
Val and J bought one of Silver City’s fixer-upper houses in 2021. Alongside a complete home renovation, they also planned to rehabilitate the yard with native plants. They will discuss the challenges they faced and how they navigated the charges against them when they were cited under Silver City’s nuisance ordinance for their initial efforts in the yard rehabilitation process.
Val Weston and J. Brandon are native plant enthusiasts who moved to Silver City for the outdoor, art, and motorcycling opportunities. They were delighted to also find an active and supportive native plant community in Silver City as they took on their yard rehabilitation project.
Friday, January 17, 2025, 7:00 to 8:30 pm – “NMDOT Vegetation Management and our Gila Highways: Working on a plan to improve what’s being done” Bill Hutchinson, NMDOT Roadside and Community Design Manager Andrew Alderete, NMDOT Integrated Vegetation Management (IVM)
The New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) maintains approximately 25,000 miles of roadsides. While safety is always a primary driver, NMDOT is also responsible for good environmental stewardship within its rights of way. To that end, it isimplementing an Integrated Vegetation Management (IVM) program.Bill and Andrew will explain what the IVM Program is and what is being done to improve vegetation management. They will then introduce the Gila Vegetation Management Plan.
Friday, November 15, 2024, 7:00 pm – “Observations from the Field” Presentation by Donna Stevens and Jim McGrath.
Donna Stevens at Aldo Leopold Wilderness boundary
Although flowering plants may be dormant for the winter, we can revisit the glory of the past summer in photos and stories. Donna Stevens and Jim McGrath, seasonal botanists with the Gila National Forest, will present a program about their 2024 fieldwork and current projects. Topics will include invasive plant status and removal strategies, invasive plant problems in the wilderness, inventory and monitoring of the Gila’s rare plant populations, and the history and current status of the Cherry Creek restoration project. The program will be live at Harlan Hall, Room 111, on the WNMU Campus. You can also attend via Zoom, a link to be announced ten days prior.