Preserving the Greater Gila
The Greater Gila:America’s Next Protected Landscape
Deep in the heart of the American Southwest lies the Greater Gila Bioregion, a place that is larger and more biodiverse than Yellowstone, as wild as the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness, a rich and sacred cultural landscape, and the birthplace of the wilderness ideal. WildEarth Guardians believes that the Greater Gila can and should be America’s next, great protected landscape. A truly protected Greater Gila would demonstrate a new model of public land management that meaningfully integrates and uplifts the histories, voices, and perspectives of all Indigenous communities with a connection to the landscape.
We envision an expansive protected area, anchored around the Gila, Aldo Leopold, and Blue Range wilderness areas, where wolves are free to roam, Mexican spotted owls soar, and Gila and Apache trout thrive in free-flowing rivers and streams.
For decades, WildEarth Guardians has advocated for protection and restoration of the Greater Gila Bioregion. We’ve made great strides since shifting our approach to working with ranchers, rather than against them. Our innovative method for retiring grazing allotments has resulted in the protection of more than 36,000 acres of important Mexican gray wolf habitat on public lands, giving the wildness that remains in the Greater Gila the space to endure.
Guardians is actively collaborating with Indigenous communities, local residents, conservation groups, and other interested stakeholders within the Greater Gila Bioregion to develop community-driven and science-based solutions to protect the Greater Gila against the threats of over-logging, military overflights, toxic mining operations, loss of wildlife habitat and decades of forest mismanagement. We aim to protect, restore, and reconnect public and private lands to provide a unique and rich place for wildlife, wild rivers, and current and future generations.
Greater Gila Priority Work
Grazing Permit Retirement
Mexican Wolves
Preserving the Greater Gila
Learn more.
Recent Stories From Public Lands

Legacy Roads and Trails program provides opportunities for rewilding our national forests
Forest Service road system is unsustainable and the agency must make significantly reducing its footprint a top priority.

Guest blog: First & Wildest one year in
Leeanna T. Torres reflects on the Gila Anthology one year post-publication

Guest blog: First & Wildest one year in
Leeanna T. Torres reflects on the Gila Anthology one year post-publication

Guest blog: First & Wildest one year in
Leeanna T. Torres reflects on the Gila Anthology one year post-publication
Public Lands Press
Forest Service clearcutting plan next to Yellowstone National Park threatens grizzlies and old growth trees
Groups object to the South Plateau project
Read more >We can promote resilience in Santa Fe mountain forests
The Sangre de Cristo Mountains rise in beauty behind Santa Fe. They are home for species ranging from rare giant helleborine orchids to the tiny threatened American pikas, along with our state’s iconic bald eagles, mule deer, cougars and black bears.
Read more >Clearcutting Plan On The Doorstep Of Yellowstone National Park Threatens Grizzly Bear Recovery Area & Old-Growth Forests
Conservation groups last week challenged a U.S. Forest Service plan to clearcut more than 5,500 acres of pine forests just outside Yellowstone National Park, in the Custer Gallatin National Forest.
Read more >We want to stay in touch with you
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