Alpine Forests

Dynamic terrain and breathtaking views are just some of the treasures tucked away in the Gila National Forest.

NPS Photo

 

Many kinds of animals call the Gila forest their home.

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Branching Out

Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument is surrounded by several types of protected lands, but they all share a common playing field. The 3.3 million acre Gila National Forest is the largest outside of Alaska and features three federally designated wilderness areas in addition to New Mexico state preserves and petite patches of private real estate.

The Gila National Forest is a rich, rugged and dynamic landscape that features a mix of mesas, mountains and canyons created by millions of years of volcanic activity followed by millions more of flourishing flora and aided by legislative protections dating back to 1899. While human visitation over the last two hundred years has introduced a handful of invasive species, the Gila remains one of the healthiest forests in the country.

Because altitudes range from around 4,000 feet to almost 11,000, the forest contains a wide range of microclimates and biodiversity. There are also three rivers that flow through it: the San Fransisco, the Mimbres and the Gila. The combination of riparian wetlands and arid areas widens biodiversity even more. Consequently, the Gila National Forest encompasses six of the seven life zones identified by C. Hart Merriam in 1889.

At lower elevations and in riparian areas the dominant trees are the narrowleaf cottonwood, boxelder maple and gambel oak. Above that is a bountiful pine forest comprised of ponderosa and piñon pines. Higher elevations yield Douglas firs, and several species of juniper are spread througout.

The forest vegetation is aided and renewed periodically by fires and floods that occasionally clear the landscape and make way for new growth. In some cases, fire is even required for renewal. The cones of the ponderosa pine, for instance, is considered one of the most fire-resistant trees in the southwest. Their first line of protection is their thick bark that insulates the vital nutrient and water pathways in the trunnk from destructive flames. A walk through the forest reveals countless trees with fire scares on their bark but no actual fire damage otherwise. Also, their cones are encased in a thick resin or wax that closes them shut unless melted away by fire. The seeds themselves can also lay dormant on the forest floor until fire clears away the top-cover and activates the sprouts.

All this makes for a safe and nourishing environment for animals of all kinds, especially birds. Novice and seasoned birders alike flock to the Gila National Forest every year to view the well over 300 resident and transient species, some threatened or endangered, that call the Gila their home.

 

The forest floor is lush with life.

NPS Photo