A beautiful stretch of river in northern New Mexico.
A group of women recently gathered in the forests of northern New Mexico to fish and explore conservation issues while thoroughly enjoying each other’s company. With abundant water and afternoon thunderstorms, the waters of the Rio de los Piños ran a bit turbid, but that didn’t stop these determined anglers.
Hosted by women’s conservation group Artemis and community group Braided, eight women set out on an adventure – camping along the banks of the river, testing their angling skills (some of which were newly acquired) trekking to the not-so-close bathrooms, sleeping under the stars, eating tacos made from last fall’s elk, and gathering around a cozy campfire. This gathering was not only about camaraderie and fly fishing but also about protecting important places and advocating for them.
National Forests in Colorado and New Mexico are undergoing the plan revision process, so educating these ladies on how best to engage in that process and let their voices be heard was top priority. Protecting the functionality of watersheds is imperative to support aquatic and terrestrial life, and these women took that message away armed with knowledge and power to protect these wild places and the species who call them home.
For more information, visit: Rio Grande National Forest plan revision, Carson National Forest plan revision, and Santa Fe National Forest plan revision. Note they are in different stages from each other, so plan your involvement accordingly.