Earlier this week, the New Mexico Wildlife Federation and Audubon New Mexico hosted Bishop Oscar Cantú and more than a dozen priests from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Las Cruces for a camping and fishing trip in the Gila National Forest.
While practicing how to fly fish, how to capture and set live bait, how to set up camp and start a campfire, and enjoying each other’s company, our Catholic faith leaders from southern New Mexico also learned more about the proposed Gila River Diversion project and the negative impact the project would have on the environment, on wildlife, and on the poorest communities of southwest New Mexico.
We are humbled and thankful to have spent a memorable and adventurous time with Bishop Cantú and the Priests of the Catholic Diocese of Las Cruces and look forward to exploring more opportunities to work with the Diocese on conservation issues in southern New Mexico.