Livestock Removal Success: Gila River Basin
| Name: | Gila River Basin |
| State(s): | Arizona, New Mexico |
| County(ies): | (multiple) |
| Watershed(s): | Gila River Basin |
| Ecosystem Type: | Southwestern riparian |
| Species Benefited: | Southwestern willow flycatcher, loach minnow, spikedace, Gila chub, Chiricahua leopard frog, Huachuca water umbel |
| Federal Unit(s): | Forest Service Southwest Region; Safford Field Office, Bureau of Land Management |
| Acreage: | 330 river miles |
| Method(s): | Litigation |
| Law(s) Invoked: | Endangered Species Act (ESA) |
| Term of Removal: | Since 1998, permanent |
| Prime Mover(s): | Center for Biological Diversity, Forest Guardians |
| Summary Explanation: |
A series of lawsuits by the Center for Biological Diversity and Forest Guardians removed livestock from 330 miles of publicly-owned streams and riparian areas in the Gila River Basin in 1997-1998. The lawsuits were based on a series of ESA petitions filed by the Center to protect imperiled aquatic and forest species in the upper and middle Gila Watershed. Beginning in 1989, the Center has petitioned to list the Mexican spotted owl, southwestern willow flycatcher, loach minnow, spikedace, cactus ferruginous pygmy owl, Sonora tiger salamander, Huachuca water umbel, Bloomer's dock, Canelo Hills ladies' tresses, Gila chub, and Chiricahua leopard frog. |