Mission:
GARNA, through community collaboration, inspires a conservation ethic by providing educational opportunities and experiences so that those who live, work and play in the Upper Arkansas Valley are motivated to take care of the natural resources and leave a legacy of responsible use of the natural environment.
About:
In the heart of the Rocky Mountains of South-Central Colorado, spanning the 143-mile length of the Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area State Park, the Greater Arkansas River Nature Association (GARNA) serves the watershed of the Upper Arkansas Valley from Leadville to Canon City. GARNA is a community connector through its Youth Ecological Literacy Program, its popular clubs, such as the Birding, Hiking and Book Clubs, and community education programs that empower residents and visitors to be good stewards of the landscape. Through its diverse programs, GARNA engages over 5000 people each year. GARNA is a popular landing place for new residents who want to know more about the valley’s natural resources, water management, public lands management, and sustainability. They learn about these issues and more through GARNA programs ranging from fire ecology to composting and recycling, from water quality monitoring to mushroom and wildflower hikes.
GARNA manages the largest group of volunteers in the Upper Arkansas River valley through its Friends of Public Lands chapters, environmental education, and sustainability efforts. Each year, over 200 hardworking volunteers clean, maintain, and improve the health of the river ecosystem in the Arkansas Headwater Recreation Area State Park and the surrounding public lands managed by federal agencies.
GARNA also administers the Chaffee County Heritage Area Advisory Board (CCHAAB), established by Chaffee County resolution in 2004. The CCHAAB has completed numerous state and national level historic nominations, preserving Chaffee County's rich history and agricultural heritage. The CCHAAB plans and implements the Collegiate Peaks Scenic and Historic Byway, one of 26 Colorado driving byways that connect the dots between historic sites and vistas of majestic scenery. The byway is instrumental for maintaining scenic viewsheds and enabling multi-modal byway offshoots such as the Leadville to Salida Stage and Rail Trail.
For more information, check out our website at
garna.org.
To become a member and support GARNA's mission, click
here.