Garna
Creating generations of stewardship on the Upper Arkansas River ecosystem
Photo Credit: William Helms
Who We Are
Legacy Creators
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.
We subscribe to a generational approach — that investments in learning and opportunities for public participation build on themselves and help ensure the long-term health of our public lands and waters.
![Garna Greater Arkansas River Nature Association - Education, stewardship, volunteering Salida - Nature Camp group posing by a large boulder](https://garna.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Garna-Greater-Arkansas-River-Nature-Association-Education-stewardship-volunteering-youth-group-on-boulder-1200.jpg)
Our Impact
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Our Programs
Friends of Public Lands
GARNA collaborates with public land agency partners to leave a legacy of responsible use of our natural environment, making it the largest group of volunteers in the Upper Arkansas River valley.
Environmental Education
GARNA inspires a conservation ethic by providing educational opportunities and experiences through youth programming and environmental-focused clubs.
![Garna Greater Arkansas River Nature Association - Education, stewardship, volunteering Salida - Smokey the bear with youth group](https://garna.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Garna-Greater-Arkansas-River-Nature-Association-Education-stewardship-volunteering-smokey-the-bear-with-youth-900.jpg)
![Garna Greater Arkansas River Nature Association - Education, stewardship, volunteering Salida - Smokey the bear with youth group](https://garna.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Garna-Greater-Arkansas-River-Nature-Association-Education-stewardship-volunteering-smokey-the-bear-with-youth-900.jpg)
![Garna - Sustainability programs](https://garna.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Landfill-photo-by-Brian-McCabe.jpg)
![Garna - Sustainability programs](https://garna.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Landfill-photo-by-Brian-McCabe.jpg)
Sustainability
Heritage Area Program
![Garna - 3rd Historic Maxwell Park Schoolhouse by William Helms](https://garna.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Garna-Greater-Arkansas-River-Nature-Association-Education-stewardship-volunteering-3rd-Historic-Maxwell-Park-Schoolhouse_William-Helms-1200.jpg)
![Garna - 3rd Historic Maxwell Park Schoolhouse by William Helms](https://garna.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Garna-Greater-Arkansas-River-Nature-Association-Education-stewardship-volunteering-3rd-Historic-Maxwell-Park-Schoolhouse_William-Helms-1200.jpg)
Chaffee Mobile Gear Library
GARNA is committed to improving access to the outdoors for everybody. GARNA is partnering with a coalition of local organizations and the nationally based Outdoors Empowered Network to help outfit youth and adults for outdoor based programming in Chaffee County.Latest GARNA News
![Garna Greater Arkansas River Nature Association - Education, stewardship, volunteering Salida - Plants alonside the riverbank](https://garna.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Garna-Greater-Arkansas-River-Nature-Association-Education-stewardship-volunteering-plants-alongside-riveredge-kari-vanderburg.jpg)
![Garna Greater Arkansas River Nature Association - Education, stewardship, volunteering Salida - Plants alonside the riverbank](https://garna.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Garna-Greater-Arkansas-River-Nature-Association-Education-stewardship-volunteering-plants-alongside-riveredge-kari-vanderburg.jpg)