Late SummerField Trips, Workshops and Mixers
Posted Aug 14, 2023
We have a number of excellent field trip offerings at this time for AZNPS members. Contact emails are not the same for all trips, so pay attention to the email address inserted in each trip announcement.
Don’t forget our Monsoon Mixer and Plant Swap on Friday, August 18th at the MSA Annex on 267 South Avenida Del Convento
A Morning Stroll in a Happily Recovering Desert at the Waterman Restoration Site
Saturday-Sunday September 2 and 3,
8:00 – 10:00 AM
Bring water, camelback recommended
Wear sturdy boots and long pants
Open to the Public
Please rsvp to tucsonaznpstrips@gmail.com
Directions : Turn west at I-10 Avra Valley Road exit 242
Drive west exactly 19.5 miles
Turn left immediately after the HOLCIM sign
Drive straight ahead 1 mile, bearing left all the way
Meet at the first turn-out
The Waterman Restoration site on Ironwood Forest National monument is now in full desert recovery with over 110 native plant species and a gradually increasing number of insects, birds, small mammals, reptiles and even visits of desert sheep. In the mid-2000s this same site was known as the “Mother of all Buffelgrass Patches.” After generous recent rains, the desert is now coming alive. Perennial plants are leafing out and new plants are emerging underfoot. We will stroll through a desert in various stages of restoration, walking among mid-size and newly emerging desert trees, ocotillos, and bushes; learning how to identify them in different phases. We will learn about many overlooked plants that are powerful restoration agents and soil builders. We will see plant succession in action among trees and shrubs. We will also see how simple water harvesting techniques have brought life-giving moisture to the landscape and healed areas that had been bare and apparently “sterile.” Best of all, we will discover new things from participants who happen to see something unexpected or who have knowledge or observations to share with the group. This will be an opportunity to enjoy the desert together and learn from one another!
Roadside Grasses, including the newly discovered roadside Trailing Grama
Sunday 20 August
8am to 10am
Meet on the north side of the Trader Joe’s Parking area on the SE corner of Magee/Oracle
Limit: 12 participants
RSVP to tucsonaznpstrips@gmail.com
Roadsides are unlikely but surprising places to find dozens of native (and non-native) grasses. Join John Scheuring on a driving grass tour of roadside basins briming with various grass species. This will be a great way to learn our common grasses by seeing them side-by-side in bloom. We will also see Trailing Grama Grass (Bouteloua diversispicula), the newly discovered roadside species common in Sonora that had only been previously found in Arizona in one remote area of Ironwood Forest. We will not park or walk on busy roadways but bring a reflective vest if you have one.
Lower Carrie Nation Trail Plant & Nature Walk
Madera Canyon
Saturday, August 26 8:00 am- 1:00 pm
Leader: Doug Moore. Friends of Madera Canyon Naturalist
Limit: 10 participants; AZNPS members only
on the Wrightson loop drive)RSVP to tucsonaznpstrips@gmail.com Meet at Mt. Wrightson Picnic Area: 3rd upper right-side parking lot (with 1st restroomon the Wrightson loop drive)
Morning plant/nature walk on the beautiful lower Carrie Nation Trail, hiking up to & just above the “big rock” at the 2nd stream crossing seeking wildflowers, plants, birds, butterflies, & more We will watch for Elegant Trogon, Chiricahua Mountain Larkspur, Charles Mason’s Ragwort, Huachuca Mountain Addersmouth, Orchids, & other monsoon specialties along the trail.
Description: Approx. 1.75 miles roundtrip; moderate to difficult hiking on uneven, rocky ground w/ steady elevation gain & a stream crossing. The trail is mostly shaded, but the weather may be warm. Must be able to hike/stand for several hours & negotiate long downhill returning to parking area. Participants need to be in good physical shape & health for this activity!
Bring: water, good hiking shoes or boots, walking stick/poles, binoculars, sunscreen, sun hat & trail snacks for stop at the top. Optional: hand-held camera. Note: May need to return to parking lot immediately in the event of thunderstorm & lightening.
Sabino Canyon Herp and Plant Trip
Sunday, August 20th, 6pm-8pm
Meet at the Sabino Canyon Visitors Center
RSVP to nativeplantstucson@gmail.comJoin Tucson Herpetological Society President Robert Villa and AZNPS Tucson Chapter President Jack Dash on a natural history walk in Sabino Canyon. We will be looking out for reptiles, amphibians, plants, and whatever else we happen across. This trip is open to members of THS and AZNPS and is free (however Sabino Canyon does charge an $8 parking fee).
Despite our lack of reliable rainfall this summer Sabino Canyon should hold some interesting species for us to discuss. We will be hiking in the evening so flashlights/blacklights are encouraged for the walk back to the parking lot. Remember to bring plenty of water.
Late Summer in the Chiricahua Mountains
September 16, 17, and 18, 2023
Southwestern Research Station, Portal, Cochise CountyQuestions or More Information: Please contact Doug Ripley at jdougripley@gmail.com
The Cochise and Tucson Chapters of the Arizona Native Plant Society are again sponsoring a long weekend in the Chiricahua Mountains of southeastern Cochise County.
These richly diverse mountains are one the northern-most islands in the Madrean Archipelago that encompasses parts of Arizona, New Mexico , Sonora, and Chihuahua. Come enjoy this weekend with us. Whatever the weather, there will be botanical treats and great company.
Accommodations, including meals, will be provided by the Southwestern Research Station.
