The AZ Native Plant Society Tonto Basin Chapter invites anyone interested in learning about native plants in Gila County to join us for chapter meetings, botany walks, and conservation activities.
Our chapter meets on the first Friday of each month, October through May, and includes guest speakers, botany walks, and field trips. Please join our email list at tontobasinnativeplants@gmail.com to receive up-to-date information and meeting reminders. You can also visit our Facebook and Instagram accounts for additional information If you don’t want to miss out on our Chapter’s activities, please email your contact info to tontobasinnativeplants@gmail.com. We would love to have you join us!
Our chapter is looking for volunteers to help with botany walks, community service events and social media. If you would like to help, please contact us at tontobasinnativeplants@gmail.com.
Volunteer Opportunities
YOU can be a citizen scientist and help monitor the health of saguaros. The Tonto Basin Chapter is monitoring saguaros in the Tonto Basin and Lake Roosevelt areas. If you would like to help collect data, please go to Saguaro Monitoring – Friends of the Tonto National Forest and submit the Interest Form. Upon completing a 1 1/2 hour YouTube training session in the comfort of your home, we will take you to the monitoring sites for in-field training. All data is collected on the ARCgis Field
Maps App and a smartphone is required. Ten acre grids are available for adoption and are easily accessible. This is a fun project for the whole family!
NEW!Beginning in March 2025, the Tonto Basin Chapter, in collaboration with the Friends of the Tonto National Forest, will be kicking off the “Tonto Basin Stinknet Patrol.” For volunteer opportunities, please visit Friends of the Tonto National Forest Volunteer on the Tonto! for more information.
Contact us at tontobasinnativeplants@gmail.com for more info!
Chapter News
Spring 2026 Activities
Posted on Feb 26, 2026
Friday, March 6, 10:00 – 11:30 AM: Plants of the Upland Sonoran Desert Botany Walk Tonto National Monument, 26260 N. AZ Highway 188, Roosevelt, AZ
Saturday, March 7, 10:00 – 11:30 AM: Jack Dash, The Southwest Native Plant Primer The Southwest Native Plant Primer book launch with author Jack Dash. Payson Public Library, 328 N. McLane Road, Payson, AZ 85541
Friday, April 3, 10:00 – 11:30 AM. Kenda Svoboda, North Zone Botanist, Tonto National Forest: Botany Walk, Washington Park (north of Payson).
Friday, May 1, 10:00 – noon. Liz Makings, Collections Manager, ASU Herbarium: Tour of the Herbarium ASU Herbarium, 734 W Alameda, Tempe.
Trip Report On November, 21, 2025, chapter members assisted with the Dude Creek Restoration project north of Payson in partnership with Trout Unlimited, AZ Game & Fish, and the US Forest Service. Members carried fencing materials to the site and mapped out planting locations for several native species. The goal of this project is to improve the habitat for the Gila trout and the Chiricahua leopard frog.
Upcoming Events
Posted on Nov 23, 2025
Meetings Friday, December 5, 10:00 – 11:30 AM. Kenda Svoboda, North Zone Botanist, Tonto National Forest: Searching the Sierra Ancha for Rare Plants
Kenda is North Zone botanist for the Tonto National Forest. The presentation will take place at US Forest Services Ranger Station, 1009 State Route 260, Payson.
Friday, January 9, 10:00 – 11:30 AM. Wendy Hodgson: Grand Canyon—More Than Just Beautiful, Awe-Inspiring Views, Neat Geology, and Weird Squirrels!
Wendy is herbarium curator emerita and senior research botanist at the Desert Botanical Garden. The presentation will take place at the Payson Public Library, 328 N McLane Rd, Payson.
Field Trip Friday, February 6, 10:00 – 11:30 AM. Teri Balaska: Sonoran Sentinels: Keystone Guardians of the Desert Botany Walk
Teri is vice president of the Tonto Basin Chapter. The botany walk will take place at the Saguaro Monitoring Site. This is located three miles east of Highway 188 on Greenback Valley Road/Forest Service Road 71 (across from the new Tonto Creek Bridge), Tonto Basin.
Upcoming Chapter Events
Posted on Oct 19, 2025
Friday, November 7, 2025
AZ Botanists: Past & PresentPresented by Becky Settje, Chapter President
at 10:00 – 11:30 a.m.
268 E Stephens Way, Tonto Basin, AZ 85553
Friday, December 5, 2025
10:00 – 11:30 a.m.
Searching the Sierra Ancha for Rare Plants; Presented by Kenda Svoboda, North Zone Botanist , Tonto National Forest
US Forest Services Ranger Station
1009 State Route 260, Payson, AZ 85541
Friday, January 9, 2026
Grand Canyon—More Than Just Beautiful, Awe-Inspiring Views, Neat Geology & Weird Squirrels!
Presented by Wendy Hodgson, Herbarium Curator Emerita & Sr. Research Botanist, Desert Botanical Garden
10:00 – 11:30 a.m.
Payson Public Library, 328 N McLane Road, Payson, AZ 85541
