2027 Annual Arizona Master Naturalists Conference, Sierra Vista, AZ - Save these Dates

Save the weekend of February 20th for the AZMNA annual conference, co-hosted by the Borderlands chapter!

Did you attend the 2026 Tucson conference or the Phoenix conference in 2025? If so, you have valuable experience and could contribute your ideas to the planning of next year's event. Mary Lou and I (Louise) were told by the AZMNA director and president that we can design the conference as we like. Do we follow the standard schedule or do we create a unique Borderlands experience for our guests?

If you are interested in joining our chapter planning committee, please let Louise know, if you have not already done so. The Community Innovation Center on Industrial Drive has been reserved for Saturday, February 20th. Locations for the 19th and 21st have not been determined, nor has a conference theme, but we're working on it. Keep in mind that we are the southernmost location, have a great amount of biodiversity, and Sierra Vista is the "Hummingbird Capital of the United States".

Lorianne Barnett, Executive Director of AZMNA, has a timeline for conference preparation and deadlines, which should help us all keep on track. She will be the conference lead and Chris Schneider, President of AZMNA, will co-lead.

If you would like to join us, please let me know.

More SWRS Photos

 

      

                                       Did you know that poison ivy grows in the Chiricahuas?

Bear corn (Conophilus americana) is also known as American cancer-root, squawroot or bumeh. It is a parasitic plant that gets its nutrients from oak roots by connecting to them with specialized roots called haustoria. It does not use photosynthesis and it emerges in spring as a pale cream inflorescence.

                                    Eileen identifying a roadside plant during the plant walk.

Wow! What a Fun Weekend at the Southwestern Research Station!

 The Chiricahua Mountains are known for their beauty and biodiversity, and we drank it in! Bird song surrounded us, as did a multitude of plants, gorgeous views of lichen covered mountains, and the sound of flowing water. If you couldn't join us last weekend, be sure to visit sometime soon!

What were the highlights of our weekend? I'm sure we would all have different answers. Some of mine were the beautiful starlit sky, distant hoots of a Great horned owl in the darkness, waking up to the sound of Scott's orioles singing, looking at a beautiful male Coppery-tailed trogon (Elegant trogon), early morning coffee with friends, and engaging mealtime conversations. But don't worry, I haven't forgotten our educational activities and the wonderful speakers who gave presentations during our stay.

Saturday morning began with a bird walk along the south fork of Cave Creek, led by Gordon and Lori Lam. The goal was to see the trogon, and sure enough, we got good views of one just before breakfast time! It was a "life" (first time seen) bird for Colleen, Sierra, and Whitney! Our volunteer service was weeding and raking out two garden beds, then we carpooled to the beautiful home and garden of Raymond Mendez, otherwise known as "the ant guy". Not only is Ray an expert on ants, but he is also an incredible designer for the movie industry, museums, and zoos. He introduced us to honey pot ants and naked mole rats; very interesting creatures, indeed! After lunch, we learned about and dabbled in nature journaling, and shared our artistic talents. This was followed by a plant walk along the south fork of Cave Creek, focusing primarily on trees. Peg Abbott gave a presentation on the "Geometry of Birds" in the evening, which was well received. The final activity of the day was an owl walk led by Gordon and Lori. After some calling, Western screech owl, a Great horned owl, and a Common poorwill were heard.

Carol Simon gave a presentation on the history of the Southwestern Research Station and the biodiversity of the Chiricahua Mountains. It was very interesting, and eye opening! Once our cars were packed, and good-byes exchanged, we dispersed for further pursuits, with wonderful memories and photos to share.

We'll be back next year!

     

                                   Group photo on Ray's patio overlooking the Chiricahua Mountains

Sierra demonstrates dialing a phone with an elephant trunk on her arm.

Ray showing his magazine article on the naked mole rat 

Clyde holds a naked mole rat.

                                An introduction to honey pot ants.

Three Days until the Southwestern Research Station Weekend, April 10 - 12

 I’m looking forward to seeing everyone! 

Joelle has organized a great list of activities for the weekend, and Lori and Gordon are sure to show us some very cool birds! Speaking of which, I will bring some extra binoculars in case anyone needs them.  Prepare for cloudy skies and temperatures in the 50’s to mid - 70’s. The activities schedule is detailed below.

Check-in is at 4 pm Friday. The office closes at that time, but instructions will be left for those who arrive later. Be sure to review the guest information before the weekend.

For those planning on joining us on Saturday and wish to eat meals served by the kitchen, please let Louise know Friday by noon so I can notify the kitchen staff.

If you have any questions or concerns, please notify myself or Joelle. See you this weekend!

Schedule of Events for April 10 - 12, 2026

Friday, April 10th

4:00 pm Check-in to rooms for those staying at Southwestern  Research Station (SWRS).

4:45 - 5:45-ish Birding on grounds of SWRS. Meet Gordon & Lori Lam at the hummingbird feeders on the property. 

6:00 pm Dinner inSWRS dining room (included in room rate; $16 for those staying off-site).

Saturday, April 11th

5:45 am For early risers, a bird walk on South Fork Road led by Gordon & Lori. Car-pool a short distance and walk on road to bridge where trogons are possible; return to SWRS for breakfast.

7:30 am Breakfast in SWRS dining room ($10 for those staying off-site). 

8:00 am TBD Possibly a service project or tour of the SWRS facility. Or maybe the Lam’s will lead a birding excursion to bird feeders in Portal (about 5 miles; 15 min from SWRS). Bring work gloves.

10:00 am Native ant experience. We’ll carpool to home of “Professional Insect Wrangler” Raymond Mendez who lives nearby. We’ll learn about leaf-cutter, honey pot, and twig ants of southern AZ and see them in action as he tours us around his captive display colony. Mr. Mendez has a long resume of wrangling insects for movies & TV, and creating museum natural history exhibits.

12:00 pm Lunch in SWRS dining room ($12 for those staying off-site).

1:00 pm Nature journaling with Margaret Welch, Friends of Cave Creek naturalist. This activity will take place on shaded picnic tables at the Cave Creek Visitor Center (3 miles or 10 min. drive from SWRS). Margaret will introduce the concepts of nature journaling and lead participants in an activity focusing on the spectacular geologic formations and unique rocks of the Chiricahuas.

All materials (including a journal, colored pencils, and a “zine” on nature journaling) provided.

3:00 pm Plant walk with Elaine Moisan along South Fork Road. Easy walk on paved road.

A butterfly expert may join us for a bit to point out butterflies.

6:00 pm Dinner ar SWRS dining room ($16 for those staying off-site).

7:00 pm Talk on “The Geometry of Birds”  by Peg Abbott who is founder of Naturalist Journeys, a company specializing in birds and natural history tours. She has led tours across the globe, and has decades of experience in birds, geology, and other natural history themes.

Sunday, April 12 th

7:30 am Breakfast in SWRS dining room ($10 off-site). 

8:30 - 9:30 am Talk by Carol Simon:”A Brief History of the Southwestern Research Station and why it is here: Looking at our Incredible Biodiversity “.

Not only does Dr. Simon’s 60+ history with the SWRS make her the undeniable expert on this subject, but she also completed her PhD on lizards of the area.

10:00 am Check-out time for those staying at SWRS.

Sky Island Alliance Erosion Control Event in Mexico

 

This is the link to register for the Erosion Control Camping Event!

A great way to help the environment, spend time int eh outdoors, hangout with some fine folks, and earn volunteer and advanced training hours.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/erosion-control-at-rancho-el-sahuaro-tickets-1985070019866?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true

Did you Know that Southern Arizona has over 750 Species of Native Bees?

Learn more about Native Bees on Tuesday March 17, at 6 pm, in HRB 303 (Human Resources Building) at Cochise College!

Tanner Bland, a native bee expert, will talk about bee diversity in southern Arizona and about a few bee species in more detail. Tanner will also discuss his work with the Tucson Bee Collaborative. Did you know that bee DNA can be "bar-coded" to enable greater understanding of which flowers are more preferable to bees in different landscapes?

Tanner is the Bee Collaborative Program Coordinator at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum and is a student at the University of Arizona. His masters' studies are focused on bee DNA and pollen.

There will be a chapter business meeting at 7 pm, which will conclude by 8 pm. Be sure to stay so you can earn chapter service time.

Bring your questions and ideas!

Join us for a Day at the Southwestern Research Station 4/10 - 4/12

 

If you can't join us for the weekend, consider driving out to the station for the day. There will be activities Friday through Sunday, and it will be wonderful to see you and enjoy all that the Chiracahua Mountains have to offer. The station is a little over a 2 - hour drive from Sierra Vista.