The Founding of the Parsons Field Institute The original conception in 2005 for the Parsons Field Institute was focused on ecotourism – combining talks about the natural and human history of the land with guided hikes in the nascent Preserve – as a source of funds for the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy. At that time, the
Why is there a study project? What’s it all about? The Sonoran Desert tortoise (Gopherus morafkai) is a protected species found here in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. This species is under increasing pressure from climate change, human activities, and habitat degradation, which may affect their numbers. Through generous support from the Heritage Fund, the
By Tiffany Sprague, Parsons Field Institute Manager, and Mary Fastiggi, Parsons Field Institute Lead Wow, what a year it has been. As with much of life, the pandemic has made McDowell Sonoran Conservancy’s science work even more challenging – from planning to implementation to analysis to reporting. But through creativity and tenacity, we managed to
Large, connected landscapes are critical for wildlife. Maintaining these connected open spaces can be challenging, especially in areas experiencing rapid urbanization. Can we protect wildlife while also meeting the desires of people? McDowell Sonoran Conservancy, in partnership with the City of Scottsdale and other entities, has long considered this a top priority. McDowell Sonoran Preserve
By Marianne Moore, Ph.D., Arizona State University assistant professor Originally published in the Fall 2017 Edition of Mountain Lines Around Valentine’s Day 2007, a phone call from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to my Ph.D. advisor at Boston University, Dr. Tom Kunz, alerted us to unusual bat mortality occurring in New York
By Ronald Mixan and Joel Diamond, Arizona Game and Fish Department Originally published in the Spring 2018 Edition of Mountain Lines Photo Credits to George Andrejko and Ronald Mixan, Arizona Game and Fish Department Arizona provides habitat for 28 bat species. This diversity is second only to Texas and represents the highest endemism of any
American Midlands Naturalist today published the Conservancy manuscript, Lessons Learned 5+ Years After Transplanting and Seeding Restoration Sites in the Sonoran Desert, U.S.A. Helen I. Rowe, Tiffany A. Sprague, Jennifer Broatch, Dan Gruber, Debbie Langenfeld, Lisa Rivera Read the manuscript here.
Science is in our nature, and we bring you all the citizen science news monthly.Check out the October 2020 Parson's Field Institute Newsletter (and subscribe) here!
By Ryan Kemmer, Jerimiah Kent and Michael Umholtz, Arizona State University students In June 2020, the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy partnered with Arizona State University’s School of Computing, Informatics, and Decision Systems Engineering (CIDSE) to sponsor a capstone project. The project’s purpose statement detailed the need for a software application capable of automating emergence counts
Take a look at this great AZCentral Article featuring the Conservancy! Mary Fastiggi, Science Coordinator, contributed to the article and serves with the Desert Defenders program with our partners at CAZCA.
