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Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum – Research and Conservation…

by | Dec 29, 2012

Steve & Judy at the Desert Museum

Javelini
 
Teddy Bear Cactus
 
 
 

 

http://www.desertmuseum.org/center/research.php  Quote from this website…

“The Research and Conservation program encompasses the scientific functions of the Desert Museum. Our activities range from conducting ecological research in the Sonoran Desert region to advising education, collections, and other museum staff on scientific matters. We have a strong commitment to scientific accuracy and currency in all of our publications and interpretive programs. Our research is characterized by:”

  • A focus on whole-organism and community biology.
  • A focus on projects that promote habitat conservation.
  • A focus on interdisciplinary studies. Our staff has expertise in botany, ethnobiology, paleobiology, ornithology, mammalogy, herpetology, invertebrate biology, and educational outreach. Whenever possible we add a geologist/soil scientist to our research team. We favor projects that integrate these disciplines to discover the full ecological story.
  • A dedication to disseminating our knowledge to the public in nontechnical language.
  • Annual scientific conferences.
  • ASDM Studies in Natural History. A book series focused on the greater Sonoran Desert ecoregion.

As we make our way home to the Oregon coast, history and nature continue to be highlights of our journey.  The Tucson Desert Museum is one of those exceptional places to learn about the Sonora Desert ecosystem, and conservation.  One of my favorite exhibits was the “cave” http://www.have-fun-in-the-southwest.com/Arizona-Sonora-Desert-Museum-Pictures.html.

Cave Entrance
Cave Exhibit
 
I have enjoyed visits to the Sonora Desert during my lifetime, but have never had a chance to really learn specifically about the desert’s ecosystem until now.  One amazing fact is the amount of precipitation, mostly during the summer months, averages 12 inches per year.  The rains come in from Mexico’s Gulf of California and create a monsoon season during the months of July and August.  The desert stores all this water in the flora and aquifers, creating adequate reserves to sustain life and all the beauty the Sonora is known for during the extremely dry months.  The cave exhibit particularly reveals how Native Americans lived in a pretty cozy and cool spot, including a natural aquifer for continuous water supply http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aquifer.  The early spring in the Sonora is what we all consider an amazing event, and hardly believe the beauty displayed in this dry desert region.
 
Early Spring Sonora Desert!
 
Next time you are in Tucson, don’t miss the chance to visit the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum…  We are definitely planning a return visit to spend our winter months in Tucson and experience the “vortex” of this special museum and zoo in the desert…http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vortex
 
Steve Sparks
Author
Reconciliation: A Son’s Story
 

About the author

Steve Sparks is a retired information technology sales and marketing executive with over 35 years of industry experience, including a Bachelors’ in Management from St. Mary’s College. His creative outlet is as a non-fiction author, writing about his roots as a post-WWII US Navy military child growing up in the 1950s-1960s.
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