Volunteer and Docent Newsletter

Transcription

1 October 2012 Volunteer and Docent Newsletter VOLUNTEER MEETINGS OCTOBER ALL VOLUNTEERS MEETING Wednesday, October 11, 10AM Porter Hall Greetings from the New Community Education Specialist! Horticultural Therapy Volunteers Wednesday, October 3, 10AM Education Building Youth Education Meeting Tuesday, October 16, 10AM Education Building Docent Meeting Thursday, October 25, 10AM Education Building From Amy Collinsworth, Membership For the first time in a long time, the Gardens is unveiling a members-only bumper sticker. You can be one of the first members to receive this brand new sticker a wonderful way to display your support for Tucson Botanical Gardens. Present your current membership card in the Gardens Gift Shop to receive this brand new sticker a wonderful way to display your support for Tucson Botanical Gardens! This sticker offer is only available to active volunteers who are current members of TBG. One per person, please. Hello! I m Christine Hoekenga, the new Gardens Community Education Specialist. I ll be working closely with Abby Moore to coordinate our community programming, including adult education classes, lecture series, tours, and special educational events for families and the community. I ll also be managing docent training and continuing education activities and assisting Abby with Youth Education as needed. A little bit about me: I m a Nevada native who grew up loving the harsh solitude of the Great Basin and Mojave Deserts, and now I m thrilled to be in Tucson soaking in all the sites, sounds, smells, and tastes of the Sonoran Desert. I earned my BA in Environmental Science and Media Studies from Willamette University in Salem, OR and my MS in Science Writing from MIT. Before joining TBG, I worked in education and outreach at the Smithsonian Institution s National Museum of Natural History; as a science, nature, and education writer; and as a program manager and advocate for environmental non-profits. I hold a special place in my heart for: Boojum Trees, Washington Capitals hockey, and rescue dogs (especially my black lab mix, Tobie). How to reach me: I share an office with Lynne Jenrow in the Education Building. Please feel free to stop by, call (extension 31), or (education2@tucsonbotanical.org) any time. I look forward to meeting everyone and working with you to produce exceptional programming. Thank you for volunteering your time! 2150 North Alvernon Way, Tucson, Arizona

2 BUTTERFLY MAGIC IS OPEN! Elizabeth Willott, Butterfly Curator Come enjoy the magic of the butterflies. If you are interested in crossing volunteer in a butterfly exhibit off your bucket list, now is a great time to get involved. Contact us at butterflyexhibit@tucsonbotanical.org and we ll get you going. We have a few openings for afternoons. These tend to be quieter shifts than the morning and may be perfect for some of you more contemplative folks. Welcome back to all of you who have volunteered! It s great to see you again after the lull of the summer (although it has also been great to see those of you who have come over the summer, too). Also, many thanks to those of you who have cleaned the greenhouse, looked after the plants in the greenhouse, helped prepare Sonoran Butterfly kit contents, cared for caterpillars, and helped in so many other different ways, too numerous to mention. Gracing the exhibit are some butterflies we haven t seen in a few years. We have several Mormon butterfly species. These are some of our larger butterflies, comparable in size to Blue Morphos (see the pictures below). Papilio lowii Papilio memnon (More butterfly information, continued, next page) 2

3 BUTTERFLY MAGIC (continued) Tuesday October 16, 4:30-6:00PM Education Classroom Butterfly Basics This introduction to butterflies is designed for someone interested in volunteering or who just wants to learn some of the basics about butterflies. Tuesday October 16, 7:00-9:00PM Education Classroom Southeast Arizona Butterfly Association Presents PLANTS, BUTTERFLIES, AND THEIR HOST PLANTS OF THE DRAGOON MTS., ARIZONA Doug & Arlene Ripley One of lesser Sky Islands, the Dragoon Mountains are located in Cochise County, AZ, between the San Pedro Valley on the west and the Sulphur Springs Valley on the east. This presentation will discuss and illustrate the rich plant and butterfly diversity of this dramatically beautiful area. Urban Forestry Certificate Program Pilot Underway! This fall Tucson Botanical Gardens is running a pilot of our new Urban Forestry Certificate Program. Fifteen volunteers are taking courses in tree biology, tree care, pruning, tree inventories, and urban forestry. They are also participating in several community tree planting and tree maintenance events around the city. This program was developed in partnership with the City of Tucson, Tucson Clean and Beautiful, and the Garden District Neighborhood Association with funding from the Arizona State Forestry Division. The goal of the program is to build a citizen volunteer corps to assist with the development and management of Tucson s urban forest. The certificate program will be offered again this winter, beginning in February. Contact Abby Moore, education1@tucsonbotanical.org for more information. 3

4 VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES **Membership** Looking for volunteers to staff membership at table events. No cash handling required. Training and snacks provided! **Horticulture** Emily Rockey just harvested lots of peppers and tomatillos from our gardens and is looking for someone to help her process them for seed saving. Time commitment would be 2-3 hours. Contact Emily at or call her at , ext. 21. **Administration/Development** The development office is looking for a volunteer approximately one-two hours per week, days are flexible. Duties would include filing, organizing and generally helping to keep Katherine s head on straight as she plans for this winter s fundraisers. Contact Katherine Hougland, Development Manager, at , ext. 25, or development@tucsonbotanical.org. **Ebay** Are you an experienced and successful Ebay seller? If so and you would like to help the Gardens, please contact Abby Moore, at , ext. 39, or education1@tucsonbotanical.org. **Feast with the Dearly Departed** Join the Gardens on Saturday, October 27, as we celebrate at Feast of the Dearly Departed. We are looking for volunteers to help our instructors during the evenings festivities. 2 volunteers to help with Sugar Skull Decorating help the children with their decorating needs 2 volunteers to help with Luminariamaking help children with their decorating needs 2 volunteers to ensure that participants are in line for face painting **2nd Annual Fall Family Fun Fest** Sunday, November 11, 2-5PM We are looking for volunteers to help with this fun, family-oriented celebration of the harvest season. The event will include games, hands-on activities, story time and demonstrations of modern homesteading skills (e.g., composting, food drying, seed saving). We need volunteers to assist with activities and games, directing visitors, and story time (anyone with an animated story-telling style is especially welcome). Please contact Christine Hoekenga at education2@tucsonbotanical.org or , ext. 31. THANK YOU! **Make Sugar Skulls** Come play with sugar on Thursday, October 11, from 1PM-2:30PM, and help the Gardens prepare for our upcoming Feast of the Dearly Departed by making sugar skulls with Rosy. Contact Rosie Munoz at , ext. 10, or tucsonbotanical.org. 4

5 FALL CLASSES Pre-registration required. Register online at or by phone at 520/ , ext. 19 ***OCTOBER*** JUST HAVING FUN WITH BUTTERFLIES Sunday, October 7, 2-4PM This class will address interesting and intriguing questions, along with some answers, connected with butterflies, their habitat, and anything else butterfly related that seems to catch our fancy! Includes entrance to Butterfly Magic after hours. Family Friendly! EXPLORING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TREES AND HUMANS Saturday, October 13, 10AM-Noon Trees have held symbolic meaning for various cultures throughout the centuries. These meanings have come from mythology, folklore, and legends. Come and join Manny Cuen, Gardens horticulturalist, to explore these tree meanings and learn how various cultures have designated a certain tree as the Tree of Life. We will also delve into tree magic, and in the spirit of Halloween, we ll have fun looking at some scary trees. Yikes! BUTTERFLY STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION FROM A FUN PERPECTIVE Sunday, October 14, 2-4PM Why are blue morpho wings blue? How does a female butterfly know that plant A is where she should lay her eggs? What do butterflies see? And more. Join Elizabeth Willott, curator of Butterfly Magic, for this fun look at butterflies. Includes entrance to Butterfly Magic after-hours. Family Friendly! BATS, BATS, BATS Thursday, October 18, 6-8PM Do all bats carry rabies? Are there really vampires? The answers may surprise you. Join Jeff Babson of Sky Island Tours as we debunk many of the myths and misinformation surrounding bats. This class highlights the diversity and amazing adaptations, like echolocation, of these amazing mammals. We will also learn about the classification and biology of bats, and explore bathuman interactions. Particular attention will be paid to species found in Arizona. So come and explore the wonderful, dark world of bats. Just in time for Halloween! $23, $20 members WHAT S IN A NAME: BUTTERFLY HISTORY AND RELATIONSHIPS Sunday, October 28, 2-4PM Butterflies have a really rich natural history; their classification also has a rich human history. Yes, we ll also cover some more interesting aspects of all this splitting and lumping and categorizing and whatnot. Join Elizabeth Willott, curator of Butterfly Magic, for this interesting look at butterflies. DRUGSTORE OF THE DESERT Tuesday, October 30, 4-5:30PM Explore the bounty of the desert with Native American naturalist David Morris. Learn about the many uses of our desert plants and the biology that makes them useful. Some plants have provided for people of the desert since prehistoric times. See how plants were used for food, building, medicine and magic by examining the ethnobotany of the Sonoran Desert. $17, $12 members continued next page 5

6 FALL CLASSES (continued) Pre-registration required. Register online at or by phone at 520/ , ext. 19 POCKET SKETCHING FOR TRAVEL JOURNALING Thursday, November 1, 6-8PM The camera is accurate and objective: you see the McDonald s sign. In Pocket Sketching you edit out the sign and see the stormy day with mountains and the sketch brings back all your memories of your day. It s personal, meditative and easy to learn. Ideal for travel journaling, hiking, biking, or standing in line, Pocket Sketching in One Hour will show you how easy this is and that anyone can do it fearlessly in public! This is the portable medium with virtually no cleanup which you can use to record what you feel about what you re seeing. $23, $20 members TUCSON S BUTTERFLIES Sunday, November 4, 2-4PM What butterflies are you likely to see in the Tucson area? What can you do to promote their well-being in your yard and community spaces? Why should you care about doing that? Join Elizabeth Willott, curator of Butterfly Magic for a look at our native butterflies. Family Friendly! ARIZONA AMPHIBIANS Thursday, November 8, 6-8PM Most people do not associate amphibians with the desert. After all, these animals require an ample supply of water to survive. Yet Arizona is surprisingly rich in amphibians, many of which take advantage of summer rains for an opportunity to breed. This class explores the salamanders, frogs, and toads of Arizona. We will investigate the classification, identification, vocalizations, and biology of these remarkable animals. Join Jeff Babson of Sky Island Tours for a fun look at our amphibian neighbors. $23, $20 members ***NOVEMBER*** INTRODUCTION TO HOME COMPOSTING Saturday, November 10, 2-4PM Learn the basics of home composting and the differences in the western deserts. Jim Lootens of Tucson Organic Gardeners will get you started on an adventure in saving water, fertilizer and landfill space. GROWING ORCHIDS Sunday, November 11, 10AM-Noon Don t think you have to be crazy to grow orchids if you live in Tucson! With a little know-how, you too can succeed at growing orchids at home. Orchids are not as difficult to grow as some might think when basic light, temperature, humidity, soil media, and water/food requirements are met. Learn about basic orchid care and maintenance with Emily Rockey, Curator of Horticulture at the Gardens, in this handson course. You will leave knowing how to care for the small orchid you can take home with you. $20, $15 members POCKET SKETCHING Monday-Wednesday, November 12, 13 & 14, 9:30AM-4PM Unleash your creativity and awareness with travel journaling while hiking, meandering or just hanging out. You can add far more pleasure by interacting with the locale. Using a very small format (4 x6 ) you can learn to create watercolor sketches within 25 minutes anywhere from ship cruises to standing in line. The results are delightful and have vitality. All supplies fit in a pocket, purse or fanny pack and are very inexpensive. No previous experience is needed. Advanced artists will gain a new, quick, expressive field technique with little equipment, and virtually no cleanup. Critiques are very frequent and there is much oneon-one support. A fabulous gift for yourself and friends. Learn enough to play for a lifetime! A supply list will be provided. Three (3) sessions $260, $240 members continued next page 6

7 FALL CLASSES (continued) Pre-registration required. Register online at or by phone at 520/ , ext. 19 HARVEST OF THE DESERT Tuesday, November 13, 4-5:30PM Take a look at the Hohokam grew in their gardens. Corn, beans and squash have a long and interesting history of domestication, but were not the only crops to be grown prehistorically. Learn about them and some of the less well known crops and the Native American traditions that surround them. $17, $12 members RECYCLED FLOWERS Saturday, November 17, 1-3PM After a visit to the DeGrazia Gallery, instructors Rich and Ann Bates were inspired to re-create the beautiful and unique flowers that graced the gates and fences of the gallery. Spend the afternoon with them learning how to create these easy-to-make metal flowers from recycled soda and tin cans. A variety of empty cans, glue guns, scissors, and spray paint will be provided. Please bring your own found objects to personalize your flowers (seed pods, beads, pictures, strings, coins let your imagination soar!). THE CACTUS FAMILY Monday, November 19, 3-5PM Not all spiny plants from the desert are cacti, and not all cacti are from the desert. So what is a cactus? What unites this diverse group of plants? We will look at the characteristics of cacti, where they come from, and how to keep them happily growing. Michael Chamberland has studied plants at the University of Connecticut and Arizona State University. With a degree in botany, he has worked both in herbaria and botanical gardens around the U.S. Michael has maintained a special interest in cacti and other succulents. He is currently the Curator of Horticulture at the Tucson Botanical Gardens. $17, $12 members ADVANCED CACTUS AND SUCCULENTS Mon-Wed, November 26, 27, 28, 3-5PM This three-session class is intended for succulent collectors and serious plant enthusiasts. The introductory class The Cactus Family (offered November 19) is suggested as a prerequisite for those having less familiarity with the subject. Advanced Cacti & Succulents will provide a comprehensive overview of the many kinds of plants grown as part of the succulent hobby. We ll look at how to grow them in the Tucson climate, including cold hardiness, sun tolerance, landscape use, and propagation. We ll have a hands-on look at growing succulents in containers, including choice of pots, media, and top-dressings. We ll look at cacti and succulents suited for growing outdoors in the ground how to plan and build a cactus garden, including the use of rocks and other plants for decoration and microclimates. $50, $35 members 7

8 2150 North Alvernon Way Tucson, Arizona 85712