Community Wildlife Habitat Certification Celebration
April 21, 2007
Sweetwater in the Foothills • Tucson, Arizona
A
big turnout to celebrate our becoming the FIRST Community Wildlife Habitat
in Arizona.
Just twenty-one other communities in the United States held this designation
at the time we received our certification.
Sweetwater in the Foothills received Community Wildlife Habitat certification from the National Wildlife Federation in January 2007 following almost two years of dedicated work by the Backyard and Community Wildlife Habitat team, the support of almost 40 residents who had registered their property as Backyard Wildlife Habitats, and the HOA.
On April 21st, 2007, over Earth Day weekend, the Community Wildlife Habitat certification celebration was the cornerstone of a Spring Festival and Garden Tour.
From 9 AM to noon, the Spring Festival was centered at the community pool area and featured displays, demonstrations, and hands-on activities for all residents of Sweetwater in the Foothills and invited guests. Participants included the Tucson Audubon Society, Desert Survivors, the Arizona Native Plant Society, Saguaro National Park, and the Sonoran Arthropod Studies Institute.
John Gale, National Wildlife Federation's Regional Director of the Rocky Mountain Natural Resource Center in Boulder, Colorado, addressed the crowd and made the certificate presentation. Sharon Bronson, our district's County Supervisor, and Paul Green, Executive Director of the Tucson Audubon Society, also spoke to the attendees about this significant accomplishment. Sharon Broson was instrumental in the development and implementation of Pima County's award winning Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan. She said she would like to see all future Tucson housing developments meet the wildlife-friendly criteria set forth by the National Wildlife Federation. A letter of congratulations was received from Governor Janet Napolitano.
Chuck George, Chief Meteorologist of KOLD-TV (and Tuscon's favorite weatherman), served as Master of Ceremonies.
From noon to 3 PM, there were seven Backyard Wildlife Habitat gardens open for visiting. At each of these gardens, which varied widely in size and focus, the owners were available to discuss gardening and habitat techniques.
Want to know what it took for our community to get certified? Click here.
|
There was lots to see and do for both adults and children before the official ceremony started |
Neighborhood children are raptly attentive to a presentation |
|
|
Captivated kids learn about some of our desert creepy-crawlies |
This volunteer from the Sonoran Arthropod Studies Institute talks to visitors |
|
|
The youngsters enjoyed making peanut-butter and bird seed pinecone feeders to take home |
A live baby desert tortoise belonging to Ranger Brown was a hit with the kids |
|
|
Saguaro National Park ranger Philip Brown shares his knowledge of desert critters with eager listeners |
Local
KOLD-TV weatherman Chuck George took over the MC duties for the
certification ceremony. |
|
|
Chuck George and Paul Green pull raffle tickets for door prizes
|
John Gale presents the certificate for our community certification to Lupe Pressey, HOA President
|
|
|
Although the governor was invited, she was unable to attend. Her office sent this congratulatory letter: |
||
The
celebration and certificate presentation ceremony is followed by a self-guided
tour of
several individual backyard wildlife habitats in the community and our
pool-side community habitat
Thank
you to the following residents who opened their yards for touring and
shared information with visitors:
Geri and Gary Ashworth
Bob Blackett and Debbie Harrison
William Bruni
Sandra Beecher
Jim and Ellen Fountain
Marc Lowry and Julia Wirschling
See the map and a description of the BWH gardens on the tour
And at day's end, the habitat team and residents with certified backyard habitats celebrated our accomplishment!
In the hours approaching sunset, Sweetwater in the Foothills Backyard Wildlife Habitat owners gathered at Ellen and Jim Fountain's lovely residence and gardens, the first BWH in our community, for a wine and cheese party to celebrate the project's achievement in helping to insure continued habitat for the flora and fauna of our corner of the Sonoran Desert.
 |
 |
 |
|
