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Field Institute Insider
August 2013
Scientific Newsletter of the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy
The
Feature ArticleA Geologic Update
Also InsideDefining the Field Institute
The Citizen Science Program
Meet the New Citizen Science Program Chair
MSFI Schedules
Monsoon Photo Album
2 The Field Institute Insider | August 2013
Finally, the monsoon rains have
arrived! This is the part of summer
that makes the intense heat of June
and July worth it. I hope you are
enjoying the storms and getting out
into the Preserve while the relatively
cool weather lasts.
This issue of The Field Institute
Insider is a little different. The flora
and fauna surveys have been quiet,
and we’ve been busy preparing for
next year. Instead of reporting on
monthly results, we are presenting
some of the structural changes
within the Field Institute, such as
a new leadership position and our
Citizen Science Program. There will
be more changes over the next year
as well. The Field Institute Insider
will continue publishing monthly in
August and September, after which
we will transition to a quarterly
publication. The new schedule will
correspond with how results will be
coming in from the new studies in
the upcoming year.
From Melanie TluczekMcDowell Sonoran Field Institute Research Coordinator
Table of ContentsA Geologic Update ............................................................................................3
Defining the Field Institute..............................................................................5
The Citizen Science Program ....................................................................... 6
Meet the New Citizen Science Program Chair .........................................7
Surveys ................................................................................................................ 8
August Programs .............................................................................................. 8
Coming Events................................................................................................... 8
Monsoon Photo Album .................................................................................. 9
About UsThe McDowell Sonoran Conservancy champions the sustainability of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve for the benefit of this and future generations. As stewards, we connect the community to the Preserve through education, research, advocacy, partnerships and safe, respectful access.
The McDowell Sonoran Field Institute (MSFI) is the research center of the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy. Our mission is to study the environment of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve as well as the human history and human impacts on the Preserve. We do this by partnering with scientists and actively involving volunteers in research as citizen scientists. We use research results for long-term resource management, education, and to contribute to the broader scientific knowledge of natural areas.
McDowell Sonoran Field Institute Insider Team
Melanie Tluczek Field Institute Research CoordinatorExecutive Editor
Susan Aufheimer McDowell Sonoran Conservancy StewardEditor
Barbara LightnerMcDowell Sonoran Conservancy StewardDesign and Production
Karen Ollar McDowell Sonoran Conservancy VolunteerProofreader
McDowell Sonoran Conservancy16435 N. Scottsdale Road, Suite 110Scottsdale, AZ 85254480-998-7971
A monsoon sunrise along the Marcus Landslide Trail. Photo by M. Jensen, 2013.
The Field Institute Insider | August 2013 3
Continued on page 4
Feature Article
A Geologic UpdateBy Dan Gruber, Field Institute Citizen Scientist
The Field Institute soon will begin a series of
geologic projects aimed at developing a more
comprehensive understanding of the intricate
geology of Scottsdale’s McDowell Sonoran
Preserve. No complete geologic survey has ever
been done of the land within the recommended
study boundary for the Preserve, but the entire
area has been surveyed piecemeal over the
last 35 years. Working with research geologist
Brian Gootee of the Arizona Geological Survey
(AZGS), we will combine the existing maps
digitally to develop a baseline geologic map of
the entire Preserve and surrounding area. This
will serve as a companion to the flora and fauna
maps, and we can easily add to it as we map
new features.
One such addition will be the huge quartz
veins, such as the one that can be seen from
Quartz trail. Many other such outcrops exist
Photo by M. Jensen, 2009.
A large quartz outcrop along the Quartz Trail.
4 The Field Institute Insider | August 2013
on the Preserve, but their extent and the connection
between them remains unknown and many have never
been mapped. Furthermore, little is known about when
and how these veins formed. In the next fiscal year, the
Field Institute will start a project with AZGS to map and
record some basic information about them. This will be
the first step toward a larger-scale investigation of these
prominent features.
One of the first major discoveries in the Preserve made by
citizen scientists from the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy
was travertine limestone in the McDowell Mountains—
Feature Article
Continued from page 3
first noticed by steward Larry Levy and subsequently
confirmed by geologist Brian Gootee. This finding
is described in a scientific paper available on the
Conservancy website. Click on “Lost Dog geology
project.” We hope to continue working this year with
AZGS to understand more about the timing, origin, and
formation process of this unique feature, the only known
limestone deposit anywhere in the Phoenix area. This
project will be the Field Institute’s first new geology work
in several years. We hope that some of our new citizen
scientists and other interested stewards will participate
in these field- and office-based projects.
In wilderness is the preservation of the world.—Henry David Thoreau, 19th Century American author and naturalist
Quoteof the Month
August 12, 1880
Troops from Fort McDowell burn the homestead and destroy the corrals of Patrick and Annie White,
near today’s community of Rio Verde. Seven children are evicted into the desert while their parents
are away. It is later discovered that the burning was not legal as the homestead was not on the Fort
McDowell military reservation. The White family was never compensated for the loss.
August 12, 1967
Henry Schilling and his two sons, on a rock hunting expedition north of Shea Boulevard, discover the
body of 26-year-old Carmen Goll. Goll is a legal secretary and TV model missing since July 19th.
Her murder remains unsolved.
HISTORY Bites
The Field Institute Insider | August 2013 5
Updates
Defining the Field InstituteSince February we’ve been developing the structure of the Field
Institute’s volunteer program. Now it’s time for an update. We
started this task by defining what the Field Institute is—how it
functions within the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy and its
relationship to the other steward programs that support
the Conversancy.
First, the Field Institute is the research center of the Conservancy.
It exists within the Conservancy exactly as any other function,
such as marketing or development. The Field Institute supports the
Conservancy and its partners with information about Scottsdale’s
McDowell Sonoran Preserve, while providing educational
opportunities for stewards and the public through direct research
experience and lectures.
So, if that is the Field Institute, what is the Research Program?
The Research Program refers to the original name of the volunteer
program of the Field Institute. In fact, the Research Program was
established shortly before the
Field Institute was established,
and was originally led by a
volunteer chairperson.
The Field Institute was launched
when grant money was obtained
from the Nina Mason Pulliam
Charitable Trust to run the flora
and fauna surveys and develop
the volunteer research program.
As the Field Institute expanded,
the Research Program needed to
be redefined and restructured to keep up with the
number and complexity of studies and with internal
growth. We have developed and have begun filling
leadership positions to organize field studies and
provide support to the Field Institute.
Our first step is to name a volunteer to take on
the chair position for the Research Program. (See
page 7 for more on our new chair.) The next step
is changing the name of the Research Program to
the Citizen Science Program. That name clearly
identifies the focus of Field Institute volunteers
and connects them with other citizen scientists
worldwide who are supporting scientific research.
Whether we call it the Research Program or the
Citizen Science Program, our volunteer component
is a vital and unique part of the Field Institute.
Photo by M. Jensen, 2013.
Setting a transect along the Marcus Landslide Trail.
6 The Field Institute Insider | August 2013
Updates
The Citizen Science ProgramWhat is a citizen scientist? OpenScientist.org provides
a good definition: A citizen scientist is a researcher
who participates in the systematic collection and analysis
of data; development of technology; testing of natural
phenomena; and the dissemination of these activities on an
avocational basis. “Avocational” is the key word. Citizen
scientists are not professionals in the field, but are
volunteers whose hobby is to learn and contribute in a
scientific environment.
The McDowell Sonoran Field Institute’s Citizen Science
Program is like no other in the country. Although many
organizations, such as the Audubon Society with its
annual bird count, and the National Geographic Society
with its annual BioBlitz, depend on data collected by
their citizen scientists, the Field Institute goes one step
further. At the Field Institute, citizen scientists can take
on leadership roles as team leaders
and even research-study leaders,
given the appropriate credentials.
They also have the opportunity to
coauthor research publications.
To become a citizen scientist with the Field Institute,
you must first be a steward of the McDowell Sonoran
Conservancy, meaning you’ve completed the New Steward
Orientation Program. Then you must attend the Citizen
Science Training and the Natural History of the McDowell
Sonoran Preserve classes, and participate in two different
research surveys. Finally, you will be asked to pass a
practical test on basic desert flora and on survey methods.
Completing these prerequisites shows you have a broad
understanding of the Preserve’s natural history, and a grasp
of basic scientific concepts and techniques used in the Field
Institute’s monitoring studies.
The credentials you will need are curiosity, a love for the
desert, and an interest in the flora, fauna, geology, or human
history of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve … and the desire
to have fun with your fellow citizen scientists.
Photo by M. Jensen, 2012.
Having fun on the Stoneman Road survey.
The Field Institute Insider | August 2013 7
Updates
Meet the New Citizen Science Program ChairBy Nancy Howe, McDowell Sonoran Conservancy steward
The Field Institute’s
volunteer program has a new
name and a new steward
leader! McDowell Sonoran
Conservancy Master Steward
Con Englehorn is the new
chair of the Citizen Science
Program, formerly referred to
as the Research Program.
Con replaces Melanie Tluczek,
research coordinator for the Field Institute, who served as the
temporary chair until the role was clearly defined and ready for
a steward to assume leadership. Con will work on behalf of the
Field Institute and its volunteers to develop the Field Institute’s
Citizen Science Program, coordinate with other Core Leadership
Team (CLT) chairs, and promote the MSFI model for science-
based management.
Con is uniquely qualified to serve as the program’s steward
chair. In addition to his status as master steward and his
experience on the Field Institute’s flora survey, Con is a current
member of the City of Scottsdale’s McDowell Sonoran Preserve
Commission. He has a broad knowledge of the Conservancy,
having just completed a full, six-year term on the Board of
Directors, including two years of leadership as board chairman.
His experience within the Field Institute includes service on the
Conservancy’s Board of Directors’ Field Institute Committee,
which worked on the development of the Field Institute’s
mission statement and strategic plan.
These are exciting times for the Field Institute, and welcoming
Con as our Citizen Science Program chair is one of them!
Our Principal Investigators and You
Please tell us how our principal investigators’ work
with the Field Institute has made a positive impact
on you. Perhaps you’ve gained a new-found love of
reptiles, or maybe you’ve opened a special place
in your heart for turkey vultures as a result of your
experience and conversations with a principal
investigator. Perhaps you’ve discovered an interest
in the ancient people who lived in and around the
Preserve. Or maybe you’ve been inspired to go
back to school! Let us know about your experience
as a volunteer working beside one of our principal
investigators. As the spirit moves you, please tell
us a story, write a poem, or express a simple thank
you to a principal investigator. Send your words to
Melanie Tluczek at melanie@mcdowellsonoran.
org. Melanie will present your tributes to the
principal investigators at the Field Institute open
house in September. See Coming Events on page 8
for details of the open house.
Congratulations to the stewards who recently passed the citizen science quiz!
Those who passed the quiz and have fulfilled the
other requirements comprise our first class of
citizen scientists!
Photo by B. White, 2012.
Con Englehorn, Citizen Science Program chair.
8 The Field Institute Insider | August 2013
MSFI Schedules August 2013
SurveysFlying InsectsSunday, August 25, 5:00 p.m. Meet at the intersection
of 128th Street and Ranch Gate Road. Plan on 4 hours.
Light trapping is back! The Franz Lab of Insect Systematics,
Evolution, and Biodiversity Informatics at Arizona State
University will bring its equipment to the Preserve to see
what flying insects are active at night. Come find out
why the monsoon is called the “invertebrate party”! No
experience is necessary to join this survey. There will be a
very short, light hike to reach the site.
Reptiles and Amphibians (Herps)Date, time, and meeting location TBA. Plan on 4 to 6
hours. The herp team will be out this August looking for
reptiles and amphibians. The monsoon rains often bring
animals out and we hope to find some of the species on
our lookout lists! Herp surveys often take place off trail and
require volunteers to traverse difficult terrain. The August
survey will be at night, and may take place under rainy
conditions. Previous training is required to participate in
this survey.
Ground-Dwelling ArthropodsDates, times, and meeting location TBA. Stevan Earl, Field
Institute ground-dwelling arthropod principal investigator
from Arizona State University, will lead a field team to
collect ground-dwelling arthropods from pitfall traps.
This fieldwork involves a hike to the pitfall traps, followed
by about an hour collecting the small cups that were set
into the ground to capture insects. Some off-trail hiking is
required.
August ProgramsQuarterly Research MeetingAugust 10, 10:00 a.m. to noon. Scottsdale Community
College, Building SB, Room 183. This meeting will
focus on the future of the flora and fauna surveys. After
three successful years pressing plants, counting mites,
measuring mouse tails, and searching high and low for all
things flying, crawling, and slithering, where do we go from
here? Come find out, and learn how you can be a part of it!
PastFinders Gathering August 27, 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Arabian Library. The
August gathering will be devoted to a discussion about
ideas for future PastFinders activities. Please bring your
ideas, research questions, and love of history!
Coming EventsField Institute Open-House September 7, 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Desert Camp
Community Center at DC Ranch. Please join us to thank
our principal investigators for flora and fauna, geology, and
Preserve history for three wonderful years working on our
field surveys and historical research. We want to celebrate
their work, which provided the foundation for the Field
Institute! Stop by for light refreshments and to say thank-
you to our principal investigators.
August 15, 2005
The McDowell Sonoran Land Trust board of
directors votes to change the organization’s name
to the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy.
HIS
TORY
Bite
s
The Field Institute Insider | August 2013 9
MSFI Schedules August 2013
PastFinders Fall LecturesFourth Tuesday of the month from September through
October, 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Arabian Library.
Each lecture will begin with news and updates about
the PastFinders program and activities. Contact Chris
Crum, PastFinders chair, at [email protected] for
more information.
Bringing Back the Game
September 24. David E. Brown, Arizona State University
biologist, and Melanie Tluczek, Field Institute research
coordinator, will discuss the history of the Arizona
Game and Fish Department from 1912 to 1962
and its efforts to rebuild Arizona’s depleted wild
game populations.
Escatel—Scottsdale’s Mexican Heritage
October 22. Jose Burruel, PhD, retired Arizona
State University professor and author of
Mexicans in Scottsdale, takes us on a journey
of exploration to the community of “Escatel,”
which no longer exists but has left its mark on
Scottsdale and the surrounding desert.
Monsoon Photo Album Continued on page 10
Photo by J. Dart, 2013.
Photo by J. Dart, 2013.
Pink monsoon clouds hover over the McDowells.
The brightly lit desert floor awaits the welcome relief of rain.
Coming Events Continued
10 The Field Institute Insider | August 2013
Monsoon Photo Album Continued from page 9
Photo by L. Kalback, 2013.
Guess what this is. The answer is below.
Answer It’s a deer track!
Photo by L. Adrian, 2013.
Faraway lightning appears to strike a saguaro’s arm.
Tarantulas are most commonly seen during monsoon season.
Photo by L. Dearness, 2013.
Will it or won’t it? Rain, that is.
Photo by P. Spicer, 2013.
Raindrops on a yucca near Brown’s Ranch.
Photo by S. Hamelton, 2013.
