Capturing The Moment — Kings Canyon’s Cactushenge

“Cactushenge” — Image by kenne English: Stonehenge Stonehenge, Wiltshire. Stonehenge itself is owned and managed by English Heritage whilst the surrounding downland is owned by the National Trust. Français : Stonehenge Stonehenge, Royaume-Uni. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) When I saw this group of cacti, the image that came to mind was that of Stonehenge in Wiltshire, England. In my mind, they…

Jackrabbit In The Bush — Run Jack, Run

Now You See It, Now You Don’t — Image by kenne In the SCVN program for children, there’s an activity, “Now Yo See It,” designed to teach children about camouflage — animals are colored the way that they are to help them survive in their environment. It is not always easy to see some animals, like the jackrabbit in this bush. If I had not seen the jackrabbit running from a bush neared to me, I…

Cockleburs — Nature’s Hitchhiker & Nature’s Nature’s Velcro®

Cockleburs — Photo-Artistry by kenne Sabino Canyon has lots of cockleburs. Each cocklebur contains two seeds. We enjoy taking children on hikes talking about plants and animals as a naturalists. However, most of the children have never seen a cocklebur, so when you try to place one on a child’s shirt, they back off. Let’s face it; the prickly seedpods don’t look all that friendly. However, when…

Naturalists To Resume Mountain Hikes

SCVN Friday Hikes In The Santa Catalina Mountains To Resume This Summer — Image from 2017 The last Sabino Canyon Volunteer Naturalist (SCVN) hike was March 2020. The National Forest Service has authorized the SCVN to begin Friday Hikes this June on Mt. Lemmon. The Forest Service will require all volunteers to wear masks at all times while volunteering. The groups will be smaller and maintain…

Missing The Kids In The Canyon

Elementary School Class In Sabino Canyon (February, 2012) — Photo-Artistry by kenne Since March of 2020 Sabino Canyon Volunteer Naturalists (SCVN) have not bee working with students on field trips in the Tucson area. We are hoping to start offering nature classes again this fall. Meanwhile, SCVN has developed a series of videos called The Canyon Classroom covering some of the “Fun Facts” covering…

SCVN President, Phil Bentley Teaching a Kindergarten Class In Sabino Canyon — Image by kenne

As Sabino Canyon Volunteer Naturalists (SCVN), we are not currently offering nature education programs to school children and the public because of the coronavirus. However, individually we are in the canyon, encouraging everyone to spend time outdoors.

This morning naturalist Nancy Wilkenson, who teaches…

Sabino Canyon Hohokam Ruins

Since 2011, I have been a volunteer naturalist at the Sabino Canyon Recreation Area northeast of Tucson. The Sabino Canyon Volunteer Naturalists (SCVN) have partnered with the Santa Catalina Ranger District of Coronado National Forest to offer educational programs for children and adults for more than 35 years.

Sabino Canyon North of the Hohokam Ruins

SCVN focuses on conservation, field trip…