Applet on-Whit tell Research Ranch of the National Audubon Society

Research Ranch Highlights—2013

We couldn’t find the pot of gold in O’Donnell Canyon at the end of this rainbow— but 10” of monsoon precipitation draped the Research Ranch in glorious shades of green!

Mission of the Research Ranch: Formulate, test, and demonstrate methods to rehabilitate and safeguard the bioregion, and provide assistance to citizens and policymakers in the protection and stewardship of our native ecosystems, natural resources and quality of life. Printed on 100% Recycled Paper

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Apacheria Fellowship Recipients 2013

Matt, Lattanzio (above), Ohio University, earned his fellowship for his work on the ecological and phenotypic responses of lizard populations to historical disturbances. Matt successfully defended his dissertation this summer! Erik Andersen (right), University of Arizona, received his fellowship to support his study of the effects of mesquite encroachment into desert grasslands on bird diversity, density, and reproductive success.

Researchers at the Ranch know how to work hard, but they also know how to have a good time! They surprised Ivan Monaghan (an undergrad at Virginia State) with a cake on his 21st birthday!

Appleton-Whittell Christmas Bird Counts 2012 & 2013 Thirty-two participants tallied 3642 birds of 100 species during the 2012 Appleton-Whittell CBC, which was held on January 5, 2013. The results of this and previous Christmas Bird Counts can be found at http://www.audubon.org/bird/cbc/. These data are available to all, and are used by scientists to track changes in bird populations and ranges. The 2013 CBC is scheduled for January 4, 2014 and volunteers are always needed—even if you’re not an expert birder! Check the Huachuca Audubon Society website (http://www.huachucaaudubon.org/CBC/AWCBC.php) for details.

Thanks to Lois Albrecht (a wonderful volunteer from Iowa), a Horace Miller / Ginny Saylor Publication Grant from the Tucson Chapter of the Arizona Native Plant Society, contributions from the Friends of Sonoita Creek, Borderlands Habitat Restoration Initiative, and private individuals, plus lots of contributed effort by photographers and expert reviewers—“Native Plants for Hummingbird Gardens,” is now available! This free booklet includes 65 plants native to Arizona, southern California or New Mexico which are known to provide nectar to hummingbirds. To find out how you can receive your free copy*— e-mail [email protected]! *While supplies last!

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Individual volunteers and groups like the Sierra Club Service Tours (left above and below) and Dr. Jeff Fehmi’s Vegetation Management class (below) helped with a range of projects including planting desert willow poles, painting the Party Barn, rebuilding a courtyard wall flattened by a falling tree, and erosion control projects.

Thanks to financial support from the RIESTER Conservation Foundation, our efforts to reclaim a floodplain dominated by non-native species continue to move forward.

The Elgin School 7th graders from Mrs. Koweek’s science class learned about grassland ecology and research during their field trip to the Research Ranch.

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5th annual Science on the Sonoita Plain Again this year the Research Ranch was honored to host a meeting of the Sonoita Valley Planning Partnership that was dedicated to science. The broad topic of this year’s symposium was climate and climate change. As a grand finale, two more populations of endangered desert pupfish were released! Proceedings are available at http://researchranch.audubon.org.

84 new chairs! Notice how comfortable everyone is in the photo, above? That’s because of you! When we put out the call that we needed new chairs your response was overwhelming. We were able to order 84 matching folding chairs (with padding!). Each chair is labeled with the name of the person or business that made the contribution.

Special Thanks to Sonoita Hardware!

Ecology of Grassland Birds Attendees of a workshop jointly organized by the Research Ranch and Tucson Audubon Society learned from the experts, Homer Hansen (left) and Ron Pulliam (right), in an exciting blend of classroom activities and field experiences.

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Living Gently on the Land—Potlucks and Presentations Attendees at our “almost monthly” education events were treated to a wide range of information in 2013! 

January —Phoenix Zoo’s efforts to recover native Arizona species from Stuart Wells, Director of Conservation & Science. Photo at left. 

February - Using satellite images and long-term datasets to estimate climate and land-use landscape changes by Dr. Miguel Villarreal, Mendenhall Fellow U.S.G.S. 

March - Tips for birding by ear by Robert Weissler, VP of Huachuca Audubon and Executive Director of the Friends of the San Pedro River. 

April—Riparian ecosystems and the services they provide by Tom Meixner, Ph.D., University of Arizona 

May— Field Guides for National Parks of Arizona and The Flora Project by Steve Buckley, doctoral candidate, University of Arizona

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September—An introduction to caves and speleology by Tom Strong, Ph.D. WestLand Resources, Inc.

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October—Collared peccaries-nuisance or adaptation success story? by Tice Supplee, Director of Bird Conservation, Audubon AZ.

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November—Conservation in Cuba by Dan Robinett, Robinett Rangeland Resources, and Linda Kennedy, the Research Ranch.

Coming up in 2014 are opportunities to learn about land and water protection, climate change, historic human impacts in southeastern Arizona, and more.

And Potlucks are Such FUN! Contact Pat at [email protected] to receive e-mail notifications of these and other events at the Research Ranch! We don't sell or share our e-lists!

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The Research Ranch is a cooperative effort among the National Audubon Society, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, the Nature Conservancy, Swift Current Land & Cattle Co., LLC, and the Research Ranch Foundation. Since 1968, the Research Ranch has protected grassland ecosystems through conservation, research, and outreach.

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Want a sp ecial gift for a spec person? M ial ake a con tribution his or her in name to the Resea Ranch! W r ch e’ll post a acknowle certificat dging you e r gift and the recip send ient a cop y!

If you believe in the mission of the Research Ranch, please help! With your assistance, we will continue to provide sound stewardship for the lands we manage, facilitate research to help understand and protect grassland and grassland related ecosystems, provide fellowships for student scientists, and develop educational material and events to help us all “Live Gently on the Land.” To be certain your contribution helps the Research Ranch, please make your checks payable to “National Audubon Society,” and send them directly to Appleton-Whittell Research Ranch, 366 Research Ranch Road, Elgin, AZ 85611 or donate online from our website: http://researchranch.audubon.org . Your contributions are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.

And please, consider mentioning the Research Ranch in your will or as one of the beneficiaries on your life insurance policy. Contact us to insure that your bequest will be used the way you wish.

Wishing you a Safe and Joyous Holiday Season

Your Friends at the Research Ranch Pat Kugler, Roger Cogan & Linda Kennedy