Greetings!
Sunset and storm from Galloway Wash. Photo by Andreas Schmalz.  | As we celebrate the relief of the monsoon rains, we are reminded again of the power of nature to inspire awe - and humility. We are fortunate to live in an area so closely connected to the natural world, with wildlife, dramatic vistas, and fabulous plants and natural communities just outside our door. Your Land Trust is continuing our work to protect these natural features that we all cherish, but we do not accomplish this work in isolation.
This organization, while focused on land, is also fundamentally about people - the landowners who conserve their properties, the donors who contribute generously to support the work, the volunteers who look after preserves and seal envelopes, the preserve visitors who share their thoughts and photos, the community members who ask questions and challenge us to think about new opportunities....
The beautiful Sonoran Desert landscape reminds us of how closely we are connected to one another, and to the natural world. We wouldn't have it any other way.
Your support of the Land Trust - as a volunteer, donor or ambassador - is another way for you to strengthen this connection to the natural world, and to involve more members of our community in this important effort. With thanks for your personal role in this work and community,
Desert Foothills Land Trust
Visit us at www.dflt.org to join or renew as a member or to sign up as a volunteer. Thank you for your support! |
| Pulliam Grant Awarded to Help Build Volunteer and Land Stewardship Program |
Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust Trustees (front row, L-R: Nancy M. Russell, Frank E. Russell and Carol Peden Schilling, and (back row, L-R ) Land Trust Executive Director Sonia Perillo and President Sue Clement at the reception for new grant recipients on July 14, 2010. Photo by Markow-Kent Photography.  | In our last e-newsletter, we wrote about the amazing work our land stewardship volunteers do to support our permanent land conservation mission. We are pleased to report that we will now be able to be even more effective at recruiting, training and utilizing volunteers for land stewardship and other activities. We have received a $22,000 grant from the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust to allow us to enhance our volunteer and land stewardship programs. The grant was made as part of the Charitable Trust's total award of $1.75 million to 28 organizations in Arizona on July 14. "This grant offers an opportunity for the Land Trust to better engage our community in direct land conservation work, at the same time we increase our capacity for land stewardship and other programs. The Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust's support of our work will allow us to capitalize on this opportunity, and we are tremendously grateful for their investment with us," said Land Trust executive director Sonia Perillo. Desert Foothills Land Trust will work to recruit and train volunteers in our communities. Many of these volunteers will help with land stewardship and management on our 615-acre system of nature preserves. "As is true for many nonprofits around the country, the Land Trust will rely heavily on volunteers in order to accomplish our important mission. Increasing our capacity to utilize this pool of knowledge and enthusiasm is critical in moving our organization and conservation programs forward, despite a difficult economic environment," adds Perillo. "The grants we are distributing today represent the Trust's goal of responding to alleviate immediate human needs, collaborating to leverage organizational impact and investing over the longer horizon to change lives, preserve environments and enrich community life in the Valley," said Harriet M. Ivey, Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust president and CEO at a July 14 reception for grant recipients. If you are interested in joining us as a volunteer, please visit the volunteer section of our website, or call us at 480/488-6131. We will begin our first training session of the season on October 7. |
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| Saguaro Fruit Harvest for Conservation and Education |
Board President Sue Clement shares some of the traditional Tohono O'odham ceremony associated with the saguaro fruit harvest.  | In early July, staff and volunteers from Desert Foothills Land Trust, Desert Botanical Garden and Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area harvested saguaro fruit at P.A. Seitts Preserve at Go John Canyon. The Garden will use the fruit and seeds in educational programs and for saguaro propagation.
Spur Cross Ranch Interpretive Ranger Kevin Smith instructed the volunteers on the use of traditional Tohono O'odham poles made from saguaro ribs lashed together, with a small crossbar used for hooking or pushing fruits off the cactus. Land Trust President Sue Clement also shared some of the traditional Tohono O'odham ceremony before the harvest, meant to ensure a successful harvest and to bring on the monsoon rains. Volunteers then broke into teams and set out to harvest. Selecting appropriately ripe fruits, maneuvering the pole and then gathering the fruit as it falls is surprisingly hard work! After the harvest, volunteers gathered at Gateway Desert Awareness Park for a well-earned breakfast and to sort the fruit for the Garden's use.
Many wildlife species enjoy this wonderful desert fruit. Birds, particularly white-winged doves, eat the fruit while still on the saguaro. Any fruit that falls to the ground is usually quickly eaten by terrestrial wildlife. It is a season of bounty in the middle of our intense summer heat.
Please be aware that we do not permit public harvest of saguaro fruits (or other vegetation, minerals, animals or cultural artifacts) on our preserves. The wildlife of our region depend on this seasonal bounty and we are careful to conduct only one localized harvest for conservation purposes. Over-ripe and green fruits remain on the saguaros for wildlife use and natural saguaro propagation. Thank you for respecting the conservation of our critical natural resources!
Volunteers use a pole made from saguaro ribs to harvest saguaro fruit at P.A. Seitts Preserve at Go John Canyon.  | |
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| EFAZ Campaign Season | |
The political campaigns have already begun, and the Environmental Fund for Arizona campaign season will begin soon, too! The Environmental Fund for Arizona is Arizona's green choice for workplace giving. As one of 29 member organizations, Desert Foothills Land Trust receives funding when you support EFAZ. With just one gift, you'll be helping to preserve our State's vibrant open spaces, protect and rehabilitate wildlife, develop renewable energy, clean our air and water, and so much more. You can also direct your gift to the Land Trust and other participating environmental nonprofits.
Visit the EFAZ website to find a list of participating employers and member organizations. If you are interested in establishing an EFAZ workplace giving campaign at your company, please contact the Land Trust or Laine Seaton at EFAZ.
Thank you for including Environmental Fund for Arizona in your giving priorities! | |
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| We Need Your Photos! |
Photo of P.A. Seitts Preserve at Go John Canyon by Paul Santori.  | | |
We know you love this beautiful Sonoran Desert landscape, and we also know you have taken a zillion photos in an effort to capture its beauty... You can help the Land Trust spread our land conservation message by sharing your best photos of our preserves and other special Foothills natural areas! If you are willing to let us use your photos in our publications, our website, this e-newsletter and other uses please e-mail them to enews@dflt.org. Please make sure you have the rights to use the photo, and let us know where and when the photo was taken, as well as whether you require photo credit. We would particularly love to have photos of native wildlife. Thanks for your help spreading the message about the importance of land conservation right here in our community. |
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Ongoing Fundraisers to Benefit DFLT |   |
Your purchase of a giclee print of "After the Ride" by Kenneth M. Freeman (above right) or "Mother Earth's Little Protector" by Sharon Brening (above left) will generate a contribution of $100 each for the Land Trust, potentially raising as much as $125,000 for the Land Trust! You can purchase your prints at: kennethmfreeman.com and
www.sbrening.com or find more information on our website.
Additionally, Cooper's Art Gallery and Brokerage is displaying and selling a number of prints and original works of art that have been donated to the Land Trust. Stop by the gallery at 11 Sundial Circle in Carefree to view and purchase these items!
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Upcoming Events | |
Save the dates for the following activities, and look for more information and reservation information on our website or in future e-newsletters:
Late Sept. - Birding event to celebrate the Cave Creek Important Bird Area (IBA)
Oct. 7 - Land Trust Volunteer and Steward training
Oct. 14 - Nov. 11 (Thursdays) - Land Trust Steward training
Oct. 16 - Fall hikes begin
Nov. 12-14 - Cave Creek Bicycle Festival to benefit the FORCE Open Space Initiative | |
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| Conservation Deserves More Than 2%* |  |
Please help us receive this significant, renewed CHALLENGE GRANT supporting the critical work of Desert Foothills Land Trust. Our goal is to raise $150,000 by September 30, 2010. Please join as a member or renew your membership today!
*Conservation only receives 2% of all charitable giving. Most people believe it deserves more. (Source: Giving USA) |
| Quick Links |
Desert Foothills Land Trust (www.dflt.org)
Archived e-newsletters are now available here!
Register credit cards and grocery cards on eScrip to support the Land Trust
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