|
Greetings!
 The heat of summer is here and, like the wildlife in our beloved desert, we're waiting for the relief of the monsoons. Wildflowers are all but gone and the sky now takes on the hazy, watery hue of a dusty June. Nonetheless, summer in the desert is not without it's own remarkable beauty - the fabulous blooms of the saguaro and other cactus, the blessed surprise of water still running in Cave Creek, the sight of young quail following their parents through the brush.... The beauty of this landscape surrounds us, even when the heat takes our breath away.
Your land trust is continuing our work to protect the most special natural areas in our community. We're working with landowners on new conservation projects and stewarding our existing preserves. We're also working with volunteers and partners to get ready for a busy fall season!
We are grateful for the many ways you support this important mission - your membership contributions, volunteer work, attendance at events and efforts to spread the word about us.... Your support results directly in protected land right here in your community.
With thanks,
Desert Foothills Land Trust |
|
|
 Event Raises $100,000
to Support Local
Land Conservation! |
 | |
Dinner crowd at Sonoran Stars 2011. Photo courtesy of Karin Johnson at Cowgirl Designs. |
Nearly 400 guests attended Desert Foothills Land Trust's 16th Annual "Sonoran Stars" on Saturday, April 30 at Rancho Maņana Golf Club in Cave Creek, raising more than $100,000 for the Land Trust. The popular event "Under Western Skies" began prior to sunset with a cocktail hour and a silent auction followed by a spectacular release of a rehabilitated owl from the non-profit Wild at Heart rehabilitation facility. Dinner was catered by the award-winning Tonto Bar & Grill, and auctioneer Letitia Frye created a bidding frenzy during a live auction, a new addition to the event. With the moon and stars shining, guests were treated to a special concert by The Bar J Wranglers, a Classic Western band of "singing cowboys" from Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
|
| |
Bar J Wranglers perform at Sonoran Stars 2011. Photo courtesy of Karin Johnson at Cowgirl Designs. |
"As we celebrate our 20th anniversary, we are so thrilled to announce that we exceeded our fund-raising expectations for this event. We are incredibly fortunate to have such great support from our community for local land conservation," said Sonia Perillo, the Land Trust's executive director. "We are very grateful to our sponsors and donors for showing their continued support, and we appreciate our volunteers who devoted many hours to making this event a success!"
Save the Date! We are already planning for our 2012 Sonoran Stars event on Saturday, April 28, 2012!
|
| Special Thanks to Our Volunteers! |
 | |
Desert Foothills Land Trust volunteers are led on a tour of Wallace Desert Gardens at a special volunteer appreciation event in May. |
Desert Foothills Land Trust celebrated our wonderful volunteers with a special appreciation event at the Wallace Desert Gardens on May 21. Garden Executive Director Lee Brownson led volunteers on a fascinating tour of the garden, followed by a breakfast and profuse thanks from the Land Trust staff and board president Pat O'Brien. Volunteers also received their first look at the new volunteer intranet that has been developed to allow volunteers to better communicate with staff and one another.
The Land Trust would simply not be able to accomplish its local land conservation mission without the committed and dedicated volunteers who share their time, talent and wisdom with us. Volunteers serve as board and committee members, stewards, and docents, and help with everything from field work to mailings and events. The collective impact of all of these volunteers is beyond measure.
If you are interested in joining this wonderful group of volunteers, please register on our website so we can let you know about our next volunteer orientation session! |
| Land Trust Merchandise |
 Make the Land Trust your fashion statement! We have denim shirts, polo shirts, t-shirts, fleece vests, baseball caps, hiking hats, coffee mugs and other items sporting the Land Trust logo. We also have native wildflower seed packets, field guides and local trail maps all available in our office!
You might even consider combining some of these items with a gift membership as a way to welcome new neighbors or celebrate a friend's birthday! Call us at 480-488-6131 or e-mail us for more information. |
| Our Yerba Manza Needs a New Home | |
The Yerba manza in our small water feature at the Rudolph Memorial Garden has overgrown its home. Volunteers pulled the excess plants on Monday, June 20 and they are currently residing in buckets at our office. We are happy to share this pretty little plant with you! If you have a water garden or a wet spot in full sun, this should do well for you. Feel free to come by the office for a couple plants - although you might want to give us a call at 480-488-6131 to make sure we're here and to see if we still have some available. |
|
|
|
|
|
Upcoming Events | |
Saguaro Fruit Harvest
P.A. Seitts Preserve at Go John Canyon
Saturday, July 9, 2011
6:30 -8:30 am
Learn about how people and wildlife have long used this fruit of the desert. Join us for this unique opportunity to use traditional methods to gather one of the most important desert food sources.
*Registration
is required for the saguaro fruit harvest, and space is limited to no more than 20 people. Reserve your space now!
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 a small, localized harvest for conservation education 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!
Saguaro Menu Fundraiser
July 12 - 30, 2011
The fruit gathered during our saguaro harvest education program will be used by the talented chefs at Tonto Bar & Grill to prepare select menu items. Visit Tonto anytime from July 12 through July 31 to purchase these menu items and support the Land Trust!
10% of the sales of the specified menu items will go directly to support your local land trust.
Great food,
from a great restaurant, for a great cause! |
| Conservation Deserves More Than 2%* |  |
Please help us receive this significant, renewed CHALLENGE GRANT supporting the critical work of Desert Foothills Land Trust. 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 | |
Archived e-newsletters are available here!
|
|
|
