A N E W S L E T T E R F O R S T E W A R D S

March 2014 1

The PreserverThe 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.

From the Desk of the Director of Steward Operations

March 2014

by Kathy Dwyer

Wow! It has been an amazing two and a half months months since I joined the Conservancy as the Director of MSC’s exemplary volunteer program. It has been a privilege meeting you at our packed New Steward Orientations, out on the trails, at the trailheads, and at other venues throughout the Valley.

During my short time here, recruitment has been very successful, but we must keep it up especially, since by the end of this year, we will have approximately 180 miles of trails to maintain and patrol. So thank you, stewards, for spreading the word about our mission through your commitment, energy, and knowledge-sharing.

Also, kudos to our mentors, who have key roles in our steward orientation and retention efforts. We’re attracting new stewards with incredibly varied and diverse backgrounds who all are united by their enthusiasm for the Preserve. Our vision of MSC’s steward program as one of the premier volunteer experiences in the United States is very real, and is being accomplished through the hard work of the Core Leadership Team, program chairs, and our dedicated stewards, including the Master Stewards.

I join you in these endeavors with personal experiences in several stewardship programs, including program

leadership with the New York Organ Donor Network, the South Street Seaport Museum, the American Museum of Natural History, the Central Park Conservancy, and the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum. But nowhere have I seen the passion and dedication for volunteering and selfless service more fully demonstrated than with MSC. I look forward to continuing to be a strong advocate for the life-changing influence of volunteering in everyone’s life, especially here with the MSC staff and steward cadre.

Towards the end of August, I look forward to offering you an updated database that will help better manage the hours dedicated to our cause by all stewards, and will more accurately track all variables MSC uses for steward recognition. This will also give our steward program chairs the tools to easily organize and manage their programs.

As we reflect on selfless service, and the idea that just one person can literally change the world, MSC and City of Scottsdale are honoring long-time Scottsdale desert preservation activist and MSC Board Member Jane Rau at the official opening of the Jane Rau Interpretive Trail at the Brown's Ranch Trailhead Saturday on March 22. Jane has welcomed me to MSC with a number of hugs, health tips (C&M is the way to build up calcium and is a great workout), terrific

C&M: Year in ReviewOutgoing Chair Paul Staker provides a season-end summary.

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Sonoran Desert Women

Learn of this organization and its activities.Pages 8-9

Why Fundraising?Chair Richard Bourke explains how stewards can assist.

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Congratulations to New StewardsFind out who has become a full-fledged steward.

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Meet Steward Roger LarsonLearn of Roger’s travels and his other interests.

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Welcome to Class 44Meet the latest class of Stewards-in-Training.Page 2

Be a Thought LeaderRead how aspects of MSC were replicated elsewhere.Page 7

Meet Steward Kathy Ann WalshRead about Kathy Ann’s dedication to the environment.Page 11

Community Breakfast ReportRead about this year’s community breakfast.

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Nine Inch Nails in the Preserve?MSFI asks for your help.

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S E Q U O I A C L U B

2 March 2014

Welcome to Class 44 -- Explore 44

Front row, l to r: Dennis Eckel, Donna Holland, Joe Brett, Kathy Bird, Billy Eisenberg, Sandra Luedke, Jack McClellan, Ron Benson Middle row, l to r: Jane Ginn, Erica Shelby, Randy Gassett, Michael Ong, Jim Westberg, Sarah Simon, Jackie Benson Back row, l to r: Susan Waskey, John Taylor, Carolyn DiFonzo, Jon Hyland, Chuck Holt, Cathy Hart

Photo by S. Dodd

stories, and motivational quotes, and consistently remarks upon the invaluable service provided by all the stewards in maintaining, through MSC, a sustainable natural desert landscape for all to enjoy.

I hope you can join in the celebration of one of our heroes at this inspirational celebration, and also reflect on your own personal passion for the conservation and preservation of the natural resources of the Sonoran Desert.

From the Desk of the Director of Steward Operations, cont.

Congratulations to New Stewards The following former Stewards-in-Training have completed their Passports and are now full-fledged stewards.

Pat BlixBob BruceMonique ChaissonChar DreyfusAngi GoetzeVirginia Halpern

Betty HauswirthJoyce KeatingLarry KraftRalph LepfertJanet MatthewsDick Metzcus

Chuck PetersonJack ProctorJoann ReynoldsCharles RossiLynne RussellKent Thomas

Robert VaughtSally WilliamsJoe Zazzera

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by Peggy McNamara, Steward

On February 26, 125 people gathered for the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy Community Breakfast* at Sassi’s restaurant located just down the road from Brown’s Ranch Trailhead. More than 50 of the attendees were stewards. Everyone dined on fruit, muffins and sweet breads, and frittata.

After breakfast, Mike Nolan, Executive Director of the Conservancy, reported on how the Conservancy and the Preserve grew over the past year. He also discussed our growth expectations for next year. Mike described the work of the MSC Field Institute and announced the publication of its report, The Flora and Fauna of Scottsdale’s McDowell Sonoran Preserve.

This report contains the research findings from the flora and fauna surveys of the past three years. Mike also revealed that stewards worked almost 39,000 hours last fiscal year and that amounted to a cash equivalent of almost $850,000. He reported that based on trailhead counters, Scottsdale estimated that the Preserve hosted 350,000 to 400,000 visitors last fiscal year. Scottsdale estimates that this fiscal year will see an increase to over 500,000 visitors due in part to the opening of the Brown’s Ranch Trailhead.

Tom Headley, Conservancy Board Chair, talked about the $750,000 budget used to run the Conservancy and made a really fun comparison. With the amount of Preserve land equal to the size of the City of Tempe, the cost to care for one acre of Preserve amounts to only $25 a year!

Go MSC!

*Premier sponsor:  Oliver Smith Jeweler

Hospitality sponsor:  Sassi restaurant

Table sponsors:  APS, Rich and Gloria Cochran, Tom and Judy Headley, Jack and Loretta McEnroe, Peter Rusin and Grace Kelly, John and Pat Simpson, and Wendy Warus

Community Breakfast Report

Executive Director Mike Nolan speaking at Community BreakfastPhoto by P. McNamara

Nine-Inch Nails Invading the Preserve? by Bill Sowle, Steward and MSFI Citizen Scientist

No, not the rock group, but volunteers with the Citizen Scientist program have installed nails measuring six to nine inches in the ground along selected trails to mark locations of the Field Institute’s “trail impacts study.” These nails may look at first glance like trash, but please do not remove them. They are critical to the study.

The trail impacts study involves looking at how human use of the Preserve trails impacts the trail and

surrounding vegetation through erosion, plant community change, and litter. We have nine linear study sites, called transects, that run along selected trails near Gateway, Tom’s Thumb, and Brown’s Ranch. A transect is a straight line or narrow section through an object or natural feature or across the Earth's surface, along which observations are made or measurements taken. In our case, it is a line paralleling a trail, along which we measure things like erosion and plant community change.

S E Q U O I A C L U B

4 March 2014

Each transect in the Preserve is near a trail counter that counts the number of people who use the trail. Each transect is 450 meters long (about 1,476 feet) and marked by large fence posts (t-posts) at each end. Every 30 meters a quadrat (one square meter, for detailed study) has been installed using the nails to identify the corners. In many cases a 1½-inch white washer was inserted to make it easier to find the nails. Although we don’t want the markers to mar the landscape, we do want to find them again.

If you’ve been with the Conservancy a while, you may have heard about an older set of transects, or even seen the t-posts. These were part of the pilot phase of the study, where we had the opportunity to test our methods. We will be removing most of the old t-posts in April.

If you find any nails pulled out and lying on the ground please contact Melanie Tluczek, MSFI manager at Melanie@mcdowellsonoran.org. Please do not stick the nails back in the ground yourself. Each location has been photographed and marked with a GPS location so that we can return to the exact location.

Nine Inch Nails Invading the Preserve? cont.

Collecting data from a quadrat along Tom’s Thumb trailPhoto by B. Sowle

T-post marking a study transect near Tom’s ThumbPhoto by C. Hull

Nail and washer marking the corner of a quadratPhoto by B. Sowle

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by Paul Staker, C&M Program Chair

As my term as Construction & Maintenance (C&M) chair comes to an end, I thought I would use my last opportunity in this role to review the key achievements that we have accomplished so far in the 2013-14 season.

By far the most important has been the establishment of an active crew-leader program. In October 2013, seven experienced C&M volunteers completed a crew leader training program led by the City of Scottsdale staff in the classroom and the field. The major purpose of this effort was to establish the ability of these crew leaders to plan and lead a significant portion of the C&M project schedule, freeing up the city staff for their other duties. To date, this objective has been achieved with hardly any issues, as 40% of the scheduled projects since November have been led by crew leaders without direct city staff involvement. In addition, numerous unscheduled small projects have been initiated and completed independently by crew leaders to address specific issues that have been identified.

A side benefit of the crew leader initiative has been the ability to increase the number of projects, which was identified as a priority with the opening of the Brown’s Ranch Trailhead and the new trails in the north region. So far in the first eight months of the 2013-14 season, 80 projects have been scheduled and completed compared to 65 in the same period of the previous year. More than 2200 volunteer hours have been recorded, an increase of over 15%. This includes the hours of 19 first timers from this season’s New Steward Orientations, five of whom have returned for three projects or more, which typically indicates that they have become established members of the C&M team.

Trail maintenance has been a focus of the expanded schedule. The Tom’s Thumb trail continues to be the area requiring the most ongoing effort, as the steepness of the terrain and the softer composition of the surface makes it particularly susceptible to erosion. The entire two miles of the Windgate Pass trail west of

the pass has been repaired, all under crew leader supervision.

Fortunately, the new trail system in the north region has not required significant maintenance efforts to date. As a result, the C&M efforts in the north have focused primarily on closing off old roads and trails, trimming vegetation along the trails, fencing and signage.

During the last couple months, C&M has also increased the focus on invasive plant removal. Most of this effort has been concentrated on removing buffel grass in the Brown’s Mountain area and fountain grass in several areas throughout the McDowells. Tamarisk eradication is difficult and requires the application of herbicide to prevent re-sprouting, but some work in this area has been attempted as well.

Work in all these areas will continue in the months ahead, even including a slightly reduced schedule during the summer months. Newcomers are always welcome. No experience is necessary, with all training and equipment provided “on the job.” Give it a try! It really is a lot of fun and contributes so much to maintaining the Preserve.

Construction and Maintenance: Year in Review

Trail maintenance on the Windgate Pass Trail

Photo by P. Staker

S E Q U O I A C L U B

6 March 2014

Why Fundraising?by Richard Bourke, Fundraising Program Chair

Why Fundraising? A good question, since most stewards don’t join MSC to get involved with fundraising! Most want to volunteer their time for other enjoyable tasks, such as hiking and patrolling, even science-related projects! Why get bogged down with mundane money matters??

We all believe in MSC’s overarching mission: to act as a perpetual steward of Scottsdale’s Mcdowell Sonoran Preserve. The simple fact is that in order to fulfill this mission and meet our contractual obligations to the City of Scottsdale, MSC must grow its steward base, increase its support for its stewards, and build its staff and operations. This requires both increased annual funding and long term financial stability.

How can stewards help? First, stewards can donate funds (which many stewards already do). This is extremely important not just for the dollars donated, but because foundations solicited for grants and large corporations asked for donations use measures of “internal” support (volunteer giving) as a screening tool. Non-profits with higher percentages of “internal” support are graded better than those with lower measures of “internal” support.

Second, stewards can help with fundraising events, such as the Ragnar Relays, the Tour de Scottsdale, and the annual Community Breakfast. Stewards can either help contact and solicit potential donors, or sign up to help at the event. The Fundraising program is in the

early stages of planning a late October steward hike as a fundraising and team building event. The concept is that interested stewards will solicit pledges for miles hiked from friends, family, and other acquaintances, and hike together over designated trails from one of three trailheads. We hope to recruit an outside sponsor to provide a match for funds raised. Most important, all monies raised will go to fund a project, or projects, selected by stewards and benefitting their work for the Conservancy!

Finally, stewards can help through referrals to potential individual and corporate donors. With the professional input of Ed Phillips, the newly hired Director of Development and Communication, MSC has a new donor package to help solicit individual and corporate donors. A new PowerPoint presentation is also available, which can be viewed on the Fundraising Program page accessible from the website Steward Home page. In addition, Ed has built a new donor database and developed a contact management tool.

We are in exciting times at MSC, with its increased responsibilities and public recognition for its creative leadership in conservation management. I am very excited about the Fundraising program’s ability to incentivize stewards to help raise funds and donate themselves. Our Fundraising program will also be instrumental in assisting Mike and Ed in their continual efforts at securing sufficient outside funds from existing and new donors.

Be a Thought Leaderby Joe Blankenship, Steward

The objective under the strategic goal “Be a Thought Leader” is "Be recognized regionally and nationally for the excellence of MSC programs and for practical techniques that other organizations can replicate."

A prime example of meeting this objective is the quiet but effective transfer of methods and techniques of conservancy management as well as volunteer organization and training between the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy and the Lakes Region Conservation Trust (LRCT), located south of the White Mountains in central New Hampshire.

Picture a serene natural environment of blue lakes, green forests and undulating mountains. Like Scottsdale in the winter, the population of the Lakes Region balloons in the summer. Visitors are there to enjoy the small town and rural environment as well as the lakes, forests and mountains. Although located in a region that is quite different in climate, geology, flora and fauna, the LRCT has the same needs of organizational management: volunteer recruitment and training as well as motivation of a group of 200 volunteers to provide cost effective stewardship of a

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large area of lands and lakes. And, like MSC, LRCT aims to maintain the character of the forests and lakes for responsible enjoyment as recreation and serene contemplation for present residents and visitors, as well as to leave this ecosystem as a legacy for future generations.

The key figures in this transfer of knowledge are MSC stewards Ted and Pat Greenberg, who are graduates of class 25 and have been stewards for approximately six

years. They have a home in Scottsdale where they typically spend five months in the desert sun during winter and spend the summer months in the cooler climes of New Hampshire. The Greenbergs learned of MSC at the local REI store when shopping for desert hiking gear. Since becoming stewards, they have been enthusiastic volunteers in the C&M and Pathfinders programs.

Ted and Pat are also volunteers with LRCT in the summer. After experiencing the training and organization of MSC, they saw the same needs at LRCT and began to incorporate some of MSC's techniques there. Ted reports that MSC experiences and training have affected LRCT programs of C&M, hiking (called Trail Guides at LRCT) and pathfinding, specifically in the areas of organization and training of hike leaders and safety and organization of C&M activities.

In addition to Ted and Pat, two other “property-adopters” for LRCT have visited Scottsdale to observe MSC’s volunteer training and organizational structure. The property adopters are dedicated volunteers who are committed to assisting LRCT in the regular supervision of, and care for, the organization’s conserved lands.

Ted and Pat Greenberg recognized the excellence of MSC programs and practical techniques and helped their New Hampshire organization replicate them. This provides a model for other stewards to be “thought

leaders” and share their MSC experiences in other conservation organizations.

There are many wonderful activities to be enjoyed in the Lakes Region (see photos below). Ted and Pat invite residents of Scottsdale to visit and have a unique summer experience enjoying water and forest or to enjoy the spectacular fall color extravaganza when the leaves are changing.

For more beautiful views of the region and for more information, explore the Lakes Region Conservation Trust website at www.lrct.org.

Steward Ted Greenberg

Be a Thought Leader, cont.

S E Q U O I A C L U B

8 March 2014

Sonoran Desert Women, part of the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy, is a group of more than 100 women who seek to raise awareness and share the history of the McDowell Mountains and its settlement. They focus on the role that pioneer and Native American women have played in the growth

and development of the land within and surrounding the Preserve.

The group obtains, preserves, and elevates women’s stories about the challenges faced and progress achieved in living and working in the Sonoran desert. These stories create role models for future generations to admire and emulate.

Started only last year, Sonoran Desert Women have already honored the courage and dedication of Scottsdale’s settlers by developing the multimedia Brown’s Ranch Interpretive Center at the Brown’s

Ranch Trailhead. In addition the group sponsors lectures, hikes, social events, and a book club.

“The Sonoran Desert Women raised the funds and helped create the first trailhead in the Preserve thatfocuses on the human history of this region. We are most appreciative of the women who joined asfounders of this organization and helped lay the foundation for future projects and activities,” said MikeNolan, McDowell Sonoran Conservancy Executive Director.

Sonoran Desert Women (SDW) leadership includes Leslie Dashew, McDowell Sonoran Conservancyboard member and SDW chair, Cay Cowie, Peggy Sharp Chamberlain, Jan Dolan, Joy Englehorn, MaryManross, and Robbi Henrickson.

For more information on Sonoran Desert Women, contact Leslie Dashew at ldashew@gmail.com

Sonoran Desert Women: A New Way to Support Our Preserve

Leslie Dashew

SDW Membership Dues Fund Preserve ProjectsThe Sonoran Desert Women raised funds for the Brown’s Ranch Trailhead and several other projects in progress. The group is developing a second video for the trailhead that features women who settled the area of the Preserve from 1800 to mid-1900. With additional grants from Arizona Community Foundation and Arizona Humanities Council, this video expresses the unique spirit and entrepreneurship of pioneering women during a challenging time.

Sonoran Desert Women is looking to expand their membership. If you are interested in joining, please contact Jody Goldman at jodygoldman@cox.net.

Brown’s Ranch Trailhead Photo by B. White

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In mid-January, the Sonoran Desert Women sponsored a Gallery and Wine event at the Sudal Gallery courtyard in Old Town Scottsdale. The reception featured Loretta Musgrave, who was raised on an Arizona ranch, and later because a well-known cowboy/western artist.

SDW also held an enjoyable desert-sketching class for beginners on February 22nd at the Brown’s Ranch Trailhead.

Be sure to sign up for the Sonoran Desert Women Luncheon to be held at the Grayhawk Country Club on Friday, April 4 beginning at noon.

For more information about the luncheon, contact Joy Englehorn at joyenglehorn@yahoo.com

Gallery Event Features West Artists

SDW Book Club Enjoys Tales of Women of the West

More than 60 members and guests enjoyed touring Jim Sudal’s ceramic studio and gallery.

The Sonoran Desert Women book club reads and discusses both fiction and non-fiction stories about the women who moved to the West and experienced ongoing adventures, crazy weather, and rustic conditions.Recently Nancy E. Turner, author of These is My Words: The Diary of Sarah Agnes Prine, 1881-1901, joined the group via conference call. She added a lot of interesting background and insights since the novel was based on her grandmother’s experiences.When the non-fiction book, The Harvey Girls: Women Who Opened the West by Lesley Poling-Kempes was discussed, the book club was lucky enough to have a real Harvey Girl. Mrs. Dorothy E. Lauten, book club member Debbie Hay’s mother, talked about the energy, enthusiasm and “can do” attitude that was the hallmark of a Harvey Girl. From 1876 to 1959, more than 100,000 Harvey Girls worked in Fred Harvey’s restaurants and hotels along the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway.

Other books discussed to date include:

Lazy B: Growing Up on a Cattle Ranch in the American Southwest by Sandra Day O’Connor

Filaree: A Novel of an American Woman by Marquerite Noble

One Thousand White Women: A Journal of Mary Dodd by Jim Fergus

The book club meets bi-monthly at the DC Ranch Community Center and is currently at full capacity. However, if you are interested in helping form a second “Women of the West” book club, please contact Peggy Sharp Chamberlain at peggysharp@aol.com.

Photo by R. Henrickson

Photo from Scottsdale Historical Society

10 March 2014

by Peggy McNamara, Steward

Roger Larson was born and raised in Nebraska, but don’t think for a minute that he fits the stereotypical Nebraskan shown in the movies. After graduating from the University of Nebraska with a degree in business, Roger joined the Peace Corps and spent two years working in Jamaica, West Indies. After that, he lived and worked in New York City so he could attend New York University where he obtained an MBA degree in International Business. Roger’s international career started in sales in the telecommunications sector. Eventually he advanced to managing companies that sold, installed and serviced large communications equipment. During his career, he lived in Denver, Los Angeles, and Tokyo before arriving in Phoenix in 1990.

During this busy life, Roger somehow managed to find Angela, his wife. They have been married now for 43 years. The couple enjoys visiting their families in New York and Colorado. They also enjoy golfing, hiking, biking, movies and traveling. And, wow, do they travel! Roger and Angela have traveled to six continents, and Roger added Africa to his count for seven! All in all, they’ve visited 60 countries, all 50 states, and toured all the Presidential libraries except one. Closer to home, they enjoy visiting the Grand Canyon, and have stayed at Phantom Ranch multiple times. They also took a rafting trip on the Colorado River for eight days.

Once a year, Roger hikes the Grand Canyon trails down to the Colorado River and back in just one day. Roger has also hiked 28 different 14,000-foot mountains in Colorado, Mount Kilimanjaro (when he was 60), Mount Fuji in Japan, and of course, Humphreys Peak in Flagstaff.

When Roger moved to Phoenix, he thought he was starting early retirement. But that plan was short-lived. He accepted an offer as VP of Sales and Marketing from Fujitsu America Telecom. His last three years before permanent retirement were spent teaching at the Thunderbird International School of Global Management in Glendale. He developed and sold an executive education program for international telecom executives there.

Then in 1998, Roger retired for good. Now that he’s free, Roger joins Angela as a volunteer usher at the Herberger Theater, Symphony Hall, the Orpheum

Theater and the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts Center.

Of course, as an avid hiker, Roger likes to hike in the Preserve. He’s been hiking Tom’s Thumb and the southern region since moving here in 1990. Through that he became aware of MSC, and he thought about volunteering. But the impetus to finally join the Conservancy came when he was volunteering at the Fry’s Electronics golf tournament. There he chanced to work with Tom Pringle, husband of steward Barb Pringle. Roger says, “Tom talked to me about MSC and encouraged me to get involved.” Now Roger has been a steward for five years. He graduated with Class 18, the Enlightened Eighteen.

Originally, Roger worked on the Construction & Maintenance team. When the Conservancy ran the Challenge events in the Preserve, he naturally helped with that. In keeping with that type of activity, Roger recently worked at the Ragnor event that wound its way through McDowell Mountain Regional Park. Roger does at least one shift of pathfinding each week at Gateway, and he also patrols there.

Hiking has always been an important part of Roger’s life, especially since retirement. He uses his pathfinding shift at Gateway as an opportunity to present what he calls “Scottsdale’s wonderful asset – the Preserve” to visitors. He finds that pathfinding and patrolling are an enjoyable ways to pay back for the benefits he receives from being in the Preserve. Roger also likes meeting the other stewards and joining them in non-MSC activities.

Meet Steward Roger Larson

Steward Roger Larson pathfinding at Gateway

H E P R E S E R V E R

March 2014 11

Good friends on Bell PassYoung visitor on the Bajada Trail

Meet Steward Roger Larson, cont.

Roger particularly enjoys pathfinding because it gives him the opportunity to meet people from all over the U.S. and the world. “I think this penchant comes from working in sales. Since high school, I’ve been dealing with all sorts of individuals in my work and in our travels. This has molded me into a person interested in meeting others. And, after living in large cities for many years, I’ve turned into a people watcher. I am always on

the lookout for interesting people. Most recently when I was on a patrol, I was delighted to meet a woman using a three-wheeled, all-terrain walker on the Gateway trail. While on duty at Gateway, Roger tells people, “If a number of people like Jane Rau and the city had not created the Preserve, we would be standing now in someone's backyard.”

Meet Steward Kathy Ann WalshBy Peggy McNamara, Steward

When Kathy Ann Walsh bought her new home near the Preserve in 1996, she didn’t know that she would one day be giving some cactus a new home also. But, we’ll say more about that later.

Kathy Ann was born in Ohio and grew up in Orange County, California. She graduated from California State University at Fullerton with a BA in Business Administration and Accounting. After graduation she went to work as a CPA in private industry, primarily in the homebuilding business. As part of her work, Kathy Ann traveled to Valley often. She came here enough times, in fact, to make some good friends in the area. She found that she loved the clear air and the mountains. This prompted her to eventually relocate to Scottsdale where she continued to work in the homebuilding industry.

Then in 2008, due to the economic conditions in the homebuilding industry, she suddenly found herself unemployed. So she focused on something that she had always wanted to do. She became qualified as a Bikram Yoga instructor after completing a 500-hour course in Acapulco, Mexico. Also, through years of hiking in the Preserve, she became interested in working on trails. So, she became an MSC steward. Kathy Ann graduated in 2008 with Class 17, the Sizzling Seventeen.

In MSC, Kathy Ann has been involved with patrolling and assisting on public hikes. But she is primarily focused on working with the Construction and Maintenance crew. She spends three or four mornings each week doing erosion control, trimming, mitigation

of unauthorized trails, transplanting cactus and doing whatever else the City of Scottsdale staff assigns to the crew. Eventually, Kathy Ann became one of seven C&M crew leaders.

Kathy Ann also became a Crew Leader for the Field Institute Human Impact Studies project. She earned her certificate as a Citizen Scientist last year allowing her to participate in various Field Institute activities such as small mammal trapping, herpetology fieldwork, geology fieldwork, wildflower identification, and human impact studies.

Steward Kathy Ann Walsh

12 March 2014

Unicyclists at the Gateway

Good friends on Bell PassYoung visitor on the Bajada Trail

Stewards with Giant Saguaro

Meet Steward Kathy Ann Walsh, cont.

Outside of MSC, Kathy Ann shares her home with her life partner, Kevin Steele, General Manager of National PEO in Scottsdale, their two Basenji dogs, Foxy and Boone, and their three cats Carmen, Cleo, and Gypsy.

She loves to travel and has been to Europe several times, to Costa Rica, and to Hawaii many times. She enjoys snorkeling, kayaking, yoga, reading, book collecting, jewelry making, and art. Kathy Ann is the Phoenix Broadband Leader for the Great Old Broads for Wilderness organization that is a national, non-profit conservation organization. She is also a steward in the Arizona Wilderness Coalition assigned to the Escudilla Wilderness in the White Mountains. And adding yet one more conservation organization to her list, she is also a volunteer at the Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center.

But her work in MSC counts among some of her favorite memories. Kathy Ann particularly enjoyed the five months she spent with C&M working on the construction of the Tom's Thumb trail. “Our job was to work ahead of the professional crew, transplanting cacti from where the trail would be to areas where the cacti could have a new home. The camaraderie we shared and the pride at the completion of the trail stand out as the best of times.” She continues, saying, “Participation in MSC has been a wonderful experience because of all the people I have met. Many of them have become dear friends. I’ve also been able to spend many hours enjoying the Preserve and knowing that I am helping to care for it and maintaining it for future generations.”