MCDOWELL MESSENGER, September 2004

Please Join MPA at the
September General Meeting
Wednesday Evening, September 29, 2004
Fountain Hills Community Center
13001 E. La Montana Boulevard
The Speaker:
Sandy Bahr: “State Land Reform”
Conservation Outreach Director,
Grand Canyon Chapter, Sierra Club
For more information, please call Myrna Smith at 480-816-0018

Sandy Bahr is the Conservation Outreach Director for the Grand Canyon (Arizona) Chapter of the Sierra Club. She has worked actively on environmental and political issues in Arizona for the past sixteen years, both as a volunteer and as a staff person for various organizations including the Arizona Audubon Council, Arizona Common Cause, and the McDowell Sonoran Land Trust. She has been working on state trust land issues for the past 10 years as well. Sandy is often the media spokes person for various environmental issues such as the management of Arizona’s forest lands and state trust lands.

Sandy has a bachelor's degree in environmental studies from Prescott College and an associates in applied science from Michigan Technological University. Sandy has helped organize several initiative and referendum campaigns, and worked on various campaigns to elect environmentally friendly candidates at the local, state, and federal level. She worked with a coalition of more than 50 groups to attempt to win passage of the Citizens' Growth Management Initiative. Sandy served on the Chandler Redevelopment Advisory Committee, various citizen transit committees, and on an air quality strategies task force, and most recently on the Cost Evaluation Working Group for Arizona's Environmental Portfolio Standard. She also has been a literacy tutor for individuals who speak English as a second language. In addition to other conservation work, Sandy lobbies on behalf of the Sierra Club at the Arizona Legislature and serves on the Board of the Arizona Advocacy Network.

MCDOWELL MOUNTAIN REGIONAL PARK IS TURNING 50!
Help Celebrate on Saturday, November 13th at the Park with:

• The Opening of the New Visitor Center
• Ranger Led Hikes
• Charity Bike Ride
• Equestrian Rides sponsored by the Arizona State Horsemen’s Association
Proceeds will benefit the Phoenix Men’s Shelter & Kachina Rescue
Volunteers Are Needed!
If you can give some time to help staff the Visitor Center, direct traffic or assist with the hikes, please contact MPA Vice President Jim Urban at 480-471-3818 or e-mail: RRUrban@aol.com
Thanks!

MORE VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Crash could use help in the McDowell Park booth at the Fountain Hills
Festival of Arts and Crafts,
November 12th, 13th and 14th.

If you would like to help, phone Crash at the Park: 471-0173

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE: Myrna Smith
The Fall season is bringing some positive changes in McDowell Mountain Regional Park:

Visitor Center
The Park has long needed a visitor center where park visitors could stop for information, buy annual passes and T-shirts, learn about the natural history of the park, and where the staff could have offices. The current offices are through the campground and past a “do not enter” sign. Only the hardiest souls make it. The cost of a brand new center is prohibitive, but the County found an unused building that will be moved to the Park for a temporary visitor center. (We don’t know how temporary.) The building will be most welcome.

New Exhibits
The Park needs new exhibits of human and natural history for the visitor center and also for a temporary display at the excellent River of Time Museum in Fountain Hills. Your membership dues will contribute toward this project.

The Park’s 50th Anniversary Celebration
McDowell Mountain Regional Park was established in 1964. It was the second park in the Maricopa County Park system (Estrella was the first). 18,273 acres were leased for McDowell Park in 1958 and patented in 1964. More acreage was added to bring the Park to its present size of 21,099 acres. We salute all those who worked through the years to create a Park in what was once “nowhere” and for those such as Jack Fraser, Fay Schlotfeldt, Bob Eidsmoe and many others have made certain that our Park remained as open space for recreational use and wildlife habitat protection. We also salute Rand Hubbell and staff for their excellent management of this excellent park. Please join in the celebration at the Park on November 13th.

Plans in the Offing
Park Supervisor Rand Hubbell and staff are working on several projects that will improve Park access. One is an entrance from Rio Verde and the other is realigning the fences on the north side of the Park to permit passage of hikers and equestrians living near that boundary to access the Park at the designated entry. Rand and staff have worked diligently on this, but the wheels of County government grind slowly.

Crash’s New Baby
Park Education Ranger Paul “Crash” Marusich announces that the birth of his and wife Allison’s second child is imminent. Son Dylan will soon be joined by a brother. Congratulations to the Marusich family!

Desert Tortoise Count
A recent count of desert tortoises in the Park by an ASU team of biologists revealed that at least 30 of these animals are living in the Park. This is a healthy population. Reminder: If you come across one of these animals in the desert, don’t pick it up. The desert tortoise uses a mechanism to scare off predators when it is frightened by releasing urine. This can dehydrate and potentially kill the tortoise. Leave it be and enjoy observing it.

State Land Reform
Please read Bob Eidsmoe’s excellent article about the status of this very important change in our state’s constitution. I’ve also included a brief article by wildlife biologist David Brown who admonishes all who are interested in preserving much of our state’s natural landscape and wildlife habitat to drop any differences long enough to assure that such reform can happen. And don’t forget to come to the September and November meetings when Sandy Bahr of the Sierra Club and Carla of the McDowell Sonoran Land Trust, both seasoned environmentalists, share their somewhat different views on this crucial legislation.

The Recreation Season Begins
The cooler season will bring a great increase of hikers, bikers, bird watchers, picnickers and equestrians to the Park. There’s plenty of room for all if we follow the trail sharing rules: bikers yield to hikers and everyone yields to horses.

NOVEMBER ANNUAL MEETING
Wednesday Evening, November 10th
Rio Verde Community Center
Speaker:
Carla (her only name), Executive Director of the McDowell Sonoran Land Trust in Scottsdale
Topic: “State Land Reform”
Also: Election of Directors for the 2005-2006 term