Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection

Coalition volunteer Craig Civalier leads a group of elementary school children on a guided hike to learn more about Sonoran Desert wildlife at Catalina State Park in March 2019 during our second Critter Cam Field Day for Kids.

In early March 2019, the Coalition’s second annual Critter Cam Field day took place at Catalina State Park, serving over 400 local children. Thanks to an amazing team of volunteers, the activities went off without a hitch! Coalition volunteer Craig Civalier wrote the poem below in celebration of the day – thanks so much Craig!

Critter Cam Day

The kids were good today,

Buzzing round like bees,

Ran out of pencils,

Borrowed my pen,

Burrows in C4, ha-ha,

Microclimate close to the ground,

Water in D3,

Invasive species on the trail,

On to the critter cameras

Funny faces for evermore,

Weathered rock in C2,

Crumbled in your hand,

Butterflies keeping score,

This tree is your family,

Praying mantis ponds,

Scattered in the bush,

Handed thank you notes,

By three young girls,

Please take up science,

And save the planet.

© Craig Civalier 

Coalition volunteer Jefferson Stensrud lead students on a guided nature hike to learn about desert wildlife and check out one of our “Critter Cams” set up in the field.

Coalition Program and Operations Manager Whelan shows local students how to use a spotting scope to view Pusch Ridge and the Santa Catalina Mountains.

Coalition volunteer Kathie Schroeder and her hawk Sueño were an amazing addition to the Critter Cam Field Day for kids. Thank you Kathie and Sueño for all your energy and enthusiasm!

Coalition Conservation Science Director Jessica Moreno engages students with a hands-on lesson about pheromones.

Local elementary school children work on an activity learning about wildlife tracks and tracking in the beautiful desert of Catalina State Park.

A huge THANK YOU to all our partners that helped make the 2019 Critter Cam Field Day for Kids a huge success, including:

Catalina Foothills School District (especially teachers Charlotte Ackerman and Kelly Taylor)

Arizona Game and Fish Department (Mark Hart)

Tucson Audubon Society

Sky Island Alliance (Bryon Lichtenhan)

Kathie Schroeder

Kris Brown aka Mr. Pack Rat

Coalition volunteers Jefferson Stensrud, Craig Civalier, Keith Kleber, Josh Skattum, Margie O’Hare, Carl Boswell, Axhel Munoz, and Kate Randall

Pima County Master Naturalists volunteers Peggy Ollerhead, Vicki Ettleman, Josh Skattum, Kathleen Sudano, and Melissa Loeschen

Catalina State Park

All the parents chaperones

The students for their never-ending curiosity and enthusiasm