Adult Education
Natural History Docent Program
Leading 4th Grade Nature Walks
The main activity of docent naturalists is the 4th grade nature walk field trips. Experienced docents lead the student groups. New docents learn by on the trail experience, rotating to a different lead docent for each walk to study different teaching styles/techniques and to assist the group as a “Sweep”. With enough practice and experience, a docent can graduate to a group “Lead” under the supervision of the Director of Education.
Lead Docent Naturalist Training/Education
Experienced “Lead” docents lead student groups on the nature walks. An important
requirement of becoming a lead docent is gaining a broad practical knowledge of
Madera Canyon and the Sky Island region. With the “Docent Manual”,
training/orientation sessions, and other activities docents are encouraged to learn
about canyon natural history subjects, such as ecology, geology, field zoology, field
botany, and archeology. Orientation/training sessions are held in the spring & fall.
Docents are encouraged to continue their on-going education by attending walks,
workshops, and activities sponsored by the FoMC and other organizations, as well
as, to explore/study on their own. Several field guides and books are required study
material; pertinent new material is regularly added to the Docent Manual.
Becoming a Docent
The Education Program is always looking for reliable, friendly, enthusiastic docent volunteers wanting to make a commitment to learn about the canyon and share the information. A docent must be a FoMC member and available Thursday mornings for 6 to 7 weeks in October/November, and 9 to 10 weeks in February/March/April (including mandatory training sessions).
Interested in volunteering? For more info about becoming a docent, please contact Education Director, Doug Moore at: maderaedu2023@gmail.com
Arizona Native Plant Society Botany Walk on Nature Trail
Every summer since 2015, Doug has met with members of the Arizona Native Plant Society for a monsoon botany walk in Madera Canyon. This year Doug & 6 ANPS members hiked the Nature Trail from Wrightson Trailhead to Amphitheater (retracing the steps of the 2015 botany walk!).
This section of Nature Trail winds through shady side canyons of Madrean Pine/Oak Woodland & across sunny traverses of Interior Chaparral, revealing an impressive diversity of plants. With seasonal rains having “greened up”, the group was able to identify well over 100 species of trees, shrubs, grasses, & wildflowers!
Flowers were particularly numerous & showy in the dappled shade of the oaks & pines- yellow-orange Amber Lily, blue Pinewoods Spiderwort, scarlet Santa Catalina Paintbrush, pink Bushy Tick Clover, yellow San Pedro Daisy, & many others lit up the trailside vegetation. On the more exposed, sunny Chaparral slopes, the group was able to ID specialties like Southwest Coral Bean, Palmer’s Agave, Sotol, Arizona Rainbow Hedgehog cactus, & Wright’s Pincushion cactus. With his plant expertise, participant Dr. John Scheuring helped everyone sort through the many different species of grasses along the trail. The plant highlight of the walk was a handsome Tall Milkweed, Asclepias elata, in full bloom at trailside.
Learning Through Nature
Nature walks, workshops, activities, events, and community presentations help
members and volunteers, local residents and area visitors discover the nature of
Madera Canyon and the Sky Islands. The offerings of the Education Program supply
a tangible benefit for membership, as well as fulfilling an organizational mandate,
promoting “conservation through education.”
Originally, our Education Program focused on kids. And, while it still does, requests
by volunteers and the public for the “Madera Canyon: Web of Life Teacher’s Manual”
gave the Board of Directors the idea that adults wanted to learn about Madera
Canyon and the Sky Islands, too! As a result, in 1999, FoMC sponsored the popular
natural history book, “The Nature of Madera Canyon”. In 2005, an Adult Education
Program was “formalized” and now includes a variety of nature education programs
and activities.
Madera Canyon as a Natural Classroom
The majority of FoMC adult activities occur in Madera Canyon. FoMC members can add their email address to the activity alert list and receive email about upcoming activities.
Activities include:
- General nature, birding, wildflower & plant hikes/walks with varying ability levels
- Monsoon season Bug Nights focus on the canyon’s amazing nocturnal arthropod and bat species
Educational, nonprofit, and community groups and organizations can request Madera Canyon walks and other activities. To request and schedule an activity, please contact Education Director, Doug Moore at: maderaedu2023@gmail.com
Self-guided “in-canyon” natural history information is also available. The Bud Gode Interpretive Nature Trail (BGINT) is a connected series of exhibits in each of the 5 Madera Canyon recreation parking areas/trailheads with interpretive signage and topological canyon trail maps to help visiting adults and families explore the natural history of Madera Canyon.
Community Outreach Programs
Natural History A/V Programs– FoMC Education Director, Doug Moore, has created a series of Madera Canyon and AZ Sky Island PowerPoint A/V presentations featuring high-quality photography. The popular program “The Nature of Madera Canyon” has been shown locally since 1996. Often updated, presentations cover everything from general canyon natural history to highlighting special subjects such as AZ Sky Island nature, wildflowers, butterflies/insects, amphibians/reptiles, birds, mammals and ‘rare & unusual’ plants & animals. To schedule a program, contact Doug Moore at: maderaedu2023@gmail.com
Madera Canyon Video Series– An informative series of Madera Canyon natural history videos is available on-line for presentation to your group or organization. View our video series.
Community Forums– sponsored by FoMC help to alert and educate the community on subjects such as wildfire and environmental concerns that affect Madera Canyon and the Santa Rita Mountains.
Community Activities– FoMC provides environmental education to the local community ranging from informational speakers to information tables at the local Farmers’ Market, White Elephant Country Fair, Sonora Birding Festival, and more.
Is your service organization or club interested in enjoying an information or education presentation on Madera Canyon? Please contact us at: info@friendsofmaderacanyon.org.