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Green Theme at 2008
Verde Valley Birding & Nature Festival
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Great Blue Heron
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Imagine watching majestic condors soar over the Grand Canyon or hunting
for the “flute bird”—the hermit thrush reputed to
have the most haunting, ethereal song of any bird in the
United States. These
are just two of six dozen programs in the 2008 Verde
Valley Birding and Nature Festival, which will be held
April 24 through 27, 2008, at Dead Horse Ranch State
Park in Cottonwood, Arizona. |
Dead Horse Ranch State Park
The festival will feature many expeditions to the area’s birding hot
spots, guided walks (one in Spanish) and specialized workshops
for both experienced birders and those new to bird watching.
Participants will look for birds on foot, by train, in a canoe,
on a bicycle or just sit in an armchair and let the birds come
to them. In 2007,
178 different species of birds were spotted during the festival.
In addition to birding programs, guided tours will focus on the area’s
ecology, botany, geology, anthropology and/or cultural heritage.
There will even be a wildlife photography seminar and a program
on butterflies.
Northern Cardinal
New this year will be field trips to organic farms, orchards and
wineries in the Verde Valley. These excursions tie into the
festival’s theme—“Cultivating Habitat,” which is also
the topic of the keynote address on Saturday night (April 26).
Jeff Schalau, director of the outreach arm of the
University of Arizona College of Agriculture and Life Sciences,
will speak about the connection between agriculture and the
environment
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Free
Family Fun Day
at Birding Festival
Children will enjoy learning about birds during the
festival’s free Family Fun Day on Saturday, April 26.
They can also craft bird feeders, build
birdhouses, meet animals and play exciting learning
games.
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Festival organizers are excited about the green theme. “Sustainable
agriculture is a way of raising food that is healthy for
consumers and animals, does not harm the environment, is humane
for workers, respects animals, provides a fair wage to the
farmer, and supports and enhances rural communities. That's what
we want in the Verde Valley,” says Barbie Hart, the
festival’s coordinator. “Our name is “Verde,” and we
want to remain green.”
Lagoon at Dead Horse
Ranch State Park
Registration for the Verde Valley Birding & Nature Festival is on a
first-come, first-serve basis—online at www.birdyverde.org,
at the Cottonwood Chamber of Commerce, or on-site starting April
23. Most of the
programs will be offered for a nominal fee; some are included in
the $10 registration price.
Group sizes have been kept small for festival programs to
assure the best possible experience. The event will also feature
an exhibition tent with vendors.
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