Brown Canyon Workshops

April 16 - 17: A Discovering Brown Canyon Weekend: The World of The Baboquivari Mountains
Week-end workshop; Leaders: Mary Scott, Richard Conway and Refuge biologists

Spend a weekend relaxing, hiking and enjoying an introduction to the hidden world of Brown Canyon in the Baboquivari Mountains southwest of Tucson. Guests will enjoy the comfort of the striking Brown Canyon Environmental Education Lodge and be treated to three catered meals. Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning will be times to relax at the lodge and enjoy the splendid views of the Baboquivari Range and the Altar Valley or walk the canyon trails. Brief walks and class sessions by staff from the refuge and local experts on plants, birds, butterflies and rocks will introduce participants to the canyon's natural history.

Brown Canyon is one of the most important protected enclaves of western sky island ecology in southern Arizona and this weekend interlude will provide an opportunity to discover it in a casual and comfortable style.

April 30-31: A Discovering Brown Canyon Weekend: The Birds of the Baboquivari Mountains and Altar Valley
Week-end workshop; Featured Leader: Jeff Babson with Brown Canyon naturalist staff.
This workshop will give the participants an opportunity to see the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge area during the spring migration. Jeff Babson is an expert and active regional naturalist that leads Sky Island Tours (http://SkyIslandTours.com). He is very knowledgeable about arthropods, birds and more. This weekend he will focus on resident and migrating birds of the area.
Saturday afternoon Jeff will join the canyon naturalist staff in a brief reconnaissance of the spring canyon. After dinner he will present a show and talk about the region’s birds. Sunday morning before breakfast Jeff will lead a walk in the canyon near the Lodge. After breakfast Jeff and his helpers will walk up the canyon in search of the world of Brown Canyon. The walkers will return in time for lunch. The weekend will end about 2:00PM.
All activities are optional (except enjoying yourself) and the walking is easy on a dirt road and good trails.

May 14-15: Discovering Brown Canyon Weekend: Reptiles and Amphibians of the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge.
Week-end workshop; Leaders, Robert Villas and members of the Tucson Herpetological Association
For many, the most fascinating creatures of the Sonoran world are the herps (reptiles and amphibians). There is no one more qualified to help you discover this world than the Tucson Herpetological Society (http://tucsonherpsociety.org). The weekend with them will include walks in search of Brown Canyon herps, exhibits and demos with live animals brought by the herpers and an evening presentation.
All this plus the comfortable lodging, superb food (three meals) and chance to relax in the incomparable setting of the Baboquivari Mountains.
All activities are optional (except enjoying yourself) and the walking is easy on a dirt road and good trails.

May 21 : Butterflies and Plants of The Baboquivari Mountains
Walk, Leaders Rich Bailowitz and Dan Austin.
With the two most knowledgable authorities on their respective available this promises to be an exceptional opportunity to learn about the identity and ecology of butterfly and plants in southeast Arizona. Brown Canyon is host to a surprising complement of sky islands species and it is not possible to find anyone more informed than the two leaders of this walk.

Registration for these events is required. Overnight workshop fee is $95 for members and $105 for nonmembers.. This includes lodging and three catered meals. Day workshop/walk fee is $20

Friends of Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge is a group of citizens dedicated to supporting the National Wildlife Refuge system and the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge by volunteering talents and time in many ways. We also publish a newsletter, Seeds, three times yearly, with news of and stories about the Refuge. To join the Friends of Buenos Aires NWR, please visit their website www.friendsofbanwr.org.

The Brown Canyon Environmental Education Center is located in the Baboquivari Mountains in the northwestern portion of the Refuge. Lodging and three meals are included with the two-day workshops, which begin early Saturday afternoon and conclude after lunch on Sunday.

The Refuge Headquarters is located 6 miles north of Sasabe, Arizona on AZ Route 286.