Tucson Audubon Society
2002 IDE Article

IDE Article written in 2002 by John Smith (IDE participant and volunteer)

INSTITUTE OF DESERT ECOLOGY, BACK FOR ITS 32^nd YEAR

BATS, SNAKES, GILA-MONSTERS, MOUNTAIN-LIONS, BOBCATS, JAVALINA, COYOTES, SCORPIONS, TARANTULAS, KILLER BEES!! My friends back east say these are all good reasons not to live in Arizona and, at one time I might have agreed with them. But, after five years here, my wife and I have found that understanding these creatures, and their relationship to the environment, has caused our initial uneasiness to give way to awe. In fact, for many of us, it is the richness of the Sonoran Desert that makes Arizona so interesting.

Much of the insight that we gained was from attending the Tucson Audubon Society's Institute of Desert Ecology (IDE). This 3 ½ day camp-out at Catalina State Park, about 15 miles northwest of Tucson, is offered in cooperation with the Arizona State Parks Board, and the University of Arizona Extended University. Each year, since 1970, it has provided 50 to 65 participants with a full schedule of fun-filled learning opportunities, focusing on the Sonoran Desert ecosystems. The emphasis is on relationships between plants, animals, and the physical characteristics of the desert.

After our first year's exposure to IDE, we were so fascinated with the wonderful chemistry of the staff and the attendees that, along with a dozen or so others, we have been volunteering to do mundane chores just to be associated with this great team of folks. The hands-on sessions are offered in a very enthusiastic and quirky way. So much so, in fact, that the final night campfire is often embellished with student skits, sometimes rising to the level of a Dean Martin Roast. The targets are frequently the faculty whose unique teaching methods are not soon forgotten. There certainly is much fodder—for example the time that Cecil Schwalbe, our unconventional Herpetologist, ran at the speed of light to tackle a five foot snake to take its temperature. I will not gross you out by telling you how—but it wasn't oral.

Doctor Tom, as we call him, is the grand guru of setting up and breaking down camp. Tom Watson, who is an anesthesiologist by trade, taught many of us the best way to assemble the 3,450 parts (some actually color coded) that make up each of the seven large canopies that we put over the training stations and the picnic benches where we partake of gourmet delights.

Speaking of meals, all meals are catered by Dave and Marie Sutter (Sutter's Catering). While Marie is a relative newcomer, Dave has been doing this for over 20 years, often camping along with the entire entourage. Their food is certainly one of the highlights of the campout, with a steamship round of beef on the final night that is big enough to feed all of Oro Valley. I asked Dave why he keeps coming back to this live-in event year after year. For him it boils down to two things; the wonderful people, and the logistical and culinary challenge of handling such an unusual event. I am sure all would agree—it is certainly a challenge that few other caterers would attempt.

Carl Olson, Associate Curator, Assistant in Extension & Lecturer at UA in Entomology, has been doing his "bug thing" at IDE since about 1978. When I asked him why he keeps coming back he says that it is "the camaraderie of the faculty and the great people…that allow us to share a little of our love for the Sonoran Desert…". He then adds that "the faculty seldom get together anymore, and we really are good friends—I miss that relationship." Then he jokes that if he didn't come back, he feared that Cecil would ruin his reputation.

Education is not a one way street, even the faculty learns—sometimes painfully. For example the time that Carl got stung by a bark scorpion in the middle of day while holding onto a tree during a hike to the Romaro Pools. This caught everyone's attention and was a good learning experience because nobody expects a scorpion to be in a tree during daylight. Now we know…

Bob Scarborough, whose tenure at IDE predates the campground at Catalina State Park, has taught geology sessions for the last eight years. His real-world position is part-time Staff Geologist at Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, and part time private consultant. While he is currently working on a book of Southwestern geology, he keeps coming back because of the "super high caliber of participants… and the way in which all disciplines become tossed into one great Caesar Salad of earth study". In retrospect, he quickly adds, "and of course, there is the great catered food".

Each session is filled with surprises too. Bob relates the time he was waxing eloquently about great and mighty earth matters, when he began noticing a person looking at the ground behind him. Then two more—soon the whole group. No one would say anything, but it was clear that his grand delivery was not equal to whatever silent thing was behind him. So, he said, "OK, what's up?" He turned around to see a big fat gila-monster slowly crawling into a bush not 10 feet behind him.

Ronnie Sidner, sometimes known as the bat-lady is really a Consulting Biologist as well as a mammalogist. When she is not dealing with plants, she has been seen warming cold bats under her shirt—that usually raises a few hairs among the participants. She also has this ultra-sonic sensor that transposes bat sounds into the audible spectrum—so with this wonderful technology, out we go at dusk looking for those little pollinators and gnat removers.

Linwood Smith, an Ecological Consultant, and outstanding botanist and birder (ornithologist), leads many of the nature walks with his "magic mirror". I will not explain this, you'll need to see that yourself. His owling trips in the evening are very popular and there are generally four or five species of owls that can be seen or heard at Catalina State Park as the weather warms.

Carl Tomoff who is a Professor at Prescott College, and an expert in ornithology and botany, is famous for his morning and evening wrap-ups. Around the last night's campfire, he ties everything together in one grand presentation, rich in gesticulations, meant to parrot some of the other sessions. Great reinforcement!

Other items frequently covered, depending on the attendees interest, are astronomy, hummingbirds, archeology of the region, and almost anything that can be observed at Catalina State Park. It is an amazing mix that makes for some long days that sometimes start with a pre-breakfast snack at 5:30 AM and can end into the night for those taking optional field sessions. When attendees finally "crash" into their respective tents or RVs, they know they got their money's worth and more. And, boy do they sleep.

The last half day, participants put all their skills to test on an optional hike into the Catalinas. Each carries a box lunch provided by the Sutters, while the backup staff breaks camp.

IDE is coming up again, so if you are new to this area, in particular, don't miss the opportunity to meet the interesting folks at IDE and find out about the "magic mirror".

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This page was updated on 02/22/05