Join the Natural History Institute for a special presentation by artist Carolyn Schmitz, who will share the inspiration behind her most well-known artwork— portraits of animals wearing hats made from native plant materials. For these and many of her other works, the inspiration is nature: a bottomless wellspring of colors, shapes, textures, and moods. Also, Carolyn […]

It's complicated: The long-standing partnership of native bees and their flowers. There are over 1,000 native bee species in the state of Arizona. Ranging from the size of an eyelash to larger than a thumb, these beautiful and intriguing creatures are responsible for the majority of pollination that happens in wild landscapes, urban gardens, and […]

Adele Seronde, as a painter and gardener, viewed the whole Earth as a "Sacred Garden.” Join the Natural History Institute for a special artist talk on the late Adele Seronde’s work and views, presented by her son, Antoine Seronde. Human beings evolved in the rich ecological interfaces between forests, savannah grasslands, rivers, and lakes in […]

Dr. Lisa Floyd-Hanna will speak about her extensive research on Piñon-Juniper woodlands, including old growth characteristics and challenges. Piñon-juniper woodlands are extensive across the southwest, highly variable in species, structure, and age – and poorly understood. Some of the most unique woodlands occur in the Mogollon Highlands region of Arizona and New Mexico, where a […]

What if you could engage in other ways of knowing, use all your senses, and employ your creativity to understand the natural world at a deeper level? In this talk, Dr. Lee Ann Woolery will discuss Art-Based Perceptual Ecology (ABPE), an alternative research methodology she uses to study ecological system change. She will share the […]