Discovering Our Desert

One of my favorite things about living in Scottsdale is the beauty of the Sonoran Desert. I was born in Tucson, and remember going to summer camp at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. When I returned to Arizona 14 years ago, this time to Phoenix/Scottsdale, I fell back in love with the mountains, diverse flora and fauna, and unique allure of the Southwest. Hiking with my own three children became a favorite weekend activity, seeing the mystery and wonder once more through their eyes.

I know for certain that Scottsdale would not be Scottsdale without the desert. Sure, we have our gorgeous resorts and hotels, spas, restaurants, nightlife, great people watching —  but so do many other cities. Not every city has the diverse and beautiful landscape of our home at their back door. When I started working in tourism, I was amazed that the citizens of Scottsdale chose to tax themselves solely to help preserve the desert, working toward the goal of eventually setting aside one-third of their land to create the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. Today, the Preserve is quite close to that goal — encompassing more than 30,000 acres — and represents the largest urban preserve in the nation.

Nearly 30 years in the making, the Desert Discovery Center (DDC) has been a City of Scottsdale project imagined as a place to interpret the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. For families, this presents an opportunity to inspire stewardship in the next generation and help educate our children about the beauty (and fragility) of the desert. Advocates envision a one-of-a-kind center focused on the challenges of, and opportunities for, desert adaptation and sustainability. The Desert Discovery Center will be a focal point for locals, visitors and further research and education.

Right now, these dreams are still coming to fruition. The Scottsdale City Council committed funding to develop a specific design and business plan for the DDC this January. So how can you get involved? The next 18 months, the Desert Discovery Center Scottsdale, Inc. (DDCS) will be holding public meetings in our communities, listening to residents and looking to balance community needs with a center that will drive visitation to Scottsdale.  I plan to be part of this process,to help ensure this crucial center comes to fruition to help inspire and educate the next generation. For more information, including details on public meetings in which your voice can be heard, visit: scottsdaleaz.gov (search Desert Discovery Center).