I first came to know the Chihuahuan Desert while working as a park ranger naturalist in Big Bend National Park back in 1975. Here is a picture of me during my ranger days standing in Green Gulch, one of my favorite places in the world. For those not familiar with the park, Green Gulch is the valley that the road to the Chisos Basin climbs on the way to Panther Pass and the trail head to the highest elevations of the Chisos Mountains.
Back in those days I spent most of my time helping park visitors understand how to enjoy the park and understand the park's complex ecosystem. Nearly 40 years later I find myself continuing that effort as Education Curator at the El Paso Zoo and on the local boards of the Chihuahuan Desert Education Coalition and the Sierra Club. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the organization my 40th year living in the Chihuahuan Desert.
My passion for this ecoregion is sustained by my long time studies and passion for communicating to others about the biological riches of the desert ecosystem.
To learn more about this fascinating place I encourage you to discover for yourself some of the interesting areas protected by our federal, state and local government. On the Chihuahuan Desert Education Coalition website there is a page called Desert Links. Check it out and begin your personal journey into the wild. Connect with others by joining a local conservation group. You can find many of them on this page and with a little searching you can connect with others on facebook too.
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