Tumamoc Hill Desert Laboratory 1992 – 1994
The Desert Laboratory was founded in 1903 by the Carnegie Institution to further arid lands research. Scientists early on established permanent vegetation research plots on Tumamoc Hill, an 869-acre preserve now surrounded by Tucson city development. Some of these same plots continue to be studied making the Desert Laboratory one of the longest environmental reasearch projects in history. Today the photographs and collections of the laboratory form the basis of understanding of how our present environment is part of a long continuum of desert change.
Amaterra provided mailing list soft-ware, helped create a newsletter, and participated in fund raisers to raise public awareness and support for the Desert Laboratory.
OUR THANKS TO AMATERRA
“This newsletter would not be possible without the enthusiastic support, energy and skills of Amaterra, a non-profit organization in service to the Earth.
Amaterra sponsors caretaking projects throughout the Southwest: at Sand Canyon Pueblo in Colorado for over a period of eight years, they cataloged plants and animals, collected meteorological data, and built a field research support facility for Crow Canyon Archaeological Center. At the Nature Conservancy’s Canelo Hills Preserve near Sonoita, Arizona, they restored some of the preserve’s nineteenth century buildings and provided round the clock caretaking for two and a half years.
Amaterra has now chosen Tumamoc Hill and the Desert Lab as a place worthy of protection, preservation and sponsorship. Our deep thanks especially go to Roger Irwin, president, board member Otis Bronson and Advisory Committee Member Nancy Wall. Otis Bronson, in particular, is contributing his skills as layout editor for Tumamoc. Amaterra donated the Filemaker Program which has facilitated our communication and record keeping beyond measure! Finally, Amaterra contributes significant financial support for the publication of our newsletter. Muchas gracias,” Martha Ames Burgess, Editor (October, 1993)
Find out more about Tumamoc today at: http://tumamoc.arizona.edu/
