Keep Sedona Beautiful

Archive for the ‘Pushmataha Historic Building’ Category

KSB Speakers Series features Heather Provencio, Red Rock District Ranger

Red Rock District Ranger Heather Provencio

Keep Sedona Beautiful’s monthly Speaker Series will begin with wine and hors d’oeuvres at 5:30 pm on Wednesday, June 16, 2010 and feature Heather Provencio, Red Rock District Ranger of the Coconino National Forest.  At 5:45 the program will begin, and Provencio’s talk will focus on the state of the Coconino National Forest, highlighting how it relates to the current national emphasis on climate change as directed by President Obama and the Secretary of Agriculture.

Heather was born and raised in southern Illinois and grew up in a Forest Service family.  She moved to Arizona in 1982 to attend Northern Arizona University and pursue a Bachelor’s degree in archaeology and anthropology.  In 1998, she attended NAU again and received her Master’s degree in Anthropology.  Her Master’s work focused on volunteerism in archaeology, and her first job with the Forest Service was in 1985 as a firefighter on the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest in northern Arizona.  Later, on that same Forest, she went on to become a trail crew foreman, work in human resources, was a recreation planner and an archaeologist.  Prior to coming to the Red Rock District, Heather worked as District archaeologist and tribal liaison for the Peaks and Mormon Lake Ranger Districts of the Coconino National Forest in Flagstaff.  She has served as the District Ranger for the Red Rock Ranger District of the Coconino National Forest since 2006 and is temporarily detailed into the Deputy Forest Supervisor position on the Coconino National Forest in Flagstaff, Arizona.

The Speaker Series takes place at Keep Sedona Beautiful headquarters, the historic Pushmataha Center, 360 Brewer Road in Sedona.  Held the third Wednesday of each month from October to June, the award-winning series presents an interesting diversity of programs relevant to our region.  Non-members are asked to make a $3 donation.  Keep Sedona Beautiful is a nonprofit organization dedicated to “Preserving the Wonder” of Sedona for future generations.  For more information on Keep Sedona Beautiful, call 282-4938 or go to www.keepsedonabeautiful.org.

Coconino Forest Supervisor Earl Stewart

Balancing use with management issues, working with others, and partnering with communities, is the vision for new Coconino Forest Supervisor Earl Stewart. Please join Keep Sedona Beautiful on May 19 for the May Preserving the Wonder™ Speaker Series.

From Montana to Arizona, Forest Supervisor Stewart has worked with the U. S. Forest Service for 19 years. In his new position, he will focus his intention on continuing to build resiliency in the forest, to be responsive to all organizations within the district on an individual basis, and building synergy amongst all peoples and agencies. “I’m very excited to be here and look forward to working with everyone on the Coconino and the stakeholders who partner with us”, Stewart said.

His career began as a biologist with Oklahoma’s Department of Wildlife Conservation. His early assignments with the U S Forest Service include wildlife biologist in the Ouachita National Forest; wildlife biologist, zone fire management officer, military liaison and fish biologist in the Kasatchie National Forest; endangered and sensitive species program manager, range program manager, forest wildlife biologist in the National Forests in Alabama; deputy district ranger, and district ranger of the Talladega National Forest; legislative fellow for Interior Appropriations in the House of Representatives and Washington office; and deputy forest supervisor in the Nez Perce National Forest.

The KSB Preserving the Wonder™ Speaker Series takes place at the Keep Sedona Beautiful headquarters, the historic Pushmataha Center, 360 Brewer Rd. in Sedona. Held the third Wednesday of each month from October to June, the award-winning series presents an interesting diversity of programs relevant to our region. Keep Sedona Beautiful is a nonprofit organization dedicated to Preserving the Wonder of Sedona for future generations. For more information on Keep Sedona Beautiful, call 282-4938 or go to www.KeepSedonaBeautiful.org

Non-members are asked to make a $3.00 donation to Keep Sedona Beautiful.

Spooky Halloween Speakers Series
Features “Bats: Fact or Fiction”

Allen's Big-eared Bat

It’s getting batty at Keep Sedona Beautiful! In the spirit of Halloween, on Wednesday, October 21st, conservationist (and REAL Bat Man) Brian Keeley will present “Bats: Fact or Fiction” at the Keep Sedona Beautiful “Preserving the Wonder” Speaker Series. Although the presentation is factual and informative, it is also highly entertaining for young people.

The former Facilities and Conservation Director of the Arboretum at Flagstaff, Mr. Keeley has been a conservation ecologist for over 30 years, working as a bat ecologist since 1994. He was in project development at the renowned Bat Conservation International in Austin, Texas, and has extensively studied bat and human relationships, tropical pollination and seed dispersal, etc. “No other animals I have worked with are as widespread and unusual as bats!” says Keeley.

“Bats are difficult to see or hear and even harder to catch, which may explain why myths spread faster than truth. This presentation will focus on the lives of bats from around the world, followed by a discussion of our own Arizona bats, as we are lucky to be living in one of the most bat-wealthy regions in the U.S. We will finally separate the facts from the often-scary fiction. If we are lucky, and we usually are, we will have a live bat for a close-up viewing and an echolocation demonstration where you learn to use a device called a bat detector that changes their inaudible voices into sounds you can hear”.

The “Preserving the Wonder” Speaker Series evening begins at 5:30 on Wednesday, October 21st with a special Halloween welcome reception for the public. At 5:45 the program will begin. Mr. Keeley will answer questions following his remarks and the event will conclude at 7pm. with a special surprise grand finale!

Speakers Series programs are presented the third Wednesday of each month from September through June at the KSB headquarters, the historic Pushmataha Center at 360 Brewer Rd. in Sedona. Featuring a wide variety of topics related to the “wonder” of our region, this popular series dates back to the early KSB organization with a mission to engage, inform and inspire the community. Donations are appreciated, members are free.

The National Wildlife Foundation (NWF) has selected the property surrounding Keep Sedona Beautiful’s historical Pushmataha building (Sedona Historical Landmark No. 15, located at 360 Brewer Road) as a NWF Certified Wildlife Habitat! To qualify for this prestigous designation, the property must demonstrate an abundance of native plants, trees, available food sources, a water source, cover and nesting sites, attract a variety of birds, butterflies and other wildlife, while helping to protect our local environment.

Spearheaded by Jolene Pierson, Dave Norton and Bill Pumphrey, the KSB Garden will soon be an outdoor venue for various programs and open to the public sometime in the fall of 2009. KSB applied for the designation as a compliment to the current Coleman-Black Garden Project. The vision of this garden also includes pathways, serenity resting areas and an educational component.

KSB is actively seeking additional donations to fund plant purchases. To learn more or to help us, call Jan or Wendy at 928.282.4938 or email ksb@esedona.net.

KSB's headquarters, the Pushmataha Building

Keep Sedona Beautiful volunteers are currently working on a native plant garden at KSB’s headquarters, the historic Pushmataha Building. Spearheaded by Jolene Pierson, Dave Norton and Bill Pumphrey, the garden will be an outdoor venue for various programs and open to the public in the fall of 2009.

The Pushmataha Building is #15 on the City of Sedona’s list of Historic Landmarks.  Built in the Old-West style for a museum and named after a Choctaw Chief. “Pushataha” means “He has won all the honors of his race”. The building is part of the story of commercial development in Sedona in the 1960s.

The Pushmataha Building, on 3 acres with garden paths is available for use by the public.  For more information, visit the Keep Sedona Beautiful website.