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CDRI Desert NewsFlash
November 2024
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What does the wildlife do when the humans are away? This javelina family saw me drive up to the Powell Visitor Center last Sunday afternoon and headed from the Mining Exhibit to the nearby pine trees. Once I got inside, I saw why they were rushing back to the trees. There was a tiny little javelina waiting for them. Mama got the baby fed and licked the other one clean. Once they all settled in, they laid down as one big clump for a Sunday afternoon nap in the shade of the pines. -- Lisa Gordon
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|  | Students from San Vicente Elementary School, located in the Big Bend National Park, learn about erosion and deposition and the effects of moving water.
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What a Month!
October was a busy month! Actually, that's an understatement. Every day was filled with fun groups, exciting programs, and enthusiastic children -- and adults.
Two of CDRI's educational programs, "The Earth Rocks!" and "Herps Day," took place in October. Over a two-day period, we hosted 280 area 5th graders for "The Earth Rocks." Two weeks later, we hosted 320 area 4th graders for "Herps Day." With the belief that a picture is worth a thousand words, we are sharing our photo gallery with you.
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Our educational programs are fun learning experiences that are so successful because of CDRI's wonderful staff and our fabulous volunteers who are Master Naturalists, retired teachers, undergraduate and graduate students, and their professors from Sul Ross State University. We also had help from Ranger Justin from Big Bend National Park.
In addition to an outstanding teaching force, CDRI has some very cool equipment and a magnificent setting for an exceptional outdoor educational experience. The generosity of donors at CDRI's annual BBQ & Auction has enabled us since 2017 to offer all of our educational programs for free to all students in the Region 18 TEA service area. Thank you very much!
Please contact events@cdri.org for information and early registration for CDRI's spring educational programs for 1st and 2nd graders: "Living Things" and "Bugs, Bugs, Bugs Day." And stay tuned for our newest program, "Habitats -- There's No Place Like Home," for 3rd graders.
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"The (almost) never-ending story:
Landscape Evolution in the Big Bend"
presented by Jesse Kelsch, PhD 10-17-2024
A nearly full house turned out for the Roger Conant Distinguished Guest Lecturer Program (October 17) at the Crowley Theater in Marfa, Texas. The lecture, featuring Jesse Kelsch, PhD, explained the evolution of the geology of the Big Bend region. If you were there for the lecture, you might never look at Santa Elena Canyon the same way again. Naturally, we were delighted with the many comments stating this was the best lecture yet.
If you were unable to attend or simply want to watch it again, maybe to take notes this time around or to take in all of the information Jesse delivered, we have a link (below) to access it on CDRI's YouTube channel.
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Hot Off the Press and Perfect for Gift-Giving!
Just in time for the holidays, CDRI's Nature Gift Shop has a stellar lineup of newly released books, perfect for gift-giving. They are detailed below:
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Marfa Garden
A Field Guide to Plants of the Chihuahuan Desert
by Jim Fissel, Martha Hughes, Jim Martinez, and Mary Lou Saxon
Marfa Garden, a Field Guide to Plants of the Chihuahuan Desert is a celebration of more than 100 flowering plants of the Chihuahuan Desert. In addition to a narrative accompanying each plant, beautiful photographs capture the plants in their year-round cycle, from new spring buds to winter texture and color. In addition to individual photographs and descriptions of each plant, you'll also find thoughtfully included spaces for notes, drawings, or poems interspersed throughout the book. $29.95
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Chile, Clove, and Cardamom
by Beth Dooley and Gary Nabhan
Explore more than 90 recipes from some of the hottest, driest places on Earth and discover aromatic, flavorful dishes from Central Asia, the Middle East, N. Africa, and the deserts of the United States and Mexico.
Chile, Clove, and Cardamom, a Gastronomic Journey Into the Fragrances and Flavors of Desert Cuisines takes the knowledge of desert chefs, gardeners, and foragers and has created recipes that will enrich the lives and our cuisines in a world that is getting hotter and drier. $34.95
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The Serviceberry:
Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World
by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Robin Wall Kimmerer, author of Braiding Sweetgrass, explores the relationship of the serviceberry with the natural world, seeing the serviceberry as the embodiment of reciprocity, interconnectedness, and gratitude. As the serviceberry shares its sweet berries with its nature community, Kimmerer makes the observation that the distribution of its fruit and the giving of its wealth also supports the tree and its survival. As Kimmerer explains, “Serviceberries show us another model, one based upon reciprocity, where wealth comes from the quality of your relationships, not from the illusion of self-sufficiency.” The release date is November 19, 2024. $20.00
For information or if you wish to place an order, please contact us at 432-364-2499.
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Adopt-a-Highway
Cleanup Scheduled
In 2017, CDRI Nature Center and Botanical Gardens adopted a two-mile stretch of Highway 118 with equal distance (one mile) in either direction from CDRI's front entrance gate. CDRI's agreement with the Texas Department of Transportation and the Adopt-a-Highway Program is to conduct four cleanups annually. So,
Please join us for Roadside Cleanup on Thursday, November 7th, at 9:00 a.m.
We'll meet at the Powell Visitor Center, where you can pick up your trash bags, trash grabber, safety vest, water, and a snack. We'll also review safety reminders.
This is a great way to meet fun, like-minded folks and enjoy the outdoors while making a difference in our community. You'll also earn volunteer hours with your school or organization.
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Visiting Groups and Schools
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Austin International School, 4th Grade
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Texas Tech University - Honors College
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Rocky Mountain Outdoor Writers & Photographers
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| Villa Albertine-Artists in Residence, Marfa, TX
Five artists and researchers from France, selected to participate in Villa Albertine's Marfa residency program, visited CDRI during their stay in the region. Visiting artists Jean-Baptiste Del Amo, Adèle Humbert, Alice Loumeau, Josefina Paz, and Grégoire Schaller toured CDRI's Botanical Gardens, led by Jim Martinez and Jim Fissel, as inspiration for projects they worked on during their residency. This year's theme was "Inhabiting the Desert" in which participants contributed to reflections on the challenges of preserving a habitable world. They shared their works at a reception in Marfa on October 30.
Villa Albertine is a cultural institution whose mission is to create a community for arts and ideas between France and the United States. Following the success of its first program in 2023, Villa Albertine’s collective and multidisciplinary residency program in Marfa returned for a second year, organized in partnership with the Centre Pompidou, Paris, France.
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Renowned Parisian street artist Romain Froquet will present "Connections" as a part of the Texas Art Trail Series, a program organized by the Texas French Alliance for the Arts (TFAA) at a reception and performance on Friday, November 22, at 6:00 p.m., at the Crowley Theater. Please respond using the link below if you will be attending the event.
The "Connections" project aims to create ephemeral artworks that respect the environment while building connections with local communities.
Romain's visit to CDRI helped serve as inspiration for some of his art installations.
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From the team at CDRI, we wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving!
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This photo made us smile. There's a wild turkey walking down the path to the Botanical Gardens. You can tell by the height of the grasses that this picture was taken a few years ago. October 2021. Photo by Lisa Gordon.
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Come Soon and Come Often.
Happy Trails!
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Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute, P.O. Box 905, Fort Davis, TX 79734
432.364.2499
www.cdri.org
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