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What is historic preservation and how can any resident or visitor be a part of it? Arizona's State Historic Preservation Officer, Kathryn Leonard, joins us on the show to share. We discuss the many sides of historic preservation, from the ideological perspective of anchoring us to our past and providing tangible ways for future generations to understand it, all the way to the practical side, including laws, tax breaks, economic benefits, and more.As far as who can be a part of preservation efforts? If you find value in a sense of place (and who doesn't?), congratulations! Kathryn makes the case that this is all you need to be a preservationist.Check out the links mentioned during this episode: State Historic Preservation Office website, AZStateParks.com/shpo Historic Preservation Tax Incentive Program State Historic Preservation Office's social media Annual Historic Preservation Conference: AZPreservation.org/conference Bimonthly preservation book club Arizona Preservation Foundation webinars Osterman Gas Station on this year's listing of 11 Most Endangered Historic Places The preservation success story of Camp Naco

Understand Arizona's climate and its potential dangers with this episode's guest, Dr. Erinanne Saffell. Dr. Saffell is Arizona's State Climatologist and she breaks down our state's diverse climate and the role elevation change plays in our weather, as well as factors like the urban heat island effect and practical measures homeowners in Arizona's low-elevation metro areas can take to temper it on their own property.Dr. Saffell also gives insight into what kind of summer Arizonans can expect and how to prepare and be safe in the heat, monsoons, and fire season. If you enjoy hearing about the fascinating work Dr. Saffell does for the Arizona State Climate Office, check out these ways to get involved: Follow the Arizona State Climate Office on Twitter Sign up for monthly webinars (3rd Thursday every month from 10-10:30 a.m.) and new reports from the AZ State Climate Office and State Climatologist Contact AZClimate@asu.edu to volunteer by measuring evaporation at the Weather Station in Tempe Be a citizen scientist by reporting precipitation with CoCoRaHS (Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow network). Get a backyard rain gauge and easy training at cocorahs.org Brush up on wildfire awareness at azstateparks.com/fire-safety About Dr. Erinanne SaffellDr. Erinanne Saffell received her BS, MA, and PhD degrees in Geography and Climatology from Arizona State University. Her main research interests are extreme weather events, including flood and drought, as well as impacts of the Urban Heat Island. Dr. Saffell is a Senior Global Futures Scientist with the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory and an Associate Teaching Professor at ASU. The Arizona State Climatologist serves the people and state of Arizona through an executive appointment funded by Arizona State University, the School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning, and the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory. Dr. Saffell is Director of the Arizona State Climate Office, which is the recognized State Climate office for the State of Arizona (ARSCO). A focus of the State Climate Office is to evaluate and synthesize climate data and scientific research to provide context and relevancy about the climate of Arizona.

Listen in as Lexi with Roam Lab simplifies cooking at the campsite! With a little bit of planning and at-home prep work, you can have delicious meals that fuel your next adventure.Lexi and her husband Chris travel full-time and have mastered the art of campsite cooking. Learn how to cook over a campfire and the tricks of heat distribution. Try out some new recipes or even some of Lexi's favorite gear. Lexi shares great ideas for meals when you want to keep cooking short and sweet as well as options for more gourmet eating (like her recipe for mouthwatering lamb kabobs).Get Lexi's Campfire Cooking guide on Instagram as well as her Recipes highlights, get even more practical advice on Roam Lab's website, and follow along with their travels at roamlab.com.

This episode is in celebration of Earth Day! Earth Day is an annual, global event on April 22 that has been going strong for 53 years after it was first created in 1970 to draw attention to environmental protection. To discuss Earth Day and better understand how we can all do our part to protect Arizona's natural resources and beautiful outdoor spaces, we’ve invited four state park rangers from across Arizona to join us on the show: Ranger Ethan from Oracle State Park, Rangers Kyle and Jess from Kartchner Caverns State Park, and Ranger Sara from Lost Dutchman State Park.We mention some resources on the show, so be sure to check out our fire safety and restrictions online resource, as mentioned by Ranger Sara; the International Dark Sky Association website and our episode with IDA ambassador Mike Weasner, as referenced by Ranger Ethan; and cave tour reservations as recommended by Rangers Jess and Kyle.After listening, we hope you’re excited to take action with these simple steps towards becoming a more engaged environmentalist…and even join us for a fun Earth Day celebration at one of Arizona’s state parks, listed below (click on each link for event dates, times, and other details). Dead Horse Ranch State Park: Make Native Seed Balls and the Verde Valley Birding and Nature Festival Kartchner Caverns State Park: Recyclables crafts, educational talks in the amphitheater, scavenger hunt, Star Party, and more Lost Dutchman State Park: Guided hikes, nature talks, geocaching, and litter cleanup kits Lyman Lake State Park: Arts, crafts, and kids' activities Oracle State Park: Geology hike, snake talk, astronomy talk, music on the trail, food trucks, and Star Party

Meet adventurer, thru-hiker, mountain biker, backpacker, ultra-runner, hiker, and camper Henley Phillips. Based in Tucson, Arizona, Henley has taken on outdoor adventures across the world. He loves coming up with creative ways to explore new areas and connect destinations on the map with the trail less traveled. Henley will inspire you to try something new, explore more, and savor each moment you can in nature.We begin the show talking about Henley's 64-hour adventure across southern Arizona, running up the five highest summits around Tucson and linking the trailheads by bike. You can read more about his experience at bikepacking.com. We also hear about Henley's extreme adventure journey in Australia, which you can watch a video on HERE. This April, Henley is attempting a multi-sport (hiking and biking) yo-yo (northbound and back again) adventure on the Arizona National Scenic Trail, which is 800 miles long one-way, spanning the length of Arizona from Mexico to Utah. Follow along with his adventures on Instagram at henley.phillips. If you want a taste of the Arizona Trail, try its access point right from Oracle State Park.

Adriane Grimaldi, Education Director of Butterfly Wonderland, takes us into the amazing world of butterflies in this episode. There are 28,000 butterfly species around the world and Arizona is home to a whopping 334 species--second in diversity of butterfly species only to the state of Texas! Adriane shares where and when you can observe them here in the Grand Canyon State.Adriane also shares the intricacies of butterfly life, their journey to Butterfly Wonderland from farms throughout the world, and how this team of butterfly experts is doing their butterfly conservation work.Learn about these beautiful pollinators and how you can help them, including how to build a simple yet very effective backyard butterfly garden! To help get your garden underway, be sure to check out Butterfly Wonderland's March and October plant sale that Adriane mentions. Butterfly Wonderland's Spring Plant Sale is Saturday, March 18 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, March 19 from 9 a.m. to noon in their outside courtyard. Butterfly, hummingbird, and bee-friendly plants will be for sale from $14.95 to $29.95 and proceeds benefit the Butterfly Wonderland Foundation.Plan your visit to Butterfly Wonderland to experience the magic of this butterfly conservatory for yourself! Check out information on the state parks you can view butterflies in and the Monarch Waystations (certified areas that have the resources butterflies need to thrive, including nectar and host plants) in Arizona State Parks that you can visit at azstateparks.com/arizona-butterflies.

Nick Teschler and Conrad Demecs with FishIn48 know Arizona's bass and their favorite habitats. They join us on the show to tell anglers their secrets, including where to find bass, the lures they're most successful with, and when to get on the water.Nick and Conrad also regularly contribute to Arizona State Parks and Trails' online Fishing Report and host a blog with more great resources to catch bass in Arizona. Find them on social media at @FishIn48 and check out their upcoming tournament on March 18 at Alamo Lake State Park! You can also find information about their guided bass fishing trips, and book a trip with Conrad and Nick HERE.

Neil and Elisabeth travel up the Mogollan Rim and near Payson, Arizona to record on location at Tonto Natural Bridge State Park. Park Manager, Andrew Young, and Assistant Park Manager, Katie Ferguson, join the show to share about the plants, wildlife, and geology that make Tonto Natural Bridge one-of-a-kind. They also share the lesser-known history of this area of Pine Creek Canyon, from Ancestral Puebloan to European influence.These two pros also share how they have created their careers in land management. If you've always dreamed of becoming a park ranger, their journeys are sure to inspire! Ever humble in their hard work, Andrew and Katie thank their fantastic team of park rangers, their dedicated volunteers, and the amazing Friends of Tonto Natural Bridge group that raises funds for the park.If after listening to this episode, you are "pining" to experience Pine Creek Canyon and Tonto Natural Bridge for yourself, consider joining an event, like Brunch at the Bridge or Taste of the Bridge, or a tour at this state park!

It's an ever increasingly-popular lifestyle: sell the house, pack the stuff in storage, and hit the open road full-time to see our country's beautiful places. That's what Patti and Jeff Kinzbach opted for upon retirement, and they haven't looked back since... only forward to the next adventure!As their RV travels began, so did a new project to share their experiences, tips for life on the road, places they visited, and the interesting characters they met along the way: Rocking the RV Life podcast.In this episode, Patti and Jeff break down what their show is all about, highlight a few episodes to start with if you're a new RVer, and share the places they've already visited and some they're planning to see this spring. Be sure to check out Rocking the RV Life podcast, read their blog, find RV products that they use and recommend, and keep up with all of their adventures at their website, rockingthervlife.com, and on their social media channels: Instagram Facebook YouTube

Welcome in the New Year with Neil and Elisabeth as they kick off Season 4, discuss plans for 2023, and take a look back over the episodes of Season 3. What do you want to hear from the podcast in this new season? We want to hear from YOU! Send your topic ideas and even speaker recommendations to pio@azstateparks.gov.Don't forget to rate and review the show on whatever platform you use to listen to this podcast, and please share the show with your friends!

Sitting under the stillness of a pitch-black sky, illuminated only by celestial bodies, fills you with a sense of peace and wonder... it's something everyone should get to experience.Conserving our dark skies is important on many levels, from human health, to the preservation of wildlife habitat and migration, to energy conservation, and more! Amateur astronomer, International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) member, and former chair of the Oracle Dark Skies Committee, Michael Weasner, joins the show to tell us all about Arizona's dark skies. Read about Oracle State Park's IDA designation and watch a special by Arizona Public Media on Mike and his astronomy work HERE. Find Mike's autobiography and stay up to date with Mike's work, including his astrophotography, at weasner.com. There's no better way to experience Arizona's dark skies firsthand than to enjoy a Star Party! Check out an Arizona State Parks upcoming astronomy events at azstateparks.com/stars.

From planning retirement to launching a national movement... Phil and Shar Roos are most definitely NOT bored. They created an RV-centric volunteer organization called A Year to Volunteer with a goal to give at least 365 days of volunteering in all 50 states. They rally together volunteers from all over the country to help improve parks and other community programs. They’re revolutionizing the way that we think about volunteering, and the positivity this couple has is absolutely infectious. You’re going to love hearing about their journey and their inspiring mission.Visit their website at ayeartovolunteer.com to follow along with their projects and to sign up for their newsletter! See Shar, Phil, and the volunteers' work in action at their YouTube channel.

Want to have more Arizona adventures but not sure how to fit it all in? Josh Coddington with the Arizona Office of Tourism and Lauren and Owen from The AZ Hikeaholics join us on the show to share their best tips.These guests are pros at making the most of every minute exploring the Grand Canyon State. They share how to use a free tool, the digital AZ Parks Passport, created by the Arizona Office of Tourism, to plan adventures and discover even more attractions while they're on the road. The AZ Parks Passport also enters users into a contest to win some amazing prizes, including a $500 gift card to Arizona State Parks, good for camping and cabin reservations, shop merchandise and tours. Of course, no outdoor recreation convo with these outdoor lovers would be complete without discussing sustainable tourism. We talk about what we love so much about this beautiful state and the seven principles of responsible recreation we can all practice to better Appreciate AZ.Get more great information on exploring Arizona from the Arizona Office of Tourism's official travel guide, visitarizona.com, and find their social media on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or TikTok.See what Lauren and Owen are up to next as official #AppreciateAZ Ambassadors and follow along with their weekend warrior adventures on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.Since the time of our recording...  The Arizona Office of Tourism has launched its AppreciateAZ Ambassadors Program and an AppreciateAZ certificate, which is easy for anyone to earn through a 10-minute online course (check it out here!) Lauren and Owen successfully completed their Rim-to-Rim hike in Grand Canyon National Park. Check out their adventure and a great guide they've shared for others planning this hike on Instagram.

We're back from summer break and jumping into fall with an exciting new way to explore Arizona's state parks! Shelby Alessi with the Arizona Lottery joins us on the podcast to talk about the Arizona Adventure promotion. Arizona Adventure celebrates our great state by combining a unique $5 scratcher lottery ticket set against a backdrop of three iconic landscapes, a geo-located adventure experience at 12 Arizona state parks, and the chance to win a share of $1 million in cash and Arizona travel prizes! Learn more about the promotion and check in when visiting the parks at www.AZAdventure.com.When you play the Arizona Adventure promotion, you also give back to environmental conservation efforts! Arizona Lottery ticket sales support Arizona Game and Fish Department's Heritage Fund program, used to protect endangered species, acquire habitat for the benefit of sensitive species, provide access to outdoor recreational opportunities, and educate children and adults about wildlife.Learn more about the Arizona Lottery at www.arizonalottery.com or on social media: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Learn about the mission and programs of Arizona Wildlife Federation (AWF) and its influence in wildlife and habitat conservation here in the Grand Canyon State. AWF is dedicated to educating, inspiring, and assisting individuals and organizations to value, conserve, enhance, manage, and protect wildlife and wildlife habitat. Advocacy and Conservation Director Michael Cravens from the 100-year-old organization joins us to talk about connection to nature. We discuss birding, angling, and many forms of outdoor recreation, and as well as the importance of passing on an interest for outdoor traditions to future generations.Stay up to date with the Michael and the Arizona Wildlife Federation by checking out their outdoor programs,  tuning into his podcast, or following him on social media.

To paddle down the Verde River even once is to fall in love with this beautiful waterway. It sustains life and provides endless outdoor recreation. Water is a rare and precious commodity here in the desert, and the Verde River shouldn't be taken for granted. That's why we invited Doug Von Gausig, Executive Director of the Verde River Institute, to tell us all about how we can better enjoy and care for it. Before recording this podcast, Doug and one of his Verde River Rangers, Kim Jenkins, took members of the Arizona State Parks & Trails team on a kayak tour. In between admiring the birds, dragonflies and damselflies, and the lush vegetation in this riparian area, we picked up on some other factors affecting the river. Litter like lost flip flops, aluminum beverage cans, and fishing line plus a lot of unsafe boating behavior like drinking alcohol (illegal) and not wearing a personal flotation device (dangerous) tempered the excitement of the day. We also learned about the environmental factors that have changed the river over time. Doug shares  on this episode what we can do better to appreciate and protect the Verde River.Follow along with the Verde River Institute on Facebook.Experience the Verde River Greenway State Natural Area.

The outdoors is for everyone, and on this episode, we talk with Kaitlyn Verfuerth and Laurie Singer about outdoor recreation accessibility. Kaitlyn and Laurie are are leading advocates for people of all abilities, and through their work with Ability360, are making a noticeable impact within the community. Check out their program 360Outdoors program in action!We wanted to share Ability360's work after speaking with their group on Arizona State Parks & Trails' Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP). This plan is created every five years, after collecting data from the SCORP survey to recommend funding priorities and actions to improve and maintain Arizona’s outdoor recreation opportunities. Basically, where should land managers spend money to make outdoor recreation better for everyone? SCORP involvement for our agency also means working with diverse partners like Ability 360 and other special interest groups throughout the state!Check out the SCORP survey results, the plan, and share your feedback at azstateparks.com/scorp!

Bringing little ones into the great outdoors is a whole different level of recreating.  Watching them discover and learn about the world around them is unforgettable, but kids also bring a unique set of needs that require some planning for a successful outdoor excursion. Join us as we interview Jana Tingom from Phoenix with Kids, Luna with The Moonlit Nook, and our own Neil Large on the ways their families recreate in nature. They'll share some of their favorite tips to help you plan for a hiking or camping trip, ways they help their kids enjoy nature, and some of their favorite family memories.Resources and activities referenced in this episode include: Phoenix with Kids' "Best Hikes for Kids" by location series The Moonlit Nook's Arizona Family giveaway (includes Arizona State Parks passes!) Guided nature hikes, bird walks, and other special programs in the parks Arizona Family Campout program that shows new family campers the ropes Arizona State Parks' Junior Ranger program and other outdoor activities for kids

How can you care for the trails when you pull on your boots and go for a hike? Arizona hiking aficionado Mare Czinar joins us on this episode of the episode to discuss! Mare has been hiking all over the state for more than 30 years and has reviewed 1000+ trails. She shares her favorite places to hike, and the ways you can mindful of the trails, nature, and other hikers.Check out the projects where Mare contributes, and read her interview in Phoenix Home & Garden magazine where she discusses her guide "The Hike Book" (volumes 1 and 2).  • Director of Production & Outdoor Writer at Cities West Media: PHOENIX  and Phoenix Home & Garden magazines • Contributing writer to "Hike of the Week" in USA Today/Arizona Republic, and dog hikes in Pets & People magazine • Author of ArizonaHiking.blogspot.com and PHOENIX magazine, "The Hike Book" volumes 1 and 2 • Founder of Arizona Hiking, a 30,000-member Facebook group   • Member of Arizona State Committee on Trails (ASCOT)

Did you know that 75-80% of wildland fires are caused by people? That's why we're talking ahead of wildfire season with Public Affairs Officer for Arizona's Department of Forestry and Fire Management (DFFM), Tiffany Davila. She has so much great information about how we can do our part to prevent wildland fires.Tiffany shares the causes and impact wildland fires can have on Arizona, the work that DFFM does to manage wildland fires, and what residents can do to prevent and prepare for wildland fires.See the following fire safety and prevention resources discussed with Tiffany during this episode: Information on creating a defensible space at your home Tips to prevent wildland fires (camping, target shooting, fireworks, and vehicle safety) Arizona's 125 Firewise USA-recognized communities Fire restrictions and Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management iOS or Android mobile app