Fresh Air Moments
The Highlands Center For Natural History is committed to staying connected with you and the natural world. Everyday for as long as our public programs are postponed or cancelled, our education staff will be sharing place-based nature and science-related posts. These posts are intended to be interactive, shared, and to be a resource for all people. These “Fresh Air Moments” are our way of encouraging everyone to take a moment outside everyday – on your porch, in your backyard, walking on the sidewalk, or on local trails like here at the Highlands Center.
Fresh Air Moments: Ants at Play
Ants are amazing, and such hard workers. Join Erin to learn more about ants and reward them for their jobs. This is a fun activity for the whole family!
Fresh Air Moments: Frogs, Toads and Their Sounds
Frogs and toads are culturally significant in many different places. No matter where you go, knowing the sound a frog or toad makes can be more helpful for identifying the species than knowing what the amphibian looks like. Join Sonya for this Fresh Air Moment to...
Fresh Air Moments: Salamanders
Salamanders in the Central Highlands are not necessarily rare, but they are not a common find. Salamanders are incredible creatures. They can regenerate limbs, eat opportunistically and teach us about our home. Join Sarah from the Highlands Center for Natural History...
Fresh Air Moments: Winogradsky Column
One area of study in aquatic ecology is microbiology. Microorganisms living in and around water systems are foundational and interesting. One of the ways to see evidence of this life is by studying biofilms, substances created by the microbes to live in colonies and...
Fresh Air Moments: Spring Spectacular Challenge- Mammals Expending Energy
This Highlands Center Fresh Air Moment takes a look at some baby chipmunks rescued by Heritage Park Zoological Sanctuary, narrated by HPZS Deputy Director, Raquel Gardner. Seeing mammals like chipmunks moving around and growing up are examples of #8 on our Spring...
Fresh Air Moments: Spring Spectacular Challenge- Mammals playing a role in Seed Distribution!
Spring is spectacular. What can you check off your list? Jessie, Education Coordinator, found some hitchhiking seeds. That checks off #8 on her Spring Spectacular Challenge list. featured image: gardenerdy.com
Fresh Air Moments: Spring Spectacular Challenge- Check off you Amphibian Sighting too!
Spring is spectacular. What can you check off your list? Is this a Canyon Treefrog (Hyla arenicolor)? Or a juvenile Sonoran Desert Toad (Insilius alvarius)? Help the Highlands Center naturalists figure it out! Found: Elevation 3500-4000 ft, rocky canyon, Superstition...
Fresh Air Moments: Macroinvertebrate Collection
Get out and explore the Central Highlands freshwater systems by searching for and collecting macroinvertebrates. Learn more about the preparation, observation, collection process, and conclusions associated with this process. Join Sarah from the Highlands Center for...
Fresh Air Moments: Caddisflys
All macroinvertebrates are exciting to find, but caddisflys, if you have never seen them, are some of the coolest! These insect larvae form cases, using silk and debris from their environment to protect their abdomens. Check out this caddisfly, found in a Central...
Fresh Air Moments: Local Soundscapes
This Fresh Air Moment features a soundscape from a local popular attraction! A soundscape is a collection of sounds from a specific area. As humans, we tend to rely on our sense of sight to interpret the world, but some animals rely on their sense of hearing. Some...
Fresh Air Moments: Animal Art
"Nothing is art if it does not come from nature." - Antoni Gaudi For this Fresh Air Moment, we encourage you to make art from nature! As an outdoor educator, one of the activities I love to use when there is free time is a challenge to make an animal out of...
