PLANTING NATIVE SPECIES

PLANTING NATIVE TREES

Since our arrival Raven’s Nest Nature Sanctuary in March 2008, Vincent designed a multi-faceted Ecological Restoration Strategy to create healthy, diverse and resilient Wildlife Habitats for generations to come. The trees in our Nature Sanctuary are a vital force in nature, absorbing carbon dioxide from the air through photosynthesis and thereby helping to offset the carbon footprint of humans. In exchange trees give off oxygen as a waste product helping to enrich the air. Scientifically speaking, the direct action of Planting Trees at our Nature Sanctuary has provided us with the rewarding opportunity to help offset our collective carbon footprint over the lifetime of that tree.

When planting and nurturing native trees, we use both our efficient 20,000-gallon Rainwater Harvesting System, and the rain water that we have collected via our Passive Rainwater HarvestingTechniques throughout the 42-acre Nature Preserve.

Both Monsoon and Winter precipitation help to fill the metal rainwater tanks, which in turn allow for many habitat restoration successes. Organic Compost produced from our organic food scraps, and the rich mulch from dried Mesquite leaves and non-native grasses go into and on top of every native tree that we plant. Finally, the strategic location of every planted tree is essential, helping to maximize the benefits of each species to wildlife.

Why adopt a tree?

Planting trees to reduce carbon dioxide is more important than ever given the effects global warming is having on our planet! At Raven’s Nest Nature Sanctuary we are very mindful of the daily human actions that contribute to an excess of greenhouse gases, mainly Carbon dioxide (CO2), in the atmosphere and their detrimental environmental consequences. Every time we turn on the lights, drive a car, or take a flight we are unwittingly producing CO2, linked by countless scientific studies to the rise of global temperatures and major climate changes. The greenhouse gases responsible for global warming are in part measured in units of carbon dioxide or CO2. Hence, the amount of CO2 that each person is responsible for producing is termed our “Carbon Footprint”.

We all can modify our behaviors, making green changes – both big and small – to help reduce the amount of carbon that we place into the atmosphere. At Raven’s Nest Nature Sanctuary we strive to minimize the CO2 that we produce through a “sustainable carbon offsetting lifestyle” – planting trees, rainwater harvesting, organic gardening & composting, etc. Firmly believing that every inch of habitat is sacred, we have actively restricted the amount of land devoted to buildings and human artifices of any kind, including parking and driving areas. We have rehabilitated many formerly denuded areas into thriving wildlife habitat. Our aspiration on a daily basis is to be as carbon neutral as possible.

Hence, by Planting Native Trees at Raven’s Nest Nature Sanctuary we strive to:

Help offset the Carbon Footprint – 1 mature tree can absorb one ton of carbon dioxide over the lifetime of that tree!
Contribute to the unique Biodiversity of the Sky Islands region
Benefit Wildlife by improving resilient Native Habitats

OUR TREE CHOICES & BENEFITS TO WILDLIFE

SPECIES	EVERGREEN	FRUIT	NECTAR/SAP	SEEDS/NUTS	SHELTER
ARIZONA CYPRESS (Cupressus arizonica)	X			X	X
ARIZONA JUNIPER (Juniperus arizonica)	X			X	X
EMORY OAK (Quercus emoryii)	X		X	X	X
SCRUB OAK (Quercus emoryii)	X		X	X	X
VELVET ASH (Fraxinus velutina)			X	X	X
ARIZONA ROSEWOOD (Vaquelinia californica)	X		X	X	X
EVERGREEN SUMACH (Rhus choriophylla)	X	X	X	X	X
DESERT WILLOW (Chilopsis linearis)			X	X	X
YELLOW TRUMPET (Tecoma stans)			X	X	X
MEXICAN ELDERBERRY (Sambucus mexicana)		X	X		X
NETLEAF HACKBERRY (Celtis reticulata)		X	X		X
WESTERN SOAPBERRY (Sapindus saponaria)				X	X

ETHNOBOTANY LANDSCAPE BY DISCOVERY CENTER

As a professional Ethnobotanist, Vincent wanted to create an Edible, Medicinal, and Useful Landscape surrounding the Sky Islands Discovery Center. Therefore, every native species he planted has important human uses. Some species provide food, others herbal medicine, while select plants produce parts useful for rope, tools, soap, aromatherapy, and other uses. Additionally, all of the species listed below support native pollinators – either as a larval food source and/or as a source of nectar. Thus, countless species of insects, butterflies in particular, as well as dashing Hummingbirds of various species are a common sight at Raven’s Nest, especially where we have performed Ecological Restoration.

The species Vincent planted around the Sky Islands Discovery Center include:

Trees

Scrub Oak – edible acorns, tannic acid for medicine
Velvet Mesquite – edible pods, edible sap, firewood
Catclaw Acacia – firewood, topical wound care from leaves
Arizona Rosewood – wood-working
Velvet Ash – medicine
Netleaf Hackberry – edible fruit
Desert Willow – edible flowers, medicinal leaves
Texas Mulberry – edible fruit, rope from inner bark
Western Soapberry – soap and medicine from fruit
Alligator Juniper – edible fruit, medicine from leaves, aromatherapy from sap and leaves
Arizona Cypress – medicine and aromatherapy from leaves, tinder from inner bark, glue from sap

Shrubs

Cat Claw Mimosa – medicine from leaves
Apache Plume – tinder from shedding bark
Evergreen Sumac – edible/medicinal fruit
Wild Cotton – rope from inner bark
Fremont Wolfberry – edible fruit
Mariola – aromatherapy and medicine from leaves
Dalea – aromatherapy and medicine from leaves and flowers
Graythorn – edible fruit
False Indigo – kindling from stems and dye source
Mexican Elderberry – edible flowers and fruits, fire-by-friction sets from wood
Wright’s Silktassel – medicinal leaves – used as an anti-malarial medicine in WWII
Oreganillo – spice and aromatherapy from leaves
Desert Honeysuckle – basketry
Seepwillow – hand-drills for fire-by-friction kits, medicine from leaves
Arroyo Willow – basketry from stems, medicine from leaves and inner bark
Broom Snakeweed – tinder, medicine from leaves

Succulents

Cane Cholla – edible fruit, woody skeleton for tool handles
Chainfruit Cholla – edible fruit
Santa Rita Prickly Pear – edible fruit, medicinal pads
Mountain Yucca – edible fruit, rope from leaves, medicine from roots
Soaptree Yucca – edible flowering stems, soap and medicine from roots, fire-by-friction sets from dried flowering stalk

Other Plants

Arizona Cottontop grass – tinder, basketry

In addition to supporting a myriad of native pollinators, the diverse native plants around the Sky Islands Discovery Center also furnish critical habitat for a broad spectrum of other wildlife. Bobcats, Mountain Lions, Coyotes, Common Gray Foxes, Ringtails, Northern Raccoons, 4 species of Skunks, Collared Peccary, White-Tailed Deer, as well as a plethora of birds, reptiles and amphibians all enjoy the restored landscape.

ETHNOBOTANY LANDSCAPE BY SAFARI CAMP

At the Sky Islands Safari Camp, Vincent implemented the same Ecological Restoration Principles as throughout the preserve, transforming a stretch of Mesquite Woodland that was rife with nonnative plants to one utterly devoid of them. The native species Vincent planted have been a magnet for wildlife. All of the species below have human uses in addition to their utility to wildlife.

Trees

Alligator Juniper
Arizona Juniper
Arizona Cypress
Scrub Oak
Desert Willow
Catclaw Acacia
Velvet Mesquite
Texas Mulberry
Netleaf Hackberry
Western Soapberry

Shrubs

Desert Sumac
Oreganillo
Desert Honeysuckle
Goldenbush
Fourwing Saltbush
Graythorn
Gum Bumelia

Succulents

Beargrass
Sotol
Fishhook Barrel Cactus
Cane Cholla

Other Plants

Mugwort
Canyon Creeper

ETHNOBOTANY LANDSCAPE BY SOUTHWESTERN HOUSE

As a professional Ethnobotanist, Vincent created an Edible, Medicinal, and Useful Landscape surrounding the house. Once again, he deliberately chose only the native species that have very important human uses and strategically planted them around the house. Hence, some species provide food, others herbal medicine, while select plants produce parts useful for rope, tools, soap, aromatherapy, and other uses.

Additionally, all of the species listed below support native pollinators – either as a larval food source, as a source of nectar, or in some other capacity. Thus, countless species of insects, butterflies in particular, as well as dashing Hummingbirds of various species are a common sight around the house – all in response to Vincent’s ecological restoration efforts.

Vincent planted each species with xeriscaping principles in mind. He created swales for each species, heavily applied mulch in the ground and atop it, and created countless windbreaks with both rocks and logs. His final touch was a custom-made soaker hose system that delivers water efficiently, greatly helping to conserve it. The transformation of the landscape and all of its flora and fauna are in spectacular evidence everywhere throughout the preserve and in particular by the Southwestern House.