Stars, Snails, and Social Media: Sonoran Insiders Program in the Spotlight

The Sonoran Insiders program promotes and amplifies good
stewardship and responsible outdoor recreation in the Sonoran
Desert and landscapes across Arizona. The group hosts fun and
informative Insider Experiences for program ambassadors. Apply to
become an ambassador HERE or learn more about becoming a partner
for the Sonoran Insiders HERE.

Want to try an Insider Experience for yourself? Register HERE for
their event on August 5 to learn about responsible
recreation and tourism on tribal lands with the San Carlos Apache
Tribe.

About our guests:

Brooke Wheelock is the Partnership Coordinator with the US Forest
Service on Tonto National Forest. She engages various partners
including businesses, non-profit organizations, state and federal
agencies, and local communities to accomplish vital on-the-ground
work throughout the roughly 2 million-acre landscape on the Tonto
NF. Work through partnerships and collaborations includes
watershed improvements, restoration, recreation management,
wilderness and trail maintenance, hazardous fuels reduction,
invasives management, and more. Prior to the Forest Service,
Brooke worked with the National Park Service at various parks,
and with the US Army Corps of Engineers as a Park Ranger. Outside
work, she enjoys hiking, connecting with friends at local
breweries, streaming video games, and exploring or traveling with
her 2 dogs. Find information on the two prehistoric sites on the
Tonto National Forest that Brooke mentioned: the Sears-Kay Ruin
near Carefree, and the Shoofly Village site
(wheelchair-accessible).

Isaiah Ortiz is a park ranger at Catalina State Park and a
Sonoran Insiders Ambassador. Born and raised in Las Vegas, NV,
Isaiah has always had a special connection with the desert. For
nearly 10 years photography has been his passion and he
specializes in capturing the beauty of the night sky. With the
Sonoran Insiders and at Catalina State Park, Isaiah shares
messages of respect for the land, conservation, and responsible
exploration. Find Isaiah's book, Starry Sky Adventures Arizona,
HERE.


Jeny Davis is the Southern Rockies Program Associate at the
National Forest Foundation (NFF), supporting program and project
operations in the Southwest and Rocky Mountain Regions through
coordinating, strategic planning, organizational development, and
collaborative conservation efforts. Prior to the NFF, she worked
at Desert Botanical Garden with the Central Arizona Conservation
Alliance (CAZCA) and EcoFlora programs, immersed in collaborative
conservation, community science and communications. She enjoys
coordinating projects, connecting people, and working with others
to support and accomplish goals and facilitate inclusive
collaboration outcomes. Outside work, she enjoys numerous outdoor
activities like hiking and riding her bike, reading, researching,
making cyanotypes, enjoying music, eating tacos, or generally
nerding out about plants and ecology wherever she may be.


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inspiration.