Each trip to Boyce Thompson Arboretum offers a new opportunity to meet charismatic Grand Canyon Staters. Drive up Saturday, May 28, for an 8 a.m. walk along the trails and learn basic geology with tourguide Rich Leveille.
BTA is open daily with Summer hours 6 a.m.-3 p.m. (Memorial Day, too); daily admission of $10 includes weekend nature walks this summer.
It’s fortunate that local luminaries such as Leveille choose to be among dedicated volunteers; his time is in high demand by one of Arizona’s biggest companies. His work as an exploratory geologist for Freeport-McMoRan regularly takes him to exotic lands on all continents across the globe.
Rich grew up in the mining business (his dad worked for Kennecott), earned a geology degree in Utah, and has worked for the biggest mining companies (AMAX, Kennecott, Rio Tinto, Phelps Dodge) and countries (US, Mexico, Chile, Brazil), en route to his current title as Senior VP of Exploration for Freeport-McMoRan, based in Phoenix. Expeditions he leads find copper, gold, silver, zinc across several continents.
His wife, Janice, is also a geologist and they’ve raised two daughters in Mexico, Chile, Brazil and the US on a steady diet of hiking, backpack trips, canoeing, and kayaking (rock-related pop quizzes, too, we’re sure!).
Ever wondered about the volcanism that produced the dramatic cliffs of magma which define BTA’s topography? Or which stones are the most ancient along the rubble-strewn bed of Queen Creek? Want to hear the true origin of Apache Tears? Meet Rich Leveille on his guided walk May 28 … be prepared to ask lots of “tuff” questions … he assures you’ll have a “gneiss” guided tour at BTA.
June events include:
• June 4 and July 2: Guided Dragonfly Walk at 8:30 a.m. learn to identify Flame Skimmers, Blue Dashers and Mexican Amberwings
• June 11: Learn Your Lizards Guided Walk (repeats July 9, Aug. 13) 8 a.m. Kids love this entertaining guided tour around the gardens for all who enjoy Arizona’s most common, colorful and charismatic little reptiles.
• June 18: Plants of the Bible Land Guided Walk (repeats July 16) at 8 a.m. Many same plants common in the Middle East thrive in our Arizona climate, and can be seen at BTA; volunteer tourguide Dave Oberpriller leads this tour to learn about palms, pomegranates, figs, olives, and other plants of the Bible Land.
• June 18: Main Trail Guided Walk 9 am. Can you name the oldest tree or oldest plant in Arizona? How old is a five foot Saguaro … and can you identify a few edible desert plants? Hear the answers and learn about the Arboretum’s history and mission on a relaxed, leisurely guided walking tour of the main trail with an Arizona State Parks Volunteer guide.
• June 18: Guided Bird Walk with Mark Ochs at 6:30 a.m. Cardinals, Orioles, Tanagers, Warblers dozens of species can be seen and heard around the gardens this month – learn to ID them with on a walk guided by Gold Canyon resident Mark Ochs.
• June 19: Tree Tour guided by Certified Arborist Jeff Payne at 8 am. Certified Arborist Jeff Payne leads visitors through the forested areas of the Arboretum, showcasing oak and olive trees, native hackberry and mesquite.
• June 25: Geology Walking Tour with Scott McFadden (then with Rich Leveille July 23) 8 a.m. Learn about rocks and volcanic formations along our main trail on a guided tour guided by professional geologists.
• June 25: Guided Butterfly Walk with Ron Rutowski and Laura Miller (next butterfly walk July 23) 8:30 a.m. See, photograph and learn about colorful species ranging from Empress Leilia to Queen, Spring Azure and more.
• June 26: Edible and Medicinal Desert Plants Guided Walk With David Morris (next walk is July 24) 8 a.m. Explore the Curandero Trail on a one-hour walk guided by Choctaw Nation member and ethno-botanist David Morris; learn about prickly pear cacti, ratany, agaves, jojobas — and the ways native plants have fed, healed and clothed Sonoran desert peoples for more than 1,000 years.