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| 2007-01-02 register | login | ||
Interview - Sonoran Sea AquariumWe live on the Santa Cruz river, and my daughters love the frog & fish exhibits at the Desert Museum. So we've been following the news on the possibility of a Tucson Aquarium - it would be so cool! This week I had a chance to interview Franklin Lane, the Director of Education at the Sonoran Sea Aquarium, who graciously took the time to answer in detail:Q : How do the current prospects look for the Sonoran Sea Aquarium? With the new council makeup have you considered joining the list of projects being considered for the Rio Nuevo? Would you care to elaborate on the barriers encountered with the original R. N. project? A : Our prospects look very good now that we have formed an informal partnership with the Arizona Sonoran Desert Museum. The direction of that association is discussed in a letter drafted by Dr. Rick Brusca, Associate Director of ASDM and posted under "What's New" on our website: http://www.tucsonaquarium.com. While I personally thought that building downtown under the umbrella of RN would have been terrific and a tremendous asset to the project I don't see SSA asking for re-consideration. The credibility alone that we gain from our new association with ASDM is worth any delays in not being part of RN... and since RN is moving at near glacier speed we may be putting fish in tanks long before anything happens downtown. Since I've only been the Director of Education for SSA since 11/22/06 I don't have much corporate memory in terms of barriers. Q : Where can Tucson families go now to learn about the 'circle of life' you describe of desert rivers and sea? Are there any books written about local river life/ecology? Is there any river ecology left in the Tucson area? A : The best place to visit is still the Arizona Sonoran Desert Museum, specifically their riparian exhibit. Arizona Highways remains an excellent reference, especially their recent special edition on the "Rivers of Arizona". The best factual reference I've found is Arizona's Changing Rivers: How People Have Affected The Rivers Barbara Tellman, Richard Yarde and Mary Wallace Water Resources Research Center College of Agriculture University of Arizona March 1997 (issue paper #19) There is quite a bit of river ecology still out there to save. Most, of course, is in the northern part of the State; Verde, Little Colorado, Salt etc. Around Tucson our attention should focus on our only remaining perennial river; the San Pedro. Q : My 5 yr old daughter would like to know, are there any fish living in rivers anywhere near Tucson? The only native fishes near Tucson are various species of minnows and pup fish. They can still be found in the San Pedro and have been introduced at Aqua Caliente Park. Again, the ASDM has a native fishes exhibit that is the best place to observe these species. Our State fish, the Apache Trout that was nearly driven to extinction by the introduction of the non-native (but more recreationally attractive Rainbow Trout) only exists in the wild in a few cold water streams in the White Mountains. They are making a come back but it is slow, imagine losing your State Fish! I liken it to the tragedy of losing our State Tree (Palo Verde) or the blossom of the Saguaro. Q : By adding native vegetation and birdfeeders, local homeowners can impact the ecology and wildlife population of the desert - is there any way that local families and businesses can likewise work for the restoration of our local waterways? Does adding a backyard pond improve the habitat for our native desert toads? Can greywater be a component? The single best thing Tucsonans can do is reduce water consumption and harvest the precipitation we do get. Landscaping your property to retain and use run off is a big start. Rain water cisterns are another. Brad Lancaster is a local champion of this effort and has published information on water harvesting. Check out: http://www.harvestingrainwater.com/aboutbrad/ Q : Is there any prospect of restoring the local rivers such as the Santa Cruz, and is that something the Sonoran Sea Aquarium is involved in? A : We are not currently involved in this effort directly but would certainly support it. There is a grass roots organization called the Friends of the Santa Cruz River that does some good work. http://www.friendsofsantacruzriver.org/images/FLOWFall2003Excerpt.htm Q : How can people get involved in the mission of the Aquarium and help make it materialize? A : We are a 501(c) 3 organization which means we survive and are able to continue our outreach and education programs only through grants and donations. Even our minimum member donation fee of $35 a year is a help. I also have a cadre of volunteers that help keep us going. Recommending our program to schools and community organizations not only gains us a revenue stream but directly projects our conservation message. I'd encourage your readers to visit our website at http://www.tucsonaquarium.com or contact me directly if they have questions or would consider volunteering. Franklin Lane Director of Education Sonoran Sea Aquarium 2021 N. Kinney Rd. Tucson, Arizona 85754 (520) 908-1600 |
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