Arizona Arizona's public lands stretch across more than 14 million acres, mostly in the northwestern corner and the central western corridor of the state. Four spectacular deserts are in Arizona—the Chihuahuan, Sonoran, Mojave, and Great Basin. In addition to desert habitats, public lands include pinyon-juniper and ponderosa pine forests and a small amount of wetlands and riparian (streamside) habitats. BLM lands include wilderness areas, five National Monuments, two Riparian National Conservation Areas, and many recreational facilities. These lands provide unique and diverse settings for education.
Empire Ranch Dankworth Village Outdoor Classroom Arizona’s Environmental Education Home Page
SCHOOL PROGRAMS
Kingman Field Office, Phone: (928) 718-3700 Classroom Presentations BLM resource specialists visit schools to present talks on wildlife, wildlife habitat management, venomous animals, riparian management, bat habitat management, plant identification and uses. Programs are tailored to fit the needs of the school or event and typically include a slide presentation with discussion. Live reptiles, preserved insects, spiders, mammals, and birds, as well as skulls, skins, and other specimens enliven the presentations. Phoenix District Office, Phone: (623) 580-5500 Fire Science Classes
BLM wildland firefighters partner with Metro Tech, a Phoenix-area vocational high school to provide a wildland fire curriculum that includes not only traditional classroom instruction but also practical experience outdoors in diverse fire drills and exercises, along with basic physical training and hands-on learning. Safford Field Office, Phone: (928) 348-4400 Safford Water Festival The Safford Field Office participates each fall in the Safford Water Festival, sponsored by the City of Safford. The daylong event is part of the Project WET student curriculum which introduces 4th graders to basic water concepts, how to conserve water, and ways to prevent erosion. BLM staff act as instructors working directly with youth. Students are bused in from local schools.
BEYOND SCHOOL Arizona Strip District, Phone: (435) 688-3200 Color Country Natural Resource Camp Twenty to forty students spend a week investigating a variety of natural resource topics and issues in a camp environment. A select number of camp graduates are given the opportunity to work on agency field projects during the summer months. Some camp/crew veterans go on to work on agency fire crews. Lake Havasu Field Office, Phone: (928) 505-1200 Kids Fishing Day Youth get out for a day of skills-building through hands-on instruction. Community partners host the program on the Colorado River in February. Safford Field Office, Phone: (928) 348-4400 Wings Over Willcox Birding and Nature Festival This annual festival features activities for the whole family including guided birding tours, educational seminars, and a banquet with keynote speaker. Tour and seminar topics include birds, wildlife, vegetation, history, archaeology, astronomy, and geology. Local economic activities such as ranching and mining are also featured. Special presentations and activities for children include live animal presentations and birdhouse construction workshops. Dankworth Village Outdoor Classroom This outdoor classroom contains a network of trails and replicas of Native American structures and artifacts that interpret cultural periods from prehistory to the present. Open to the public, schools, and youth organizations, the site offers opportunities for self-guided tours and service learning. A teacher’s guide helps teachers prepare students in the classroom prior to their visit. Ice-aged Fossil Exhibit The Graham County Historical Society Museum hosts educational and interpretive displays of fossils found on public lands near Safford. The Museum is open three days per week, year round, for self-guided tours. Volunteer-led tours are available for school groups. Yuma Field Office, Phone: (928) 317-3200 Fishing Day for Youth with Special Needs Mentally- and physically-challenged students enjoy a day of fishing at Squaw Lake Recreation Area during National Fishing and Boating Week. Fishing safety and ethics are stressed. Yuma Birding and Nature Festival This annual event consists of field trips and seminars about birds, wetland restoration, fossils, reptiles, bats, wild burros, butterflies, archaeology, nature photography, bighorn sheep, and bird habitat in Mexico. Many partners, including BLM, sponsor the festival as a way to promote the local area and its vast opportunities for environmental education for outdoor enthusiasts. | 
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