OUTDOORS

BIODIVERSITY WALKS. The Southwest Center for Biological Diversity offers "biodiversity walks" at 9 a.m. every first and third Sunday of the month. Join Center staff and expert guests for a walk along Cienega Creek. Learn about the importance of riparian habitats for wildlife and water quality, and the implications of grazing management. Expect a two-mile walk lasting two to three hours. Don't forget your hat and water. Call David Hogan at 733-1391 for reservations and directions.

DESERT ARCHAEOLOGY TOURS. The Center for Desert Archaeology offers whole- and half-day tours of local archaeological treasures, including: the Romero Ruin Tour, a look at the remnants of the four great cultures that once inhabited the Catalina State Park area; the Rock Art Tour, an in-depth look offering hikers a chance to visit petroglyph sites near Tucson; and the Downtown Tucson Tour, featuring more than 30 centuries of history. Half-day tours are $40, full-day treks are $70, with group rates available for groups of three to 45 people. Wear long-sleeved clothing and a hat, and make sure you've got sturdy shoes with ankle support and good traction. Water is provided. Call 885-6283 for information.

DIG IT. Old Pueblo Archaeology Center, a nonprofit corporation, offers public archaeological field school sessions at the Sabino Canyon Ruin, home of Hohokam Indians 650 to 1,000 years ago. The field school features instruction in archaeological excavation techniques, artifact recovery and care, interpretation of ancient cultures, and archaeological ethics. Lunch is provided. Cost is $69 per eight-hour day, with reduced rates for groups and multiple day sign-ups. Reservations are required 24 hours in advance. Archaeologist guided tours of the ruin are also available. Call 798-1201 for reservations and information.

NATURE CONSERVANCY. Get out of the bustle of town and take a trip to the Nature Conservancy's Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Visitor Center. There you can get back to nature and enjoy bird watching, guided tours and hikes. Regular preserve hours are 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Take Highway 82 to Patagonia, head west on Fourth Avenue, and south on Pennsylvania. Call 1-520-394-2400 for information.

PROYECTO TORTUGA. The Coastal Conservation Foundation of Tucson offers a field study program in sea turtle restoration, beginning in July and continuing through September. The program, Proyecto Tortuga, is located in Nayarit, Mexico. Participants will patrol beaches nightly to aid in the protection of the endangered Olive Ridley Sea Turtle, and have the opportunity to help with local environmental education classes and biodiversity studies. Contact the CCF at P.O. Box 2083, Tucson, AZ 85702, for information.

SUMMIT ADVENTURES. Summit Hut. 5045 E. Speedway. 325-1554. The Summit Hut continues its free Spring Evening Outdoor Adventure series with a slide-lecture by hiking guide and instructor John Dell at 8 p.m. Thursday, May 22. Dell will present Exploring Southwestern Mountains, Canyons, and Deserts, illustrating a wide variety of hiking and exploring opportunities in the southwest. Call 325-1554 for information.

TOHONO CHUL PARK. 7366 N. Paseo del Norte. 742-6455. Tohono Chul Park grounds are open from 7 a.m. to sunset daily. Exhibit hours are 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $2. Walk in the Park tours are offered at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Art in the Park tours, docent-guided looks at gallery exhibits, are at 11 a.m. Tuesday and Thursday, 2 p.m. Sunday. The park offers additional guided tours for your enjoyment. Some flowers prefer the light of the moon to the bright sun. Grounds curator Russ Buhrow shares folklore and fact about desert nightbloomers, and the pollinators that visit them, at 2 p.m. Thursday, May 22. Cost is $2 for non-members. Call 742-6455 for park information and daily events schedule.

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