Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center and Botanical Gardens (507 acres) is a nonprofit nature center with

botanical garden A botanical garden or botanic gardenThe terms ''botanic'' and ''botanical'' and ''garden'' or ''gardens'' are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word ''botanic'' is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens, an ...

s on the grounds of the

Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute The Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute or CDRI, incorporated in December 1973, is an independent non-profit, scientific and educational organization conducting its operations as a multi-featured Nature Center and Botanical Gardens located on a tr ...

, the parent organization. It is located off Texas State Highway 118 about south of

Fort Davis, Texas Fort Davis is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Jeff Davis County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,201 at the 2010 census, up from 1,050 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Jeff Davis County. His ...

, United States. The Center is open Monday through Saturday, except major holidays. An admission fee is charged. The Nature Center includes grasslands, oak studded hillsides, mountains of volcanic origin, canyon springs, and seasonal wetland pools in the

Chihuahuan Desert The Chihuahuan Desert ( es, Desierto de Chihuahua, ) is a desert ecoregion designation covering parts of northern Mexico and the southwestern United States. It occupies much of far West Texas, the middle to lower Rio Grande Valley and the lo ...

. The adobe visitors' center is located at an elevation of , almost a mile (5,280 feet) high. The surrounding

Davis Mountains The Davis Mountains, originally known as Limpia Mountains, are a range of mountains in West Texas, located near Fort Davis, after which they are named. The fort was named for then United States Secretary of War and later Confederate President J ...

region is a

sky island Sky islands are isolated mountains surrounded by radically different lowland environments. The term originally referred to those found on the Mexican Plateau, and has extended to similarly isolated high-elevation forests. The isolation has s ...

, with temperatures falling and annual precipitation tending to increase as the elevation rises from the desert floor. Larrea tridentata 3

Exhibits include one about the geologic history of the Davis Mountains and how culture and history are linked to geology; another highlights the history, geology, and culture of mining in the desert region. The Center contains almost of hiking trails, and features springs and pools, interesting geology, and mountain views. One path goes to the highest point on the Center's land and to the lowest. The local flora includes specimen trees such as some of the largest

madrone ''Arbutus'' is a genus of 12 accepted speciesAct. Bot. Mex no.99 Pátzcuaro abr. 2012.''Arbutus bicolor''/ref> of flowering plants in the family Ericaceae, native to warm temperate regions of the Mediterranean, western Europe, the Canary Islan ...

trees in Texas, majestic Southwestern chokeberries, and Tracey hawthornes; seventeen types of ferns living in clefts in the canyon walls; many

succulents In botany, succulent plants, also known as succulents, are plants with parts that are thickened, fleshy, and engorged, usually to retain water in arid climates or soil conditions. The word ''succulent'' comes from the Latin word ''sucus'', meani ...

and cacti; bird species from the

turkey vulture The turkey vulture (''Cathartes aura'') is the most widespread of the New World vultures. One of three species in the genus '' Cathartes'' of the family Cathartidae, the turkey vulture ranges from southern Canada to the southernmost tip of Sout ...

and

wild turkey The wild turkey (''Meleagris gallopavo'') is an upland ground bird native to North America, one of two extant species of turkey and the heaviest member of the order Galliformes. It is the ancestor to the domestic turkey, which was originally d ...

s to hummingbirds overwintering and other birds migrating, with the

Montezuma quail The Montezuma quail (''Cyrtonyx montezumae'') is a stubby, secretive New World quail of Mexico and some nearby parts of the United States. It is also known as Mearns's quail, the harlequin quail (for the male's striking pattern), and the fool q ...

roadrunner The roadrunners (genus ''Geococcyx''), also known as chaparral birds or chaparral cocks, are two species of fast-running ground cuckoos with long tails and crests. They are found in the southwestern and south-central United States and Mexico, us ...

s, and

orioles Oriole or Orioles may refer to: Animals * Old World oriole, colorful passerine birds in the family Oriolidae * New World oriole, a group of birds in the family Icteridae Music * The Orioles, an R&B and doo-wop group of the late 1940s and earl ...

providing more variety and color during the year. The Botanical Gardens (20 acres) include some 165 species of trees, shrubs, and perennial

forb A forb or phorb is an herbaceous flowering plant that is not a graminoid (grass, sedge, or rush). The term is used in biology and in vegetation ecology, especially in relation to grasslands and understory. Typically these are dicots without woo ...

s of the Chihuahuan Desert in the arboretum. The Center has a collection of cacti and

from the Chihuahuan Desert. The greenhouse contains about 200 species of Chihuahuan Desert cacti. Many species are in bloom in March and April, but with so many examples, some variety is usually in bloom at any time. A wildscape garden was installed around the visitors' center in 2004, with a trickling fountain and trees, shrubs, and flowering plants native to the Chihuahuan Desert. The aim is to provide a place where birds, small mammals, and other local wildlife can find food, water, and safety from predators to raise their young. A pollinator garden was created in 2007 to attract hummingbirds, butterflies, bees, wasps, and

flower flies Hover flies, also called flower flies or syrphid flies, make up the insect family Syrphidae. As their common name suggests, they are often seen hovering or nectaring at flowers; the adults of many species feed mainly on nectar and pollen, while ...

, the desert's native pollinators. The smell of night-blooming plants in the

moon garden A moon garden, also known as a twilight garden, evening garden, night garden, moonlight garden, or dream garden, is a type of garden designed to be enjoyed at dusk and nighttime. Fragrant flowers, light-colored vegetation or blooms that are vis ...

draws in moths and other nocturnal pollinators. This project was funded, in part, by a grant from the

Institute of Museum and Library Services The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is an independent agency of the United States federal government established in 1996. It is the main source of federal support for libraries and museums within the United States, having the ...

, an agency of the United States Government. In addition, the Center launched the Chihuahuan Desert Field School in 2004, an educational program targeting 4th grade classes in Brewster, Jeff Davis, and

Presidio A presidio ( en, jail, fortification) was a fortified base established by the Spanish Empire around between 16th and 18th centuries in areas in condition of their control or influence. The presidios of Spanish Philippines in particular, were cen ...

counties. The overwhelming response led to the inclusion of students from all grade levels and from regions far outside the tri-county Big Bend region. Since its inception, thousands of students have participated in the field school. The Institute also offers a Life-Long Learning Program featuring workshops, field trips, and lectures on topics related to the natural history of the region. In 2008, the Institute was recognized by the Texas Education Agency as a Continuing Professional Education Provider for the State of

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...

References

External links

Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center and Botanical Gardens
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center And Botanical Gardens Botanical gardens in Texas Protected areas of the Chihuahuan Desert Nature centers in Texas Protected areas of Jeff Davis County, Texas Education in Jeff Davis County, Texas Buildings and structures in Texas Greenhouses in the United States

See also

References

External links