photo: Constance Negley
What do rainwater, desert critters, adobe, solar energy and realtors have in common? Ask Skye Siegel, the founder of Desert Dwellers’ Centers (DDC), and she can tie them all together. All are common elements of our Sonoran Desert landscape, all are valuable resources in our shared natural environment and all play a role in the DDC vision.
“The Desert Dwellers’ mission is to connect residents with resources for desert-wise living,” says Siegel, “and DDC is the hub bringing all these resources and residents together.”
Skye’s enthusiasm and commitment is catching. Last fall, Tucson Audubon Society made it possible for DDC to apply for grants by becoming the group’s fiscal sponsor. DDC is considered an educational program of Audubon, and gladly receives guidance from their “big brother” organization.
A few months after getting Audubon’s blessing, Siegel – a realtor with local outfit Tierra Antigua – was able to rally community volunteers and fellow realtors to the cause. Tucson Association of Realtors granted DDC $2,500 to run their first program, “DDC on the Go!”
“Skye’s love for nature and desire to preserve it is inspiring,” says DDC advocate and green certified realtor Heather Spiess. “DDC helps motivate us to put our thoughts into motion. We hope this will be contagious and others will catch on and that together we can make a positive difference in our community.”
DDC on the Go! rolled out in March with a series of classes they are holding in various central Tucson locations. The introductory presentation is called “Your Tucson Home and Garden: What Every Desert Dweller Should Know,” and is a one-hour long session which hooks folks up with local, desert-wise resources and ideas they can put into practice to conserve water and energy, save money and strengthen property values.
Dates and locations for April: Wed, April 6, noon-1pm: Metropolitan Tucson Convention& Visitors’ Bureau, La Placita Village, 100 S. Church Ave.; Sat, April 9, 1:30pm-2:30pm: Prescott College Tucson Center, 2233 E. Speedway Blvd.; Wed, April 20, noon-1pm: Metro Title Agency of Arizona, 2502 E. River Rd.; Fri, April 29, 7pm-8pm: Realm Landscaping, 219 S. Olsen Ave.
Save yourself a space and RSVP with Skye at 429-7777 or visit DesertDwellersCenters.org.
