Very near the epicenter of the campus of Scottsdale Community College, nestled between the Health Sciences building and Computer & Mathematics, sit two rectangular-shaped buildings—conspicuous in their woodenness—adorned with the letters CNUW.
The Center for Native and Urban Wildlife is part of the biology department, according to Natalie Case, who directs education and outreach for the center.
Case told Northeast Valley News that the center was established over 20 years ago, as a resource to give students out-of-the-classroom experiences.
She says the nature center “Toad Hall” features around 50 species of native animals on display. Additionally, there are outdoor wildlife demonstration gardens which include two endangered plant species as well as a pond which houses two endangered fish species. The center also maintains an enclosed desert reptile pavilion near the Art building.
Case stressed the center’s goal of introducing students as well as the general public to animals that are native to the Sonoran Desert.
“If people don’t know that these animals even exist, they won’t care that they are disappearing, that they are losing their desert,” Case said. “So we want people to learn about them, to fall in love with them, and then to help participate in preserving them.”
The center serves students in a variety of ways, from offering an opportunity to help care for the animals, to work/study positions, biology internships and special project credits.
The Center is currently gearing up for a September “Bio Blitz” at Gilbert Riparian Preserve, where volunteers will help catalogue the wildlife living at the park using a phone app.
Later in the fall, the Center will hold a Monarch Festival on campus.
Students can also get involved by going on guided nature walks (which generally includes a peek at their famous burrowing owl colony) and participating in various service learning projects which are sponsored by the Center.
Ian Berlin was considering engineering or maybe CIS, but settled on Biology after touring the nature center and volunteering to help take care of the animals.
“Just drop on by,” Berlin said. “If you just walk up and knock on the door you’ll be able to come in and see what’s going on here.”
Case urged interested individuals to check the center’s website for information on upcoming events like the fall plant sale and open house hours for Toad Hall.
