Saturday, a cold windy overcast February day, finds eight of us hiking along the upper Verde River. Now is the brown season—the green season begins in May—and it is beautiful.

Four juvenile and two mature eagles are circling. A red-tail hawk cries and flees; native fish flash for cover. On a quiet terrace overlooking the river, we discover a rock art panel and an ancient campsite where Apache and Yavapai people once lived in harmony with the seasonal rhythms.

New Zealanders live amidst an incredibly benevolent eco-system, a land of trees with ancient lineages, native forests that grow in a spirit of deep cooperation, flowers that are pollinated as much by butterflies and moths as bees.

The Nature Conservancy’s Hassayampa River Preserve is hosting a nature festival on Saturday, April 17 from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Participants will be able to touch a nonvenomous snake and go eye-to-eye with a live bird of prey and other wildlife. Other activities include four hourly docent-led walks will be held along the shaded trails and nature-based craft activities for children.

Arizona has passed legislation requiring boaters to follow “clean, drain and dry” practices as a part of responsible boating at lakes known to have quagga mussels.  Quagga mussels were first discovered in Arizona waters in Lake Mead in January 2007. A single adult quagga mussel can produce a half-million larvae in a single year. Since being introduced at Mead, likely from being accidentally transported on a boat put into the lake, these prolific invaders have spread rapidly.