SAGUARO NATIONAL PARK

CAROLYN HARPER LOVES the diversity of Saguaro National Park, which rises from classic Sonoran Desert to forested peaks. But the Phoenix native came to the park particularly for the desert. Harper, a next-generation ranger, enjoys educating people while getting their hands dirty, which is why she loves her work on this year’s centennial saguaro survey. Tohono O’odham tribal members consider the famously anthropomorphic cactuses to be their ancestors, and, like people, the cactuses are counted in a census every 10 years to monitor the health of the population. This year’s off-schedule census allows citizen scientists, who focus on establishment of young saguaros, to join park staff in research during the Park Service’s 100th birthday celebration. The census has taken Harper to some special areas of the park, such as the King Canyon Trail, a quiet place filled with chattering Gambel’s quail and early-spring poppies. “It’s just a really wonderful place to experience the desert as it is,” she says.