ARIZONA NATURAL HISTORY ASSOCIATION

Late in 1987, in response to U.S. Forest Service directives urging the expansion of interpretive activities, representatives of Coconino National Forest invited members of the Flagstaff, Arizona, community to consider forming a nonprofit cooperating association to promote the interpretation of Arizona's national forests. The response was positive, and in 1988 the Northern Arizona Natural History Association (NAHNA) was established with the intent of working with five Arizona national forests: Coconino, Kaibab, Prescott, Tonto, and Apache-Sitgreaves. We defined as our mission "to further the interpretation of the natural and cultural resources of the Southwest."

We formed our own association rather than affiliating with an existing interpretive association because we felt that by doing so we could better tap local talent and be more responsive to local concerns. Early efforts focused on opening book sales outlets. By October 1990 NANHA had grown to thirteen outlets in the five national forests. In addition, we assumed responsibility for public archaeology programs at Elden Pueblo, a prehistoric site in Flagstaff; and began assisting with short-term projects ranging from funding interpretive signs to sponsoring bat habitat and cave conservation efforts.

In 1991, we changed our name to Arizona Natural History Association (ANHA) to more accurately reflect our existing geographic boundaries and rededicated ourselves to helping our partners interpret the resources of the Southwest.