The Highlands Center for Natural History Held Groundbreaking Event for Susie Percy Badger’s Rest

Photo: Artist rendering of the Susie Percy Badger’s Rest building

This past weekend The Highlands Center for Natural History held an incredible groundbreaking event for our new building, Susie Percy Badger’s Rest. This building will be located behind the James Learning Center and serve as a multi-use space for everything from Peace in the Pines to Early Childhood programs.

We are thrilled to have Haley Construction Company as the builders (they built the James Learning Center!) and work with Michael Taylor as the architect.

Photo: Artist rendering of the building’s interior

One of our founders, Faith Roelofs, helped us begin turning this dream into a reality by providing the lead gift. The family of Susie Percy has contributed the principal gift, furthering our progress.

Susie Percy was trained as a botanist and forester, she worked for the Forest Service and volunteered at wildlife centers, though credentials mattered less to her than the butterflies, geodes, and bear grass she loved.

A Certified Arizona Master Naturalist and Certified Master Gardener, she volunteered twelve years at the Highlands Center, where she founded and ran Arthropalooza, now one of its signature annual events. A life-long educator, she taught children about water bugs, spoke on fungus and wildlife safety, and hand-watered trees through drought.