A New Discovery
The morning of June 20, 2026, is one Gary Alpert will always remember. It’s the day he and Bob Hoffa, Hart Prairie Preserve manager for The Nature Conservancy in Arizona, made a rare discovery.
They found a single larva of a bird blowfly, something never before documented at Hart Prairie Preserve. The species is known to affect mountain bluebirds, making the discovery both surprising and scientifically significant. Gary’s excitement is palpable. These are the moments scientists live for.
Seeing the World Through a Different Lens
Many people shy away from flies, ants and other insects. Not Gary. He’s here to give you a close-up look—and maybe even get you excited about bugs.
Insects are incredibly complex, playing a pivotal role in nature—from pollinating the food we eat to improving soil health. Without them, ecosystems and agriculture would collapse.
Gary’s passion for insects began in a class at Washington State University. His assignment was straightforward: set fly traps in the field, collect specimens and study them in the lab.
“I was blown away by all these large eyeballs looking back at me as I peered down the microscope,” Gary recalls. “It was fascinating to see this hidden world of tiny creatures—one that few people ever notice.”
That moment set him on a path to becoming a world-renowned entomologist. Today, Gary holds a Ph.D. from Harvard and has traveled across the country and around the world studying the small but essential organisms that form the foundation of life on Earth.
Connecting with TNC Arizona
Gary’s connection to The Nature Conservancy in Arizona began eight years ago, when former State Director Dan Campbell met him at a social event. What started as a conversation grew into a lasting friendship, grounded in a shared appreciation for Arizona’s landscapes.
Together, they explored some of the remarkable places TNC has helped protect—Kartchner Caverns as well as TNC’s Muleshoe Ranch and Ramsey Canyon Preserves—experiencing firsthand the diversity and beauty of the region.
Most recently, Gary partnered with TNC on a two-year biodiversity study at Hart Prairie Preserve—work that is uncovering new insights and helping answer long-standing ecological questions.
About Hart Prairie Preserve
Nestled at the base of the San Francisco Peaks and surrounded by thousands of acres of cool forest and open meadow, the 245-acre Hart Prairie Preserve is a place of quiet complexity and ecological surprise.
The preserve is home to uncommon wildflowers, mixed conifer and aspen forests, a rare grove of Bebb willows, herds of elk and deer, porcupines, badgers, more than 120 species of birds and more than 280 plant species.
Much of the conservation work here focuses on the Bebb willow community, among the largest known population in the world, and one found far outside the species’ typical range.
Key Takeaways
One of Gary’s most important takeaways from his research at Hart Prairie Preserve is growing evidence that the area may be a refugium—a place where species were able to persist through dramatic environmental changes, such as the Ice Age.
Clues to this story are all around. Bebb willows, for example, are typically found much farther north, from the upper Midwest into Canada. Their presence near Flagstaff is highly unusual—and part of what makes the preserve so ecologically significant.
Until recently, scientists didn’t know what pollinated these willows. Gary and his team discovered that small, often overlooked flies are responsible, highlighting how even the most inconspicuous species can play an essential role in sustaining entire ecosystems.
His research is also beginning to reveal the inner workings of these willows and how they persist in an environment far outside their expected range, offering new insight into how species adapt to changing conditions over time.
Together, these findings help scientists better understand not just what makes Hart Prairie unique, but why it matters. Places like this may hold critical clues for how ecosystems can survive—and even thrive—in the face of a changing climate.
“The closer we look, the more we realize how much we still have to learn,” Gary says. “Even the smallest discoveries can change the way we understand an entire ecosystem—and remind us why protecting places like Hart Prairie is so important.”
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