VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
University student mentors needed|The International Center for Appropriate and Sustainable Technology, a Golden-based nonprofit, needs volunteers with technical or business expertise to mentor university students on local projects. For information, e-mail info@ic-ast.org or go to www.ic-ast.org.
Xeriscape garden|Volunteers are needed to work in the Aurora Xeriscape Demonstration Garden, 15151 E. Alameda Parkway. For information, call Abby Schreiber at 303-739-7356 or e-mail aschreib@auroragov.org.
Denver Zoo|The zoo, 2300 Steele St., needs volunteers to assist with special events, to assist zookeepers and to work in the zoo’s membership, education and administration departments. For information, go to www.denverzoo.org or call 303-376-4894.
TWICE WEEKLY
Telescope viewing|Chamberlin Observatory, 2930 E. Warren Ave., on the University of Denver campus, has astronomy presentations and allows use of the 20-inch Alvan Clark refractor telescope beginning at 7 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. For information, go to www.thedas.org, or call 303-281-9052 for reservations.
ONGOING
Renewable energy|The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory Visitors Center, 15013 Denver West Parkway, Golden, is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. The Visitors Center features an interactive exhibit hall and DOE public reading room. For information, go to www.nrel.gov/visitors_center or call 303-384-6565.
Children’s workshops|The Denver Museum of Nature & Science, 2001 Colorado Blvd., has many children’s workshops and events for children in kindergarten through sixth grade. For a complete list, call 303-370-8225 or 303-370-8347.
Kids’ wildlife activities|The Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory at Barr Lake near Brighton is having weekly programs in June and July to introduce children to wildlife and nature in an interactive learning environment. For information, call Amanda Morrison at 303-659-4348 or e-mail Amanda.Morrison@rmbo.org.
Nature activities|South Suburban Parks and Recreation naturalists lead many outdoor, nature and environmentally related activities and events at Carson Nature Center, 3000 W. Carson Drive, Littleton. For a list of events, go to www.sspr.org or call 303-730-1022.
Wildlife refuge programs|The Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, East 56th Avenue at Havana Street, is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. There are exhibits at the Visitor Center and free nature programs and refuge tours. Call 303-289-0930 or go to rockymountainarsenal.fws.gov.
Rocky Mountain Field Seminars|The Rocky Mountain Nature Association offers a wide variety of seminars on topics including ecology, archaeology, birdwatching, natural history and outdoor skills and also has seminars geared toward children. For information and a full listing of seminars, go to www.rmna.org or call 970-586-3262 or 800-748-7002.
Kids’ nature programs|The Morrison Nature Center at Star K Ranch, 16002 E. Smith Road, Aurora, offers a variety of nature programs for kids. For a full list of events, call 303-739-2428 or go to www.auroragov.org.
Mesa Laboratory programs|The Mesa Lab, a working research laboratory at the west end of Table Mesa Drive in Boulder, has a free visitor center that is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekends. Free guided tours are offered at noon daily throughout the summer. The visitor center has a climate exhibit, an eclipse telescope, working supercomputers, a gravity well and hands-on demonstrations of lightning, tornadoes and fluid dynamics. For information, call 3303-497-1174 or go to www.ucar.edu.
Astronomy events|Fiske Planetarium, on the University of Colorado at Boulder campus, has a variety of astronomy shows, talks and family matinees. The evening talks and shows are $6 adults, $5 students with valid ID, and $3.50 children and seniors. Saturday family shows are $5 adults, and $3.50 children and seniors. Laser shows are $5. For information, call 303-492-5002 or go to www.colorado.edu/fiske.
TODAY
Birdwatching event|A free guided birdwatching excursion will be at 8 a.m. at the Audubon Center at Chatfield, south on South Wadsworth Boulevard from C-470 to Waterton Road. For information, call 303-973-9530.
TUESDAY
Wildflower walk|Suzi Martineau of the University of Colorado will lead a slow hike at 5:30 p.m. and discuss identifying wildflowers. Meet at the Fairview High School parking lot on Greenbriar Boulevard in Boulder to carpool to the trail head in Boulder’s Shanahan Ridge Area.
THURSDAY
Renewable energy conference|The Colorado Renewable Energy Society is having its eighth annual Colorado Renewable Energy Conference – “Renewable Energy: Power for Sustainable Communities,” Thursday through Saturday at the Lincoln Center, 417 W. Magnolia St., Fort Collins. The conference will feature exhibits, educational sessions and hands-on workshops. A keynote address will be in the evening Friday. For information, call 303-806-5317 or go to www.cres-energy.org/crec2005.
Denver Geophysical Society lunch meeting|”Low Impact Seismic Exploration,” a presentation by Stuart Wright of Dawson Geophysical Co., will be at 11:30 a.m. at Wynkoop Brewing Co., 1634 18th St. Lunch is served at 11:15 a.m. Cost is $19 members, $26 nonmembers, $3 meeting only. To register, call 303-757-2942.
FRIDAY
Map, compass and GPS classes|A free map and compass class will be at 9 a.m. at the U.S. Geological Survey map-sales building (No. 810) at the Denver Federal Center, South
Kipling Street and West Alameda Avenue, Lakewood. The free GPS class is at noon at the same location. For reservations, call 303-202-4640.
Colorado Outdoor Recreation Resource Project meeting|The CORRP June meeting will be at 7:30 a.m. at the REI Flagship Store, 1416 Platte St. (enter through Starbucks). The moderator will be Roz McClellan of the Rocky Mountain Recreation Initiative, the meeting host will be Colorado Water Conservation Board, and the topic will be “Funding Outdoor Recreation in Colorado’s National Forests.” For information, call 303-756-3100.
SATURDAY
Community weeding day|The Community Weed Awareness campaign will be having a Community Weed Day from 8 to 11 a.m. around Evergreen Lake. Meet at the Evergreen Lake House, 29614 Upper Bear Creek Road, for snacks and instructions. For information, e-mail Betsy Kelson at bkelson@ix.netcom.com or call 303-674-7236.
Volunteer weeding day|Ranger Mitch Martin and volunteer naturalist Linda Pohle will discuss weed identification before helping volunteers to remove noxious weeds from Castlewood Canyon State Park, 2989 S. Colorado 83, Franktown. Meet at 9 a.m. at the Visitor Center. A $5 daily State Parks pass is required for all vehicles entering the park. To register, call 303-688-5242.
Denver Field Ornithologist trip|DFO leader Raymond Davis will lead a birdwatching excursion in the Lyons area. Meet at 8:30 a.m. at the RTD Lyons park-n-Ride south of the stoplight on Highway 66 in Lyons. Bring a lunch and water. For information, call 303-823-5332.
Guided hikes|Interpreter Ron Claussen will lead a hike in Castlewood Canyon State Park’s East Canyon Preservation Area, which is only accessible on naturalist-led hikes. Meet at 9:30 a.m. at the park’s Visitor Center, 2989 S. Colorado 83, Franktown. Bring binoculars and a walking stick, and wear older footwear. At 11 a.m., there will be a “family fun hike” to the remains of the historic Castlewood Canyon Dam. Meet at the Canyon Point parking lot information kiosk. A $5 daily State Parks pass is required for all vehicles entering the park. To register, call 303-688-5242.
Native plants and wildflowers festival|A native plants and wildflowers festival will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 11 and 12 at the Lookout Mountain Nature Center. (From Interstate 70, take exit 256, then follow the brown signs to the preserve.) The festival will feature information on Colorado’s weeds, ways to incorporate low-water plants into your home landscaping, guided tours of native gardens and trails, and activities for adults and children. For information, call 303-526-0594 or go to openspace.co.jefferson.co.us.
Audubon Society of Greater Denver event|A birdwatching excursion in the Sand Creek Regional Greenway will be at 8 a.m. at the Bluff Lake Nature Center, East 30th Avenue and Moline Street. Cost is $8 Friends of Audubon members, $10 nonmembers. To register, call 303-973-9530.
Geologist-led hike|U.S. Geological Survey geologist Pete Modreski will lead a field trip for the Colorado Scientific Society in south Platte County, the White Cloud Pegmatite and the 1996 Buffalo Creek fire and flood area. Cost is $8. For meeting location and to register, call 303-202-4766 or e-mail pmodrewski@usgs.gov.
JUNE 12
Denver Field Ornithologists trip|DFO leader Dick Pratt will lead a birdwatching excursion in the Pawnee Grassland. Meet at 7:30 a.m. at the RTD park-n-Ride on the southeast corner of Interstate 25 and Colorado 119. Bring a lunch and water. For information, call 303-651-6860.
Museum free day|Admission to the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, 2001 Colorado Blvd., will be free from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for Colorado residents with proof of residency. Separate admission fees to Phipps IMAX Theater and Gates Planetarium remain in effect. A scavenger hunt begins on the bridge on Level 2 between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. For information, call 303-322-7009 or 800-925-2250 or go to www.dmns.org.
To publicize upcoming events geared toward and open to the public, please mail complete details at least two weeks in advance to Scientifically Speaking, The Denver Post, City Desk, 1560 Broadway, Denver, CO 80202, or e-mail to Scispeak@denverpost.com.
