VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Student mentors |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.
Dinosaur Ridge|Volunteer tour guides are needed to teach people about the paleontological, geological and natural resources and history of Dinosaur Ridge. Applicants must be 18 or older and complete required training. For information, call 303-697-3466 or go to www.dinoridge.org.
Denver Museum of Nature & Science|The museum, 2001 Colorado Blvd., needs volunteers to work with visitors in its diorama halls, galleries and activity areas. Also needed are volunteers to be guides, interpreters, collections assistants and classroom prep assistants. Call 303-370-6419.
Bluff Lake Nature Center|The nature center, East 30th Avenue and Moline Street, needs volunteer naturalists to work with kids, using games, science experiments and hands-on activities to teach them about nature. No experience is required. For information, call Sue Schafer at 303-468-3245.
Rocky Mountain Field Institute|Volunteers are needed for multi-day environmental service programs focusing on repairs and trail restoration at Crestone Needle and South Colony Lakes Basin in the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness. The programs will include education on the ecology and natural history of the area. Food and most outdoor equipment will be provided. Register at least two weeks in advance to 719-471-7736 or rmfibox@qwest.net.
Plains Conservation Center|The Plains Conservation Center, 21901 E. Hampden Ave., Aurora, needs volunteer “citizen scientists” to work with naturalists gathering, compiling and mapping information about prairie residents. Survey work will take place on the first Saturday of each month. Training is provided. To register, e-mail Fran Blanchard at
fblanchard@plainscenter.org or call 303-693-3621.
Butterfly Pavilion|The Butterfly Pavilion, 6252 W. 104th Ave., Westminster, needs volunteers to work with visitors and to help in its tropical butterfly conservatory, tide pool, touch cart and garden areas. Go to www.butterflies.org or call Kris Desmarais at 720-974-1868.
TWICE WEEKLY
Telescope viewing|Chamberlin Observatory, 2930 E. Warren Ave., 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
Mesa Laboratory|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 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekends. Free, guided noontime tours are offered 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 303-497-1174 or go to www.ucar.edu.
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 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 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 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. There are various exhibits at the Visitor Center and free nature programs and refuge tours. Call 303-289-0930 for times and reservations, or go to http://rockymountainarsenal.fws.gov.
Natural history seminars|The Rocky Mountain Nature Association offers a series of outdoor seminars on natural history topics in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado state parks and other locations. For information, call 800-748-7002 or go to www.rmna.org.
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.
Kids’ dinosaur programs|The Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center, 201 S. Fairview St., Woodland Park, has summer dinosaur classes for kids in kindergarten through fifth grade. For prices and registration information, call 719-686-1820.
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 I.D., 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
Deep Impact viewing|Fiske Planetarium, on the University of Colorado at Boulder campus, will be open to the public at 11 p.m. for viewing of NASA’s Deep Impact spacecraft slamming into a comet millions of miles from Earth. The planetarium will be tuned into NASA TV, which will be broadcasting live images of the collision. For information, call 303-492-5002 or go to www.colorado.edu/fiske.
Deep Impact viewing|The Denver Museum of Nature & Science, 2001 Colorado Blvd., is having an event with live coverage and interpretation of NASA’s Deep Impact spacecraft crashing into comet Temple I from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Other activities include late-night telescope viewing, comet and impact demonstrations and a lecture about comets. Cost is $7 member, $10 nonmember, $5 children/students. For information, call 303-322-7009, TTY 303-370-8257 or 800-925-2250.
MONDAY
Planetarium party|”Deep Impact Crash Party,” an event with food, giveaways, hands-on activities and images of comet Temple I streamed live from NASA TV, will be from 9 a.m. to noon in the Fiske Planetarium Lobby on the University of Colorado at Boulder campus. For information, call 303-492-5002 or go to www.colorado.edu/fiske.
THURSDAY
Visitors Center Power Lunch Lecture|”Quantum Dots – The Science and Applications of Third Generation Photovoltaics,” a presentation, will be from noon to 1 p.m. at the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory Visitors Center, 15013 Denver West Parkway. To register, call 303-384-6565. For information, go to www.nrel.gov/visitors_center.
FRIDAY
Naturalist-guided seminar|Naturalist educator Chase Davies will give a one-day seminar, “This Blooming Tundra,” exploring the challenges plants and animals face living in the alpine environment in Rocky Mountain National Park. Call 800-748-7002 or go to www.rmna.org.
SATURDAY
Astronomy program|”Beginners’ Guide to the Night Sky,” an event led by Lookout Mountain Nature Center for individuals and families with children 10 and older, will be at 8:30 p.m. at Pine Valley Ranch Park. (From U.S. 285 at Pine Junction, turn southeast on Pine Valley Road. Continue 5.8 miles toward the town of Pine, then follow the signs to the park.) To register, call 303-526-0594.
Landscapes seminar|”Reading Landscapes of Rocky,” a one-day seminar studying the history behind the vistas of Rocky Mountain National Park, will be taught by University of Colorado professor David Armstrong. Call 800-478-7002 or go to www.rmna.org.
Mill Creek seminar|”Exploring Mill Creek,” a one-day seminar exploring the plants and wildlife found in the several montane habitats of Hollowell Park in Rocky Mountain National Park, will be taught by naturalist educator Chase Davies. Call 800-748-7002 or go to www.rmna.org.
Tundra seminar|”The Alpine Tundra of Mount Evans,” a one-day seminar focusing on the plants and animals that live on the tundra and how they survive, will be taught by Kevin J. Cook, full-time freelance naturalist, writer and teacher. Call 800-748-7002 or go to www.rmna.org.
JULY 10
Naturalist-guided seminar|”Old Fall River Road – To the Top,” a one-day seminar in Rocky Mountain National Park, will be led by naturalist educator Chase Davies. Call 800-748-7002 or go to www.rmna.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.
