VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
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.
Dinosaur Ridge|Volunteer tour guides are needed to teach people about the paleontological, geological, natural resources and history of Dinosaur Ridge. Applicants must be at least 18 and complete required training. Call 303-697-3466 or visit www.dinoridge.org.
Denver Museum of Nature & Science|The Denver Museum of Nature & Science, 2001 Colorado Blvd., needs volunteers to work with visitors in the museum’s 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|Bluff Lake 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 kids 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 restoring trails at Crestone Needle and South Colony Lakes Basin in the Sange de Cristo Wilderness. The programs will include education on the ecology and natural history of the area. Food and most equipment will be provided. Register at least two weeks ahead by calling 719-471-7736 or e-mail rmfibox@qwest.net.
Plains Conservation Center|The Plains Conservation Center, 21901 E. Hampden Ave., Aurora, needs volunteer “citizen scientists” to work with PCC 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. For information, visit 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, visit 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 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekends. Free, guided noon-time 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 3303-497-1174 or visit 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. Monday through Friday. The visitors center features an interactive exhibit hall and DOE public reading room. For information, visit 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 in 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, visit 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 visit 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 visit 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 children. For a list of events, call 303-739-2428 or visit www.auroragov.org.
Children’s dinosaur programs|The Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center, 201 S. Fairview St., Woodland Park, has summer dinosaur classes for kids in grades K-5. For information, call 719-686-1820.
Astronomy events|Fiske Planetarium, University of Colorado 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 for children and seniors. Saturday family shows are $5 adults, $3.50 children and seniors. Laser shows are $5. For information, call 303-492-5002 or visit www.colorado.edu/fiske/.
TODAY
UFO sightings presentation|John Schuessler, director of the Mutual UFO Network, investigates UFO sightings, collects data and promotes research. He will give a presentation on UFO sightings in Colorado at 2 p.m. at the Aurora History Museum, 15051 E. Alameda Pkwy. For information, call 303-739-6666 or www.auroramuseum.org.
Flood seminar|”The Legacy of the Lawn Lake Flood,” a one-day seminar focusing on visiting sites and studying the results of the 1982 flood in Rocky Mountain National Park, will be taught by naturalist educator Chase Davies. Call 800-748-7002 or visit www.rmna.org.
Bat hike|Ranger and naturalist Burton Stoner will discuss bats and lead a hike up the Mesa Trail to a bat gathering spot at 7 p.m. For ages 8 and up. Cost is $20 for Denver Museum of Nature & Science member, $25 nonmember, $12 children 8-12. Call 303-322-7009, TTY 303-370-8257, or 800-925-2250.
Botanists seminar|”In the Footsteps of Discoverers: Botanists,” a seminar studying plants in Rocky Mountain National Park, emphasizing the lives of botanists whose names they bear, will be taught by Kevin J. Cook, a naturalist, writer and teacher. For information, call 800-748-7002 or visit www.rmna.org.
TUESDAY
Fossil talk|”Fossil Legends of the First Americans,” a talk by author Adrienne Mayor, will be at 7 p.m. in the Denver Museum of Nature & Science’s Ricketson Auditorium, 2001 Colorado Blvd. Cost is $12 member, $15 nonmember. For information, call 303-322-7009, TTY 303-370-8257, or 800-925-2250.
WEDNESDAY
Bristlecone Pine talk|A free lecture on the natural history of the Bristlecone Pine tree will be at 7 p.m. at the American Mountaineering Center, 710 10th St., Golden. A field course in conjunction with the lecture will be Saturday at Mount Goliath. Cost is $15 for Colorado Mountain Club members, $25 nonmembers. To register, visit www.cmc.org or call 303-279-3080, ext. 2.
THURSDAY
Moon talk|City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks Volunteer Naturalist Rebecca B. Weiss, will discuss “How the Moon Affects Earth,” from 8 to 10 a.m. at Sawhill Ponds, on the west side of 75th Street, 0.6 miles north of Valmont Road. For ages 12 and up. For information, visit www.osmp.org.
Solar system presentation|”The Grand Tour,” a presentation by artist, scientist and author William K. Hartmann, will be at 7 p.m. in the Denver Museum of Nature & Science’s Ricketson Auditorium, 2001 Colorado Blvd. Cost is $12 member, $15 nonmember. For information, call 303-322-7009, TTY 303-370-8257, or 800-925-2250.
Guided birdwalk|Norm Lewis, research associate in the zoology department at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, will lead a birdwatching excursion from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. in Waterton Canyon and Chatfield State Park. Cost is $22 DMNS member, $27 nonmember. For information, call 303-322-7009, TTY 303-370-8257, or 800-925-2250.
FRIDAY
Junior astronomers event|Lookout Mountain Nature Center is having a “junior astronomers” event for children ages 6-10 (with an adult) at South Valley Park. Meet at the park at 8:30 p.m. (From the metro area, travel south on C-470 and exit westbound on Ken Caryl Avenue. Turn left onto South Valley Road to the park’s north parking area.) For reservations, call 303-526-0594.
SATURDAY
Butterflies presentation|City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks ranger supervisor Steve Armstead will discuss identifying butterflies, their behaviors, and the role butterflies play in the “web of life” found in OSMP. Take binoculars and field guides. For information, call 303-441-3440.
Kawuneeche Valley seminar|”Day with a Naturalist along the Colorado River,” a one-day seminar exploring the flora and fauna of the Kawuneeche Valley in Rocky Mountain National Park, will be led by naturalist, writer and educator Kevin J. Cook. For information, call 800-748-7002 or visit www.rmna.org. Riparian Health seminar|”Through the Eyes of a Dipper: Riparian Health,” a one-day seminar exploring Rocky Mountain National Park stream ecosystems to determine their ability to support native aquatic life, will be taught by Delia Malone, a biologist, ecologist and educator. For prices and registration, call 800-748-7002 or visit www.rmna.org. Snake presentation|City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks naturalist Julie Ireland will lead a hike and discuss snake stories and myths. Meet at 9:30 a.m. at the Chautauqua Ranger Cottage, 900 Baseline Road. For information, visitwww.osmp.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.
