VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory Visitor Center|School field trip program guides and docents are needed to serve as hosts and conduct programs appropriate for school groups, youth and scouting organizations, senior citizen and civic groups at the US Department of Energy’s NREL Visitors Center, 15013 Denver West Parkway, Golden. For information, contact Ivilina Thornton at 303-384-6566 or e-mail ivilina_thornton@nrel.gov.
Science fair judges|Community Resources, Inc., which organizes science fairs, needs volunteers to judge science fairs this spring at Valverde Elementary School, McMeen Elementary School, Steele Elementary School and for the Denver Public Schools District Fair. For dates and information, call Debbie Turner, 303-782-0975 or e-mail Debbie_Turner@dpsk12.com.
Air and Space museum|Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum, 7711 E. Academy Blvd., needs volunteers to help at the admissions desk, museum store, and in the museum’s collection of artifacts. The museum’s hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from noon to 5 p.m. on Sundays. For information, call Matthew Burchette at 303-360-5360, ext. 103.
Zoo|The Denver 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, visit www.denverzoo.org or call 303-376-4894.
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 must complete required training. For information, call 303-697-3466 or visit www.dinoridge.org.
Science Museum|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. Also, volunteers are needed to help with the BODY WORLDS 2 exhibit. Call the Volunteer Services office for information, 303-370-6419.
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 them about nature. No experience is required. For information, call Sue Schafer at 303-468-3245.
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, 720-974-1868.
Wilderness environmental service programs|The Rocky Mountain Field Institute needs volunteers to complete alpine restoration projects this summer at Crestone Needle and South Colony Lakes Basin in the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness. Four-day programs will be offered July 8-11, Sept. 1-4, and Sept. 8-11. A seven-day “volunteer vacation” will be Aug. 20-26 and is run in conjunction with the American Hiking Society. For information, contact RMFI at 719-471-7736 or rmfibox@qwest.net.
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, visit www.thedas.org, or call 303-871-5172 for reservations.
ONGOING
Buggy story time|The Butterfly Pavilion, 6252 W. 104th Ave., Westminster, offers “Buggy Story Time” at 11:30 a.m. Wednesdays through April. The program includes buggy stories, a butterfly craft and an opportunity to meet invertebrates up close. Free with paid admission to the Butterfly Pavilion. For information, visit www.butterflies.org.
Earth Corps program|The Rocky Mountain Field Institute is offering 30-day fellowships programs between July 17 and August 15 to undergraduate students. Participants will live in remote wilderness settings and complete long hours of demanding physical labor. Students will receive $1000 and 4 hours of credit in geography from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. Application cost is $25. To apply, call RMFI, 719-471-7736 or e-mail rmfibox@qwest.net. Applications deadline is April 7, however, outstanding applicants will be awarded fellowships in advance of the deadline. Decisions will be announced by April 14.
Map and compass class|The US Geological Survey hosts a free map, compass and orienteering class at 1 p.m. Fridays in the map department at the Denver Flagship REI, 1416 Platte St. For information, call 303-756-3100.
The National Center for Atmospheric Research|NCAR’s 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. The visitor center has a climate exhibit, an eclipse telescope, working supercomputers, a gravity well, and hands on demonstrations of lightning, tornados and fluid dynamics. For information, call 303-497-1174 or visit www.ucar.edu.
Renewable energy|The US 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 the Children’s Workshop coordinators at 303-370-8225 or 303-370-8347.
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 various exhibits at the Visitor Center, and free nature programs and refuge tours. Call 303-289-0930 for times and reservations, or visit 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 visit www.rmna.org.
Nature programs|The Morrison Nature Center at Star K Ranch, 16002 E. Smith Road, Aurora, offers a variety of nature programs. For a list of events, call 303-739-2428 or visit www.auroragov.org.
Astronomy events|Fiske Planetarium, on the 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 I.D., and $3.50 for children and seniors. Saturday family shows are $5 adults, $3.50 children and seniors. Laser shows are $5. For more information, call 303-492-5002 or visit www.colorado.edu/fiske/.
MONDAY
Archaeology lecture|Danny Walker, Assistant State Archaeologist of Wyoming, will give a free talk about recent archaeology work at Old Fort Laramie at 7 p.m. in the Denver Museum of Nature & Science’s Ricketson Auditorium, 2001 Colorado Blvd. Enter through the west (Leprino Atrium) entrance. For information, call Red Couts at 303-752-4044 or visit http://home.att.net/~denver-cas/.
TUESDAY
Full moon walk|A walk through the 1887 sod village will be at 7:30 p.m. at Plains Conservation Center, 21901 E. Hampden Ave., Aurora. Take a jacket, water bottle and insect repellant. Cost is free for members, $5 nonmembers. In case of inclement weather, an indoor interpretive experience will be substituted. To register, call 303-696-3621.
Space program|South Suburban Parks and Recreation is offering a program with a Jet Propulsion Lab Solar System Ambassador from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at South Platte Park, 3000 W. Carson Drive. View stars through a telescope and see digital images from missions to Mars and Jupiter. Cost is $9 adults, $7 youth ($6 adults, $5 youth District rate). For information, call 303-347-5999.
WEDNESDAY
Green marketing program|”Marketing the Green Thing,” a program by AJ Grant, who works in environmental marketing with clients such as Good Housekeeping, Deja Shoe, Celestial Seasonings and others, will be at 11:30 a.m. at East Boulder Recreation Center, Senior Center, 5660 Sioux Drive. Cost is free for Boulder Green Building Guild members, $10 nonmembers, $5 students. To register, visit www.bgbg.org/event_registration031506.php.
THURSDAY
Colorado Scientific Society meeting|”Last Crustaceous Subsidence in Wyoming,” will be the topic discussed by Dag Nummedal of the Colorado Energy Research Institute, Colorado School of Mines, at 7 p.m. at American Mountaineering Center, 710 10th St., Golden. For information, visit www.coloscisoc.org/.
Astronomy program|South Suburban Parks and Recreation is offering a program on constellations and stars at 8 p.m. at South Platte Park, 3000 W. Carson Drive. Cost is $9 adults, $7 youth ($6 adults, $5 youth District rate). For information, call 303-347-5999.
Kids nature program|”Critter Tales: The LUCK of Nature,” a naturalist-led program for children ages 3-6 (with a parent), will be at 10 a.m. at the Visitor Center in Castlewood Canyon State Park, 2989 S. Highway 83, Franktown. To register, call 303-688-5242. A $5 daily State Parks pass is required for all vehicles entering the park.
Astronomy program|”Astronomy of the Ancient Pueblos,” a talk by Kim Malville of the University of Colorado, will be at 7:30 p.m. at the Fiske Planetarium on the CU Boulder campus. The program will be repeated at 7:30 p.m. Friday. Cost is $6 adult, $5 student with valid ID, $3.50 child/senior. For information, visit http://fiske.colorado.edu or call 303-492-5001.
SATURDAY
Xeriscaping program|South Suburban Parks and Recreation is having a program with a professional horticultural designer on xeriscaping at 1 p.m. at South Platte Park, 3000 W. Carson Drive. Cost is $9 ($6 District rate). For information, call 303-347-5999.
Preservation area hike|A park naturalist will lead a hike in the East Canyon Preservation Area at Castlewood Canyon State Park, 2989 S. Highway 83, Franktown. The preservation area is accessible only on naturalist-led hikes. Meet at the park’s Visitor Center at 1:30 p.m. A $5 daily State Parks pass is required for all vehicles entering the park. To register, call 303-688-5242.
Zoo serpent festival|The Denver Zoo, 2300 Steele St., is having its first annual “St. Patrick’s Day Serpent Festival,” from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today and March 19, with live animal demonstrations, snake skeletons and more. Activities are free with zoo admission.
Prairie dog program|A free program on prairie dogs will be at 10 a.m. at Morrison Nature Center at Star K Ranch, 16002 E. Smith Road, Aurora. For information, call 303-739-2428 or visit www.auroragov.org.
“Saturday Physics Series” program|”Evolution, Intelligent Design, Creationism and Physics,” a free talk by assistant Professor Jamie Nagle of the University of Colorado, Boulder, will be at 2 p.m. in Duane Physics room G1B30 on the CU Boulder campus. For information, call 303-492-4318.
March 19
Duck program|”Duck Butts Tell Tales,” a program on identifying ducks, will be at 2 p.m. at South Platte Park, 3000 W. Carson Drive. Cost is $9 adults, $5 youth ($6 adults, $4 youth District rate). For information, call 303-347-5999.
Zoo “wild walks”|The Denver Zoo, 2300 Steele St., offers “Wild Walks,” hourly from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The tours showcase Tropical Discovery and are free with zoo admission.
Air program and hike|Ranger Jim Looney will discuss air and oxygen and lead a hike in Castlewood Canyon State Park, 2989 S. Highway 83, Franktown. Meet at 11 a.m. at the park’s Visitor Center. To register, call 303-688-5242. A $5 daily State Parks pass is required for all vehicles entering the park.
To publicize upcoming events geared toward and open to the public, please mail 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.
