Honoring Pueblo’s Environmental Heroes

It is time, once again, for us to ask for your help in identifying people and organizations who have made truly outstanding contributions to a better, healthier environment in this part of Colorado.

By helping us to identify our environmental heroes and by nominating one or more of them for one of the Nature & Raptor Center’s coveted awards, you will help to inspire and motivate others to join the critical effort to protect and nurture our vulnerable natural heritage.

Please review the awards options. Follow the instructions. Complete the forms fully, and include with your nomination sufficient relevant documentation to allow our Awards Committee to understand and appreciate the full extent of your nominees’ accomplishments.

You may nominate yourself. In fact, it is encouraged. Nominees must be willing and able to attend the Annual Earth Day Dinner on April 27th to be considered for an award. All documentation must be complete, accurate, and legible. The Committee will not be able to conduct its own research or pursue explanations of incomplete nominations or materials that are difficult to read.

With your help, the Annual Earth Day Dinner and Awards Ceremony will be a great success. Many thanks for your assistance. Earth Day Awards Page

 

Bioblitz at the Nature and Raptor Center

The Nature and Raptor Center of Pueblo is holding a Bioblitz: a 24 hour time period in which researchers for all types of flora and fauna are invited to survey the species found at the Nature and Raptor Center of Pueblo. The Center is located on 59 acres along the Arkansas River just west of Pueblo. The Bioblitz event will take place over the 24 hours of Saturday, May 17, 2014. The public is invited to join in and observe the research in action.

In this event, teams of volunteer scientists, families, students, teachers, and other community members work together to find and identify as many species of plants, animals, fungi, and other organisms as possible.

Goals Include

• Discover, count, map, and learn about the living creatures at the Nature Center.
• Provide scientists and the public an opportunity to do fieldwork together.
• Add to the Nature Center’s official species list.
• Highlight the importance of protecting biodiversity.
• Provide supporting information to enhance the environmental education programs that take place on site for thousands of school children each year.

The Bioblitz schedule includes: 6 am to 10 am Bird Banding with Professor Dr. Claire Ramos from CSU-Pueblo, Bird Survey from 7 to 9 am with James Little from the NRCP, Reptile Survey from 10 am to noon with Ed Schmal Conservation Biologist from Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Insect Survey from 10 am to noon with Professor Moussa M. Diawara, Ph.D. from CSU-Pueblo,
Botany Survey from 2 to 4 pm with Professor Brian Vanden Heuvel from CSU-Pueblo, and a
Bat survey from 8:30 to 11 pm with Ed Schmal from Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
For more information, contact the Nature Center at (719) 549-2414 or go online to
http://natureandraptor.org/

CSU-Pueblo President Releases Hawk to the Wild

Pueblo, Colorado March 8, 2014 - On Saturday, March 8th, Colorado State University- Pueblo President Lesley Di Mare released a rehabilitated Ferruginous Hawk to the wild at the Nature and Raptor Center of Pueblo. Dr. Di Mare won the honor of releasing a bird of prey as the highest bidder at the NRCP’s Annual Earth Day Dinner celebration. Dr. Di Mare was joined by family, friends and colleagues at the release.

The bird released was an immature Ferruginous Hawk. The bird was admitted to the NRCP’s Raptor Center in late August of 2013. The young bird had suffered an unknown collision resulting in a leg fracture. The bird was found in the yard of a private residence on the south side of Pueblo, CO.

The Nature and Raptor Center annually cares for more than 200 raptors, with the goal of returning these important birds of prey to our environment. Since 1981, more than 5000 raptors have been cared for from 46 Colorado Counties and seven surrounding states. For more information about the Nature and Raptor Center of Pueblo, call (719) 549-2414 or go to natureandraptor.org.

 

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Certified Interpretive Guide Workshop Offered

March 24-27, 2014 - The Nature and Raptor Center of Pueblo, in partnership with the National Association for Interpretation, is offering a professional certification course for individuals who will be delivering interpretive programs or having public contact at interpretive sites such as Nature Centers, Parks, and Museums. The Certified Interpretive Guide program is designed for anyone who delivers interpretive programs to the public. It combines both the theoretical foundations of the profession with practical skills in delivering quality interpretive programming to visitors. The Course will be held March 24-27, 2014 at the Nature and Raptor Center of Pueblo.

This 32-hour course includes: history, definition, and principles of interpretation, making your programs purposeful, enjoyable, relevant, organized, and thematic, using tangible objects to connect audiences to intangible ideas and universal concepts in interpretive programs, presentation and communication skills, Certification requirements (open book exam; program outline; 10-min. presentation), all materials, workbook, and CIG course textbook.

Requirements for the CIG Course: anyone age 16 or over with a desire to increase their knowledge and skills related to interpretation may participate. Membership in NAI is not required, but NAI members may pay a discounted fee to participate in the program. You can also elect to take the training without becoming certified. Registration including NAI membership and Certification as a Certified Interpretive Guide is $360 for the four day workshop and materials. Registration with no NAI membership or Certification is $230. Participants may bring their own sack lunch or eat lunch at the Coyote Grille restaurant on site. Light refreshments will be provided during breaks. Lodging arrangements will be made by the participants. Schedule is
Monday through Thursday 8 am to 5 pm, with an optional evening study hall. For more information call (719) 549-2345 or e-mail [email protected]. Nature and Raptor Center of Pueblo, PO Box 8295, Pueblo, Colorado

Weekly Bird Survey at the Nature and Raptor Center of Pueblo

January 13, 2014 - The Nature and Raptor Center of Pueblo is recruiting volunteers to assist with a weekly bird survey in 2014. The Nature Center property is located along the Arkansas River near Pueblo. The surveys are held on Saturday mornings from 8 to 10 am. The data set produced will be used to create a bird checklist for the Nature Center, assist with natural resource management, and provide an information resource for environmental education programs. There are eight stops on the survey that visit a variety of habitats at the Nature Center. Each season of the year brings different migratory birds to the Nature Center, in addition to the year-round resident birds. Beginning birders can participate with more experienced birders on the walk. Participants should dress for the weather, binoculars and a field guide recommended. A display board in the Nature Center office lists the species recorded each week throughout 2014. The survey for January 11th recorded 32 species of birds in the area. To register to volunteer, call (719) 549-2414.