San Juan National Forest

Conservation Education:
Creating Natural Connections

The San Juan Conservation Education Program works within our mountain communities to provide a wide variety of educational and interpretive experiences for families, visitors, teachers, and students. We are a partner in ANCRE – the Alliance for Natural and Cultural Resources Education. ANCRE works with all agencies and nonprofits, promoting conservation education events of southwest Colorado.

This is a list of ongoing programs. For updated information, dates, locations, and contact information for each program, please visit the searchable Alliance for Natural and Cultural Resources Web site at www.ancre.org. Read the ANCRE News, Spring 2004 quarterly newsletter [PDF, 4 pages, 68 KB].

For general questions, contact Gabi Morey at gabi@sjma.org.

• Classroom Visits are available on a variety of topics. Activities are designed to be age-appropriate, hands-on, and interactive.
  
  
• Field Trips to Public Lands offer a chance to get out and explore, as well as lessons for areas schools. Topics focus on trees, wildlife, fire, and exploration.
  
  
• Fire Month and Summer Fire Tours provide opportunities to find out more about the Missionary Ridge burn area, fire ecology, rehabilitation efforts, and how to reduce wildfire risk.
  
  
• Weed Tours provide invasive species education and identification.
  
  
• Service-Learning programs connect learning with hands-on, meaningful service. This program focuses on developing personal stewardship values and student-driven projects to reflect those values.
  
  
• Mountain EDVentures invite participants to attend guided naturalist hikes and family events at Durango Mountain Resort.
  
  
• Forest Keepers is a self-guided junior ranger program, for kids ages four to twelve. Free workbooks can be picked up at any San Juan Public Lands office, and local visitor centers. Activities are divided into age groups. Decorate a pot; watch wildlife; solve History Mysteries; do Nature Sketches; Be a Tree, and more. Forest Keepers receive a pin. View an abridged version of the Forest Keepers workbook [PDF, 4 pgs, 1871 KB].
  
  
• Senior Rangers is a self-guided exploration of public lands for retired visitors. Free workbooks are available at all offices and throughout the area. Senior Rangers receive a butterfly pin.
  
  
• Full Moon Hikes are a unique interpretive experience. Enjoy public land by taking a walk under the night sky.
  
  
• Rail Rangers are trained volunteers that ride the Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, answering questions about forest history, flora and fauna, fire information, and multiple-use management.
  
  
• Teacher Workshops are offered throughout the year, on many topics, both for credit and noncredit. Teacher workshops offered in previous years include Project Wet, Wild, and Learning Tree, Project Archaeology, Okay Outside, Nature Speaks, and Exploring Nature conferences.
  
• Special Events happen throughout the year, including Earth Day, Arbor Day, National Fishing Week, and the Water Festivals.
  
• The Teacher-in-Residence program offers teachers an opportunity to live in the Aspen Guard Station while completing educational projects for San Juan Public Lands.
  
• Resources to Check Out for teachers include the Wilderness Box, Tree Trunks, the Fossil Box, videos, and a lending library.

Pagosa Springs Ranger District

District personnel, partners and volunteers provide walks, talks, tours, and special events on the San Juan National Forest in the Pagosa Springs area. All events are free. For information on upcoming events, see our calendar.

San Juan Mountains Association

This nonprofit group helps develop effective partnerships between local communities and the federal land-management agencies.

The mission of the SJMA is to enhance personal and community stewardship of natural, cultural, and heritage resources on public and other land in southwest Colorado, through education, interpretation, information, and participation.

The San Juan String Band

Members of the San Juan String Band have combined their passion for the environment with their love of music, to provide conservation education and environmental awareness messages for the public.

Smokey Bear and Woodsy Owl at your service!

Adobe Reader is needed to view the PDF files on this page

Just for Kids