P.O. Box 9469
82 East Beaver Creek Blvd.,
Suite 202
Avon, CO 81620

- EMAIL US -
970-827-9725 - fax 970-827-9730

NATURAL SCIENCE COURSES

Understand! Get Involved!
Our Field School Curriculum caters to a diversity of interests and is designed as a progression that takes you from novice to master. Choose courses of interest, or follow our curriculum guidelines to earn your Master Naturalist Certification.

Course Level Descriptions

Basic: For nature enthusiasts eager to learn a new skill, or for anyone seeking to refresh their naturalist skills

Classic: For nature enthusiasts seeking a more in depth study of a particular subject

Master: For experienced nature enthusiasts keen on continuing education or conservation-related projects

Categories
Birds
Wildflowers
Wildlife
Ecology

BIRDS

Basic

Fledgling Birders
DATES: Wednesday, June 18  
TIME: 8:00 - 11:30 am  
COST: $30
INSTRUCTOR: Tom Weisen
LOCATION: Grouse Creek Trailhead

Learn the elements of birding and take flight! We’ll cover bird habitat, key identifying characteristics, and tips for when and where to find local species as we explore the banks of Grouse Creek – an ideal setting for spotting the abundant, local favorites. Binoculars provided, or bring your own.

Activity Level 1

CLASSIC

Pursuit of the Ptarmigan
DATES: Wednesday, July 30  
TIME: 8:00 am - 2:00 pm  
COST: $50
INSTRUCTOR: Joyce Gellhorn
LOCATION: Uneva Peak - Meet at Vail Pass

Join the author of White Tailed Ptarmigan: Ghosts of the Alpine Tundra, for an enchanting hike above tree-line. You’ll learn about alpine ecology while looking for ptarmigan, the only bird adapted to spend its entire life in the alpine zone.

Activity Level 2-3

MASTER

Black Swifts in the Cliffs
DATES: Wednesday, August 6  
TIME: 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm  
COST: $30
INSTRUCTOR: Jason Beason
LOCATION:

East Vail

 

Studying black swifts is not easy. It involves climbing cliffs to get to nestlings or setting up mist nets near waterfalls in an effort to capture adults as they swoop past. Join Jason Beason, the Special Monitoring Projects Coordinator for Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory, to learn about the intricacies of black swift ecology by highlighting our location population – and even show us where to watch for swifts in Vail.

Activity Level: 2

 

WILDFLOWERS

BASIC

Wildflower Finder
DATES: Wednesday, July 2  
TIME: 9 am - 12 pm  
COST: $30
INSTRUCTOR: Donna Robinson
LOCATION: Maloit Park

This beginner’s course will teach you to identify plants, wildflowers, trees and shrubs. Walk away with core knowledge about plant family characteristics and how to use a dichotomous key.

Activity Level 1

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CLASSIC

Wildflower Illustration
DATES: Friday, July 25 - Saturday, July 26  
TIME: 10 am - 4 pm  
COST: $120, please bring your own materials each day
INSTRUCTOR: Susan Fischer
LOCATION: Day 1 - Betty Ford Alpine Gardens; Day 2 - Brush Creek Middle School

Wildflowers are the jewels of the Rocky Mountains. Peer at penstemon, admire an avens and color a columbine. This class explains the basics of gathering information and drawing wildflowers in a field journal format. Participants will fill a small sketchbook with drawings, leaf rubbings and color swatches while they learn about the 'lifestyles' of Colorado wildflowers that populate this area. Please bring your own materials each day.

Activity Level: 1

MASTER

Wildflowers & Weeds
DATES: Thursday, July 17  
TIME: 9 am – 3 pm  
COST: $50
INSTRUCTOR: Nicola Ripley
LOCATION: Booth Creek Trail - Meet at the Booth Creek Trailhead.

Hike to Booth Falls with Nicola Ripley, Director of Horticulture and Research at the Betty Ford Alpine Gardens. You’ll learn the wildflowers, the differences between native and non-native species, and what you can do to improve the livelihood of Colorado’s native plants.

Activity Level 2

 

WILDLIFE

BASIC

Colorado Critters
DATES:

Saturday, July 12

 
TIME: 9 am – 12 pm  
COST: $30
INSTRUCTOR: Bill Heicher
LOCATION: Maloit Park

Spend a morning with former Colorado Division of Wildlife Biologist, Bill Heicher, to learn the basics of Rocky Mountain Wildlife and the tricks of the trade for managing and monitoring the animals that live around us.

Activity Level 1-2

CLASSIC

Meeting Mountain Lions
DATES: Tuesday, August 19  
TIME: 9 am - 12 pm  
COST: $30
INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Mary Jean Currier
LOCATION: East Lake Creek

They see us, but we rarely see them. Join a mountain lion researcher on a hike to look for evidence of lions living in our valley. We’ll learn about the amazing adaptations of wild cats and hear tales from when Dr. Currier raised mountain lions in captivity.

Activity Level: 2

 

MASTER

The Big, Bad Wolf?
DATES: Tuesday, July 22  
TIME: 9 am - 12 pm  
COST: $30
INSTRUCTOR: Amy Masching
LOCATION: Maloit Park

The occasional wolf spotted in Colorado is protected under the Endangered Species Act, but wolves living in Wyoming, Montana and Idaho can be shot on sight. Join the Denver Zoo’s Conservation Specialist to explore the complex story of wolf recovery in the West. We begin indoors with a slide show before venturing outdoors to examine tools and methods used for tracking wolves.

Activity Level: 1 - 2

 

ECOLOGY

BASIC

Ecosystems From Top to Bottom
DATES: Wednesday, July 9  
TIME: 8:30 am - 4 pm  
COST: $50
INSTRUCTOR: Tanya Weisen
LOCATION: Vail Pass to Wolcott - Meet at Forest Service Visitor Center in Minturn.

The drive from Vail Pass to Wolcott Springs is one of the best places to see many of the dominant ecosystem types present in Colorado. We’ll travel by van as we journey through the amazing biodiversity of the Eagle River watershed, making stops along the way to explore high alpine meadows, dense spruce and fir forests, lush stands of aspen and towering Douglas fir, thriving wetlands and dry pinyon and juniper shrublands.

Activity Level 1

CLASSIC

Musing Over Mushrooms
DATES: Tuesday, August 26 Classroom introduction and foray
  Wednesday, August 27 Foray only
  Thursday, August 28 Classroom introduction and foray
  Friday, August 29 Foray only
TIME: 9 am - 3 pm, each day
COST: $50/day
INSTRUCTOR: Ellen Jacobson
LOCATION: Mid-Valley & Shrine Ridge

This popular program is guaranteed to whet your appetite for the fungus that rise among us during late summer on Shrine Pass. Led by local mushroom expert Ellen Jacobsen, we begin with a classroom session to learn the basics of identifying mushrooms, and then we spend time in the field discovering the amazing variety of mushrooms in our area.

Activity Level 1 & 2

 

MASTER

Colorado's Climate
DATES:

Friday, June 27

 
TIME: 9 am – 3 pm  
COST: $50
INSTRUCTOR: Nolan Doesken
LOCATION: Meadow Mountain

If you don’t like the weather in Colorado, wait five minutes; it will change, but what about the climate? Join our state Climatologist to learn about the nuances of Colorado’s weather and climate. We’ll investigate some current trends, and give you the opportunity to get involved in CoCoRaHS-the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network.

Activity Level 1-2