Science center opens doors this month
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AVON, Colorado – Walking Mountains Science Center, located in Avon, will open its doors to the public this month.
Without a home of its own for over 13 years, the science center (formerly Gore Range Natural Science School) has been using outdoor classrooms in the Eagle Valley to introduce kindergarten through 12th grade students to the natural world around them while focusing on science curricula that complement and enhance classroom learning. This will become an easier task now that the science center has a home.
Their multi-building facility was planned in response to a generous gift of land from the Tang family. The 5-acre parcel is just off I-70 at exit 167. The property has a pond, natural spring, wetlands, aspen stands, pine forests, and other natural attributes that make it a good setting for field-based scientific exploration.
Even the buildings are a testament to environmental stewardship. The project is slated to receive the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design’s Platinum certification and the structures are receiving attention as models for environmentally responsible buildings with cost-effective benefits.
Educators are planning a full slate of programs that will take place in the learning labs and outdoor classrooms starting in September. The community programs staff is lining up many programs for adults and families that focus on connecting participants to our mountain home. Programs will include guided nature hikes, family nature club, guest speaker series, bird watching, botany, astronomy, animal tracking and more.
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Connecting children to the natural world has multiple benefits. In exploring their “backyard,” children ask questions about geology, the stars, botany and how animals survive. They see themselves as part of a complex system and begin to foster a sense of ownership and responsibility that will follow them into adulthood. They are more likely to appreciate and preserve what they know and be comfortable engaging in the greater world around them.
All are invited to come explore their curious nature at the public opening on Aug. 20 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. It will be a day of family fun with specially planned programs such as stream ecology, watershed dynamics and an exploration of the five senses. Educational exhibits on sustainability, mountain life zones and geology will be unveiled along with a kick-off of a week-long family scavenger hunt and a drawing with prizes donated by Vail Resorts Echo. Free lunch will be served by the Dusty Boot from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. For more information, visit http://www.walkingmountains.org/open or call 970-827-9725.
Walking Mountains Science Center is a nonprofit organization that provides natural science and environmental education programs to school children, families, adults, residents and visitors alike on public lands throughout Eagle County. For more information, go to http://www.walkingmountains.org.
