PEEC This Week: Take a Hike on the Appalachian Trail!

Members of our Forest Explorers club got outdoors this winter to build forts, play in the snow, and make new friends!

PEEC News

See what's new for the Pajarito Environmental Education Center this week!

Register for Your April Nature Playtime Naturalist Kit Now!

Order your Nature Playtime Naturalist Kit for the month of April now! Next month's kit will focus on Earth Day and sustainability. Registration closes on Friday, April 2, so sign up soon! Learn more and register here.

Vote for the Chamber Business Awards by Wednesday!

Have you cast your vote for the Los Alamos Chamber Business Awards yet? We would so appreciate it if you would vote for PEEC for the Family-Friendly Business of the Year by filling out this form! Voting closes on Wednesday, March 24 at 10 PM, so please cast your vote before then!

Hop Into Spring!

Just in time for Easter! Check out the PEEC Online Gift Shop for wonderful rabbits and Easter basket must-haves! Check out our featured spring items here.

Featured Critter: Abert's Squirrel

This week's featured critter is the Abert's Squirrel! Also known as the tassel-eared squirrel, these critters are a fascinating mammal in our local ecosystem. Learn more about these charismatic rodents in our newest featured critter profile here.

2020 Annual Report: Summer Camp Fun!

In 2020, PEEC's summer camps and after-school clubs were modified to adhere to the current health orders. Small groups of children, eager to play and learn, met in person 58 times during the closure throughout the year to explore canyons, plant gardens, and create art in nature. For more stories on what our community accomplished in 2020, check out our annual report.

This Week's Virtual Events

Unless otherwise noted, all of PEEC's events are currently happening via the live-streaming platform Zoom. Registration is required to get the meeting link and password. Visit our events page to see what other programs are coming up in the next few weeks!

The Appalachian Trail 2020: Remain Fluid Because Flexible is Too Rigid

Tuesday, March 23, 7 PM
Tune in for the March Los Alamos Mountaineers meeting and hear about Kim Selvage's experiences hiking the Appalachian Trail in 2020. Learn more and register here.

Animal Astronomy

Friday, March 26, 4:30 PM
Join Laura Marseglia for a family-friendly astronomy talk to learn all about the animals in the night sky! Learn how and when to find animal constellations and explore a little mythology. Learn more and register here.

Neutrinos: The Ghosts from Space

Friday, March 26, 7 PM
Did you know that billions of tiny, invisible particles are streaming through you every second? Those are neutrinos, the almost undetectable particles critical to our understanding of the Sun, the universe, and ourselves. Join astrophysicist Jonah Miller for this live-streamed astronomy talk as he tells the fascinating story of neutrinos. Learn more and register here.

A Day in the Life of a Wildlife Rehabilitator

Tuesday, March 30, 7 PM
Join the New Mexico Wildlife Center to discover what a day in the life of a wildlife rehabilitator looks like. Then, learn what to do if you find a wild animal that may be injured or orphaned and meet one of their non-releasable Animal Ambassadors. Learn more and register here.

Backyard Composting in Los Alamos County

Register now!
Start composting in your backyard with a FREE backyard composting kit brought to you by Los Alamos County Environmental Services, PEEC, the Los Alamos Zero Waste Team, and Keep New Mexico True. Learn more and register here.

Community News

Town Hall on the State Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan
The New Mexico State Parks Division is currently preparing its five-year update of the State Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP). The plan will evaluate the existing supply of outdoor recreation resources and facilities in each region of the state in order to help prioritize future funding of outdoor recreation projects. Join a virtual Town Hall on Thursday, March 25 from 5 – 6:30 PM to learn about what the Division has heard from residents, visitors, and local governments so far and to offer your feedback. Register here.

Wilderness First Aid Webinar on March 30
Join the New Mexico Economic Development Department and its Outdoor Recreation Divison for a Wilderness First Aid 101 webinar on Tuesday, March 30 at 1 PM. Participants will learn how to mitigate risk when getting outdoors and find the best resources to continue their backcountry education. Learn more and register here.

Call for Content: Los Alamos ScienceFest Discovery Boxes!
Los Alamos ScienceFest is seeking STEAM-related proposals for engaging at-home activities that can be distributed to our community during this year's festival. Submissions are due on April 1. Read the call for content here, and submit your proposal by filling out this form.