Durango Nature Studies is celebrating its 18th year as a provider of environmental education in Durango and the surrounding area. It is much more than a Nature Center – it’s an organization dedicated to bringing nature into the lives of our community and its school children. Our 140-acre Nature Center along the Florida River will be open to the public on Saturdays in the spring of 2012. Families can enjoy the Center’s pavilion and interpretive trails. At the Nature Center, we offer monthly workshops led by staff and local experts, as well as full and new moon hikes and winter snowshoe workshops. Thanks to a new partnership with the Durango School District, we bring our awardwinning supplemental science programs into all kindergarten through 5th grade classrooms, as well as offer hands-on field trips to the Nature Center. Our award-winning Summer Camps at the Nature Center allow kids to have a great time outdoors in the summer, while continuing their love for learning in the natural world. Durango Nature Studies offers something for everyone, whether it be our after-school Nature Clubs in all area schools, research projects for college or high school students, or our weekly wee walkabouts for preschoolers. We contribute to the joy of living in Durango through our annual Bluegrass Festival, Earth Day Celebration, and sponsorship of Mountain Film on Tour. Durango Nature Studies adds to the quality of life in Durango, helping those that live here and visit appreciate the importance and beauty of our surrounding environment.