Conferences & Events for Early March

Kids who raised razorback sucker. These students in a Western Slope school raised endangered razorback suckers. Here they are releasing them into the Colorado River. Division of Wildlife, 2004

Kids who raised razorback sucker. These students in a Western Slope school raised endangered razorback suckers. Here they are releasing them into the Colorado River. Division of Wildlife, 2004

MARCH 7th - 9th, 2017: High Altitude Restoration Science & Practice joint conference hosted by the High Altitude Revegetation Committee and the Central Rockies Chapter of the Society for Ecological Restoration at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado. The aim of the conference is to connect practitioners, scientists, land managers, students, and policymakers to enhance our understanding of restoration theory and practice in diverse ecosystems using a variety of methods. Online registration is now open. Click HERE to register. 

MARCH 9th, 2017: Colorado Trout Unlimited 2017 River Stewardship Gala at the Mile High Station in Denver, CO. The Gala is Colorado TU’s biggest fundraising event of the year and the largest fishing-oriented auction in Colorado. The funds raised will go towards CTU’s work in youth education, protecting stream flows and temperature across the state, reintroducing and protecting native fish, and preserving and restoring fisheries and their watersheds. They will be honoring the Colorado Water Conservation Board for their work in developing Colorado’s first ever state water plan. This plan will guide water decisions made in the state and lead water conserving initiatives. Prizes will be available ranging from fishing trips, fishing gear, nights out on the town, art, and much more! There will even be great trips around the state and even a trip to fish in Argentina! For more information about the Gala including tickets, donations, or sponsorships visit http://coloradotu.org.

MARCH 9th, 2017: Beyond the Controller Lunch 'n Learn at Aurora Public Library, 14949 E Alameda Pkwy from 12:30 pm to 2:00 pm. Join Colorado WaterWise as they kick off the 2017 Lunch 'n Learn series. The Rachio team and CEO Chris Klein will discuss how smart sprinkler controllers are changing how homeowners, professionals, and water utilities think about water management. As the Internet of Things and smart home technology increase consumer engagement and awareness around outdoor water use, they'll discuss the downstream opportunities of big data and its impact on future water resource management. RSVP HERE!

MARCH 10th-11th, 2017: Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education's (CAEE) Environmental Education Conference at Auraria Campus in Denver. This year marks the 17th year of CAEE's environmental education conference in Colorado. In 2017, the conference will bring exciting new opportunities and formats to foster learning, discussion and collaborations around new ideas, trends, and practices that advance environmental education. Peruse the list of conference sessions with their days/times online now.

MARCH 11th, 2017: The Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour Durango stop is fast approaching! It will showcase outstanding adventure, environmental, exploration, and mountain culture films from around the world. All proceeds of the event will benefit Rocky Mountain Wild and San Juan Citizens Alliance. Reception at 6:00 pm reception, films 7:00 - 9:00 pm at the Community Concert Hall at FLC, 1000 Rim Dr, Durango, CO 81301.  Tickets are available through the ticket office.

The Green Foundation is offering Adventures Outside Holiday Camps
Upcoming 2017 Dates:

  • MARCH 27th-31th, 2017: Reptiles and Amphibians of Colorado ($225). Join SPREE to become herpetologists-on Colorado’s reptiles and amphibians.
  • APRIL 3th, 2017: Crazy about Crawdads ($45). Become a crawdad expert as we investigate one of the South Platte's most amazing creatures!

MARCH 16th & 17th, 2017: Western Places/Western Spaces Conference: Creating Inclusive Communities. Join the Rocky Mountain Land Use Institute's 26th annual land use conference at the University of Denver campus. The theme for the 2017 Western Places/Western Spaces conference, Creating Inclusive Communities, focuses on the challenges and strategies available to cities—large and small—to plan for and build communities in which everyone can thrive. They will explore options for conserving and protecting our lands and natural resources. Water and energy development—whether from fossil fuels like oil, gas, and coal or renewable sources like wind and solar—remain inextricably linked with the West. And as our metropolitan areas grow, it becomes increasingly important to preserve the character of our rural and agricultural communities, as well. Click Here to Register for this Event.

Mountain Park Environmental Center (MPEC) Summer Camps provide children with days filled with Nature fun and life-long memories. They have several new camps planned for this summer. Transportation from Pueblo is included in MPEC camps, and they have a scholarship program that can help those who need financial assistance. Camp descriptions, prices, and other details can be found BY CLICKING HERE, including applying for a scholarship and registering. Please do not wait to register, as many camps fill up!

MARCH 20th - 24th, 2017: Forest Spring Break Camp (2nd, 3rd, 4th Graders)

JUNE 12th - 16th, 2017: Cubs Camp (Entering K-1st Grade)

JUNE 19th - 23rd, 2017: Nature Explorers (Entering 2nd-3rd Grade)

JUNE 20th - 22nd, 2017: Mission Wolf (Entering 6th-8th Grade)

June 26th - 30th, 2017: Intrepid Adventurers (Entering 4th-5th Grade)

JUNE 27th - 29th, 2017: NEW Water and Rock Camp (Entering 6th-8th Grade)

MARCH 20th - 22nd, 2017: 37th Annual American Geophysical Union Hydrology Days at Lory Student Center, Colorado State University. Hydrology Days is a unique celebration of multi-disciplinary hydrologic science and its closely related disciplines. The Hydrology Days vision is to provide an annual forum for outstanding scientists, professionals and students involved in basic and applied research on all aspects of water to share ideas, problems, analyses and solutions. The focus includes the water cycle and its interactions with land surface, atmospheric, ecosystem, economic and political processes, and all aspects of water resources engineering, management and policy.For more information and to register visit their website at http://hydrologydays.colostate.edu/.

MARCH 22st - 23rd, 2017: Conservation Excellence 2017 Conference at the University of Denver. Colorado Coalition of Land Trust's Annual Conservation Excellence Conference is the place for the land conservation community across the Rocky Mountain region to share knowledge and network. With more than 250 attendees annually, CCLT's conference helps define and influence the future of land conservation in the Intermountain West. Register HERE

MARCH 27th-31st, 2017: Unsure what to do when your children have a day off form school? Sign them up for a Holiday Camp with SPREE. They got two more chances for your child to try out the programs before summer camp starts. They'll be learning about Reptiles & Amphibians of Colorado over spring breakandget Crazy for Crawdads on April 3rd. Click here to sign up.

MARCH 31st, 2017: Healthy Headwaters 12th Leadership Convening: Smart Partnerships for Fast Times starting at 8:30 am – 4:30 pm Aurora Municipal Center, Aurora, CO. Carpe Diem West’s Healthy Headwaters Alliance pioneers innovative, scalable policies and actions to protect and restore the forested headwaters - the major source of our water supply in the American West. Each Healthy Headwaters convening highlights the work of key western communities that are catalyzing innovation in the region and beyond. Click HERE FOR REGISTRATION.

APRIL 5th, 2017: 9th Annual ARKWIPP Field Workshop in Trinidad, CO with the Arkansas River Watershed Invasive Plant Partnership. The cost is $20 and includes morning refreshments, lunch, drinks, afternoon snacks. The registration deadline is April 3rd. You can register online at, tamariskcoalition.   

APRIL 4th, 2017: National Watershed & Stormwater Conference, Online and Remote Hub Locations. Mark your calendar for the second year of this unique conference.  This conference is designed to allow both in-person discussion at multiple locations and online attendance.  Participants can learn about local and national stormwater and watershed issues while networking at their preferred attendance location. Major conference topics may include: IDDE, Public Education, National Certification, Monitoring, Drinking Water and Stream Restoration. Learn about exciting research, case studies, innovative technology, and special regional considerations from experts around the country. Registration will open soon.  Stay tuned for more information on registration and sponsorship at CWP.org.

APRIL 12th, 2017: The Society of Wetland Scientists (SWS) Rocky Mountain Chapter Annual Meeting will be in Golden, Colorado at the American Mountaineering Center. The meeting is expected to bring together over 150 research­ers, students, government scientists, private sector consultants, and other wetland practitioners. It will cultivate scientific exchanges between diverse groups of professionals involved in wetland stewardship around the region. A draft agenda and other details of the meeting will be available soon. Stay tuned! You can also visit their website for updates at www.sws.org/rocky-mountain-chapter.

APRIL 26th - 27th, 2017,  Arkansas River Basin Water Forum in Colorado Springs. For 22 years, the Arkansas River Basin Water Forum has served as a conduit for information about water issues and education.  Through the Forum a broader understanding of water issues has evolved along with the opportunity to find common ground. For more information click  ARBWF.org

APRIL 19th - 21st, 2017: The Colorado Wildland Fire Conference will take place at the Pueblo Convention Center in Pueblo, CO. This year’s conference will expand on the Fire Adapted Communities concept, providing the framework for moving from awareness to action, messaging to mitigation, and words to work. This conference is a great opportunity to share your knowledge and expertise about reducing communities’ vulnerability to wildfire.Watch for more details about the 2017 Colorado Wildland Fire Conference soon at www.wildfire-colorado.com

MAY 17th, 2017: Denver Metro Water Festival, Denver, CO, this half-day event for sixth grade students in the Denver Water service area is designed to complement their science unit on water by offering engaging, hands-on water-related lessons and activities that expose students to the many ways water plays a role in our lives and the world around us. This annual festival offers an opportunity for individuals and organizations throughout the state to participate through presentations, volunteerism and sponsorships. For more information, click here.

JUNE 13th - 15th, 2017: Changing Lands, Changing Hands Conference at the DoubleTree Stapleton North, Denver, CO. A National Conference on Farm and Ranch Access, Tenure and Transfer. Land access, agricultural land tenure and farm succession are priority challenges for US agriculture. USDA and groups across the country are addressing these issues with research, policies, programming and professional development. In cooperation with USDA, Land For Good will host Changing Lands, Changing Hands, a national conference on these topics. More information and registration can be found at landforgood.org.

JUNE 14th, 2017: Save the Date, for the 9th Annual RiverBank fundraiser from 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm at the Denver Botanic Gardens. Join them for a beautiful evening in support of Colorado's rivers. Activities will include a silent auction with river trips, stay-cation packages, outdoor gear, and many other exciting items to bid on along with a presentation of The David Getches Flowing Waters Award.

NOVEMBER 6th - 9th, 2017: SAVE THE DATE, 37th Annual Symposium of the North American Lake Management Society - Finding Balance at the Westin Westminster. After 26 years, Colorado welcomes NALMS back to the headwaters state. Colorado is home to thousands of both natural alpine lakes and reservoirs across the state. We are proud of our mountains and appreciate the importance of our lakes and reservoirs. In Colorado, water is used for fishing, drinking, farming, rafting, camping, mining, ranching, boating, brewing, and much more. All of these uses are supported with a stateside annual average of just 17 inches of rainfall. The lakes and reservoirs throughout the West and the Rockies do so much. Finding balance in how we manage them is important. For sponsorship or general information, contact nalms.org, 1-608-233-2836. For other details, contact conference co-chairs Steve Lundt or Jean Marie Boyer at ColoradoLRMA@gmail.com.