Pajarito Environmental Education Center

Two of the greatest assets of northern New Mexico are its people and its landscape. PEEC recognizes this, and has worked tirelessly at a very personal level that only a grassroots organization could achieve. We aim to unite local schools, organizations, government, and businesses in support of the appreciation and understanding of our beautiful environment. No other organization fills this role for northern New Mexico. In order to achieve our goal we have engaged in community outreach to make presentations to organizations including Los Alamos Public Schools, UNM-LA, Scouts, Kiwanis, Utilities Board, and PTAs. PEEC also brings diverse community and scientific organizations together to collaborate on educational programs, events, and speakers: Bandelier, Valles Caldera, Bradbury Science Museum, Audubon, League of Women Voters, Los Alamos Sustainable Energy, Los Alamos Geological Society, Historical Society, Family Strengths Network, and more. We feel that reaching children is vital to building life-long connections to the natural world. PEEC is committed to providing direct experiences that connect young children with nature. Over the last three years we have worked with the Valles Caldera, Bandelier, and local teachers to develop the Center's first field ecology course for youth. Additionally, PEEC volunteers provide hands-on science activities at community events that attract parents and their toddlers, including "Nature Invented It First," an activity in which young children discover similarities between wasp nests/paper, dandelion seeds/parachutes, and seashells/helmets; and a "Feel and Guess Box" with feathers, fur, and fossils. We have organized the last seven Earth Day celebrations in Los Alamos, and we offer a week of events, many targeted towards young children: story telling, puppet shows, scavenger hunts, and how to hike with your toddler. PEEC volunteers are knowledgeable and dedicated to environmental education on a variety of topics: wildflowers, fire ecology, geology, bird song identification, and historic trails. We hold community events such as PEEC Picnics, recognition ceremonies, and Earth Day. We also host lectures on water, geothermal history of the Valles Caldera, elk tracking, and historic trails.