Current SJMA E-News
Lightweight Backpacking Presentation, April 30, 2008
Exploring the wilderness with a pack on your back is an empowering experience,
but lugging a heavy backpack is a humbling experience! Is your pack weighing
you down? Are you tired of carrying a heavy pack that weighs 40 or 50 pounds?
You don't have to. After all, the whole idea is to have fun and enjoy the wilderness.It's
easy to lighten your pack substantially, down to a base weight of 20 pounds or
less, without sacrificing comfort or safety. With a lighter pack, you can hike
farther, faster, longer, and easier, with less physical stress, fewer injuries,
more safety and security, and far more satisfaction.
Plan to attend a Lightweight Backpacking Seminar sponsored by the
San Juan Mountains Association, Backcountry Experience, and Backpacking
Light Magazine. The Seminar will be held at Backcountry Experience
(1205 Camino Del Rio, Durango CO) April 30 from 6:30 to 9 PM. The presenters
are Will Rietveld and Janet Reichl, SJMA volunteers and staffers at
Backpacking Light Magazine. Will and Janet have a combined 80 years
of backpacking experience, and have published over 200 articles on
lightweight backpacking gear and techniques.
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Education Volunteers Needed!
San Juan Mountains Association is once again taking elementary school
students on field trips to public lands in May, and we need YOUR help!
Volunteers are needed to help teach stations on subjects such as trees,
tracks, birds, and various other conservation education related topics.
No
experience is necessary - just a love for the outdoors and bringing
it to
children. Training is provided, as are outlines for the stations and
materials. Contact Gabi Morey for more information at 759-1170 or gabi@sjma.org.
Hope to see you in the woods!
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Ecology Field Seminar to Sand Canyon
SJMA is hosting a series of ecology field seminars this spring and
summer to various ecosystems in southwest Colorado. The first will
take place on Saturday, May 3rd, in SandCanyon of Canyons of the Ancients
National Monument. Larry Eads will lead the group in an exploration
of the landscape, plants, animals, their interactions and adaptations
in this beautiful area. Takes place from 9am - 3pm. Space is limited;
contact Gabi Morey to sign up or for more information at 759-1170 or
gabi@sjma.org. For a full list of field seminars in this series, visit
Education Calendar
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Outdoor Women's Workshop coming up May 17-18, 2008
Sponsored by the Colorado Division of Wildlife and the National Wild
Turkey Federation. This is a great chance to sharpen your outdoor skills
and develop brand new ones! At this "WITO" (Women in the
Outdoors) workshop, ladies from all walks of life and all experience
levels will get excellent instruction and experiences in (choice of
4):
-wildlife viewing
-campfire dutch-oven cooking
-outdoor survival, first aid, and map and compass
-tours of historic Old Fort Lewis
-firearm safety and handling
-target shooting with handguns, rifles, and shotguns
-archery
-wild turkey biology
-wild turkey calling/hunting instruction
-optional Sunday mentored turkey hunt for those with a hunter safety
card and a turkey license!
No previous experience is required! So, whether you want to learn
more about local wildlife, cook over an open fire, reduce your fear
of firearms, learn to shoot, stay safe in the woods, or even hunt sustainable
wild game, this is the event for you. I hope that you'll join us for
a fantastic weekend at the "Old Fort Lewis" San Juan Basin
Research Center near Durango, CO
Space is limited. The earlier you register, the more likely you'll
get the exact classes you want.
Contact Leigh Gillette, Southwest Region Education Coordinator
Colorado Division of Wildlife, for registration information, (970)
375-6709.
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Are you an SJMA Member?
Your support will enable us to:
Educate our volunteers, our partners and the public, with a renewed
focus on youth
Connect people - including the public, land managers, and our volunteers
- to each other and to our natural and cultural resources.
Inspire respect for our ideals among our partners, the public, and
our volunteers.
Strengthen our image and visibility in the community, our membership,
volunteer groups, and the partnerships that contribute to meeting our
mission.
Diversify funding source by identifying and pursuing new opportunities.
Support our volunteers, staff, and partners by providing opportunities
for growth and creativity.
Help us celebrate 20 years of providing stewardship and conservation
education.
Join Today! Become a Member
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Save the Date!
HOW TO IDENTIFY WILDFLOWERS, An Introductory Workshop, June 21-22
Are you a wildflower lover who gets frustrated year after year at not being able
to identify (or remember!) the gorgeous plants you see each summer? Come to a
wildflower workshop presented by the Colorado Native Plant Society and sponsored
by the San Juan Mountains Association.
You will learn to identify plants using a number of methods, short cuts, and
plant keys. Characteristics of the major plant families will be covered in an
hour long slide show. The Four Corners wildflower site ( www.swcoloradowildflowers.com
), plant keys, and microscopes will be used to identify actual specimens of plants
in another part of the program, and there will be plenty of time for your questions.
On Sunday we will meet outdoors in small groups led by experienced wildflower
experts from the Colorado Native Plant Society. We will identify flowers by putting
to use the techniques learned in the Saturday session.
Presenters of the Saturday session are Colorado Native Plant Society members
Al Schneider and Dick Moseley. Al is President of the Southwest Chapter of the
Native Plant Society, webmaster for the Society, and author of www.swcoloradowildflowers.com.
Dick is the former Chief of the Ohio Division of Natural Areas and Preserves,
and he is a long-time San JuanNational Forest volunteer guide and plant expert
at Chimney Rock.
Time: Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, approximately 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Place: Saturday at the San JuanPublicLandsCenter (just north of highway 160 on
the east side of Durango at 15 Burnett Court).
Sunday, Field day, location TBA.
Cost: For Saturday, $30 ($24 for members of the Colorado Native Plant Society,
San Juan Mountains Association, U.S. Forest Service, and BLM.) The fee includes
a year membership in the Colorado Native Plant Society for new members.
Sunday cost is $5 payable at class time.
Bring a magnifying glass if you have one and bring a sack lunch each day.
Pre-registration is required. REGISTER EARLY, class size is limited.
Make your check out to:
Colorado Native Plant Society
And mail to: Al Schneider, 19049 Road V, Lewis, Colorado 81327
Please include your phone number and email address. For more details see: http://www.conps.org/southwest.html
Also feel free to call or email Al: (970-882-4647) webmaster@conps.org
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SJMA is pleased to share some exciting news about the Puma Project!
The permanent signs are now installed on all the publicly displayed
pumas. Mark Franklin of Interpretive Design in Durango donated his
expertise and assisted with the design and lay-out of these beautiful
and sturdy signs. Kathleen May (former SJMA BOD President) graciously
donated her talent and time with all the rest of it ~ including the
installation. We extend our sincere appreciation to both Mark & Kathleen!!
It's very gratifying to see this ambitious SJMA project "live
on" throughout SW Colorado and Utah. These informational signs
will help spread the word about caring for our public lands and the
wildlife they sustain.
Please click on the link below for a complete listing of all 17 pumas
now containing permanent "markings." Puma Locations
We are also delighted to announce the new release of American Art Parades:
When Pigs Flew, Guitars Rocked & Cows Jumped Over the Moon! American
Art Parades is a colorful 192 page, hardbound, coffee table book that
will retail for $34.95. SJMA's Pumas on Parade ~ the Four Corners'
first region-wide public art and environmental education project ~
is featured on pages 38-39.
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