In October, ten EarthLinks Workshop participants and three volunteers took nature trips to Look-Out Mountain, the Mother Cabrini Shrine and Buffalo Bill’s Grave.  While enjoying brisk fall  walks through the Lookout Mountain wildlife preserve, the sun warmed us up and gave us a sense of quiet connection to the earth.  We found deer families and Albert’s squirrels doing what they do best.  We enjoyed Colorado’s lingering fall weather, a hearty lunch, and each other’s company away from the city.  Thank you to the generous donors who continue to make these trips possible!

– Beth Lindroos, Volunteer Trip Leader

On August 10, 2011, our Day Trips into Nature program made an excursion to Alderfer/Three Sisters Park in Evergreen, Colorado. Our trip leader, Beth, volunteer trip assistant, Pam, and six women from the Gathering Place spent all morning enjoying shady mountain trails and open meadows in the park. They hiked through a beautiful evergreen forest up to rock outcroppings, where they took in breathtaking views of the park and watched for hawks, turkey vultures, chipmunks, and Black Albert squirrels. After a delicious picnic lunch, the group took the long, winding road back to Denver. What a lovely day!

Photos courtesy of Pam Schmidt. Thanks, Pam!

On Thursday, June 2, 2011, EarthLinks’ Day Trips into Nature program took Workshop participants to spend the day in Eldorado Canyon State Park, near Boulder, Colorado. Participants and volunteers enjoyed a beautiful mountain creek in a magnificent canyon setting, hiked trails with panoramic views, watched rock climbers through binoculars, learned about the geological and recreational history of Colorado, and enjoyed great company and a delicious picnic lunch. More trips are scheduled for the rest of the summer, so check our blog often for updates and pictures.

See more photos from this trip to Eldorado Canyon below:

It’s officially Spring, which means the garden season is upon us! We’ve begun planting seeds in our workshop which will be transplanted into the garden once the danger of frost is past us — probably around Mother’s Day. We’re keeping busy working with our participants to sow a variety of vegetables, herbs, and flowers for this year’s Peace Garden. Watch with us as these seeds germinate and grow into a lush urban garden!

As anyone who has spent much time outdoors swatting at mosquitoes can tell you, bats are extremely beneficial to any ecosystem. Insectivorous bats are primary predators of night-flying insects, such as mosquitoes and various pests that harm crops and garden vegetables. For example, a single brown bat can eat more than 1,000 mosquito-sized insects in just one hour! By decreasing the mosquito population, it decreases the chances of spreading West Nile virus. Also, bat droppings (called guano) are valuable as a rich, natural fertilizer — good news for our friends with a garden!

Clearly, bats are important. So why should we worry about protecting them? One reason is that bats are presently in danger from a disease called white-nose syndrome, which began in New York state and is moving west. Thousands of bats have died from this disease already, and there is no known cause or cure. Experts agree that if white-nose syndrome reaches Colorado and its 21 native species of bats, we will be devastated. Rick Adams, a biologist at the University of Northern Colorado, stated in a recent Denver Post article that white nose syndrome in Colorado will mean that insect populations will multiply and local farmers will see a costly onslaught of pests.

One way we can help to protect bats is by providing safe, secure habitat. A single-chamber Bat Box from EarthLinks is capable of housing up to 50 bats. A double-chamber Bat Box not only doubles the number of bats it holds (up to 100!), it also offers a space for nursing bats to care for their young. Bat Boxes from EarthLinks are made from non-pressure-treated exterior plywood and cedar boards — both of which were chosen for their weather-proofing capacity. When possible, our Bat Boxes are made in large part from reclaimed wood.

To learn more about bats and the dangers they face, check out Bat Conservation International. And don’t forget that Bat Boxes are available for purchase directly from EarthLinks in the Online Shop!