Highlights In This Issue:
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Harvest Party
,
Astronomy Night
,
Evening of the Elk
,
ACES Ed Launches Inspired Stewards Internship,
State of the Forest Report
... and more!
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ACES Ed Launches Inspired Stewards Internship
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This month, ACES Education launched our Inspired Stewards internship for high school students from New Castle to Parachute.
This paid ($10.20/hour) career exploration experience is an innovative approach to education and helps to meet the need for a “5th day” of programming in school districts where students only attend four school days per week due to budget cuts. In these areas, there is a severe need for additional programming on Fridays and Mondays when no school in session. The Inspired Stewards internship includes overnight camping experiences in Rifle Falls State Park, as well as 3-hour class sessions in environmental science, outdoor travel and guiding, wildlife biology, and other potential career fields.
Expanding on our work at the high school level, ACES is also helping lead the Basalt High School Experiential Education program
, taking students on overnight hut trips, climbing local 14,000 peaks, and teaching leadership skills through challenge and high ropes courses. This is the third year that ACES has supported this innovative high school program and we are thrilled to see where these types of experiential education programs will lead students in the future.
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Upcoming Community Events
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Global Warming Demystified with Dr. Jeffrey Bennett
Thursday, October 4
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6PM - 8PM
Hallam Lake
Free & open to the public
Do you have questions about the science or reality of global warming? This presentation by noted educator Dr. Jeffrey Bennett should answer them, while showing that the solutions to this important problem are ones that people of all political persuasions can agree on. The level is suitable for middle school age and up, and draws from Dr. Bennett's book "A Global Warming Primer."
About Dr. Bennett: Astrophysicist and author Jeffrey Bennet, winner of the American Institute of Physics Science Communication Award, has been teaching about global warming for over 30 years. He is the lead author of college textbooks on astronomy, astrobiology, mathematics, and statistics, of five critically-acclaimed books for the general public, and of a children's series selected as the first books to read aloud from the International Space Station for "Story Time from Space."
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"
Celebrate Local Farmers" Dinner
Thursday, October 4
Next month, our friends at Free Range Kitchen & Wine Bar are hosting a special dinner celebrating local farmers! ACES' Rock Bottom Ranch Director, Jason Smith, along with Heather McDermott, Director of the Colorado Rocky Mountain School Garden Program, will be sharing their stories & experiences farming in the Roaring Fork Valley. Join us for a delicious meal using locally-grown ingredients from Rock Bottom Ranch & CRMS and a chance to celebrate the amazing local farmers in our region dedicated to growing wholesome, sustainable food!
- When: October 4th, 2018
- What: 3-Course Local Farm Dinner ($42 per person)
- Reservations: E-mail [email protected] or call Free Range at 970-279-5199
Tickets selling fast! Call today to reserve seats!
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Saturday, October 13
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12
PM
- 4
PM
Rock Bottom Ranch
$18 adults / $8 kids nonmembers
$15 adults / $5 kids members
(ages 3 & under are free)
Each year, ACES invites the Roaring Fork Valley community to honor the harvest season at Rock Bottom Ranch. This event is a fundraiser for environmental science education, particularly focusing on sustainable agriculture.
Harvest Party features lunch from Smoke Modern BBQ, live music, and fun activities including pumpkin carving, apple cider pressing, pie baking contest, hay rides, face painting, traditional ranch games, dancing, a "green" silent auction, and more. Beer and wine will be available for purchase.
Get discounted advance tickets before October 8th!
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Saturday, October 20
We're thrilled to have been selected as one of three local beneficiaries of Bristlecone Mountain Sports' Give Back to the Valley Day! All funds raised by Bristlecone on October 20, 2018 will be donated to ACES, Ascendigo Autism Services, & 5Point Adventure Film Festival helping to advance community health, education & awareness.
Mark your calendar, and don't forget to stock up on winter gear this October!
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L'Hostaria Barolo Dinner
SAVE THE DATE
Thursday, November 15
L'Hostaria Restaurant, Aspen
Celebrate 22 years of Aspen's beloved L'Hostaria,
while raising funds for ACES' Children's Education Fund!
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Click on the titles below for more information.
Hire a Guide
Hire a Guide
for private, custom tours to explore many Aspen locations on your own schedule. Offered daily. Reservations required. Call (970) 925-5756 to book.
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Kids Camps & Family Programs
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Click on the titles below to register and for more information.
Daily & Weekly Programs
Monday - Saturday*
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11
AM
Rock Bottom Ranch
*No Farm Tour offered on Saturday, October 13 (join us for
Harvest Party
instead!). Winter hours will go into effect after October 13 (Mon - Fri, 9 - 5PM)
Family Programs
Monday, October 8
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8
PM
Hallam Lake
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Adult Hikes & Field Classes
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Click on the titles below to register and for more information.
Birding
Led by Naturalist Rebecca Weiss
Tuesday, October 2
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8:30
AM
- 11:30
AM
Meet at Hallam Lake
Free, Donation-Based Classes
Led by Will Cardamone
Tuesday, October 2 & Friday, October 5
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6
PM
- 8
PM
Offered in partnership with Pitkin County Open Space and Trails
.
Meet at the North Lot parking lot at North Star Nature Preserve.
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Rock Bottom Ranch Products
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With the first fall frosts in mid-September, the outdoor vegetable production at Rock Bottom Ranch is starting to wrap up for the season.
Not to worry, though, as plenty of cool season crops are still growing and our hoop-houses continue to produce! Come visit us at the Ranch for a farm tour or join us for pumpkin carving, apple cider pressing, a pie baking contest, and more at
ACES' Harvest Party
at Rock Bottom Ranch on Saturday, October 13!
You can purchase Rock Bottom Ranch products at the Ranch during open hours, as well as the
Aspen Saturday Market
(last market is October 6!) and the
Basalt Sunday Market
. Please call ahead to confirm product availability. In addition, select products are available from
Skip's Farm to Market
in Basalt and
Meat and Cheese
in Aspen.
Available products include:
- Eggs
- Pumpkins, winter squash, onions, potatoes & salad mix
- Chicken, pork, & RBR/Cap-K Beef
We are open Monday - Friday from 9AM - 5PM, and Saturdays from 9AM - 1PM until October 13.
We are located right on the Rio Grande trail, so bike on down and visit us!
Don't forget to buy your tickets to for our annual
Harvest Party
!
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ACES' 2018 State of the Forest Report
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This October, ACES will be releasing its 5th annual State of the Forest Report for Colorado's Roaring Fork Watershed.
Similar to previous reports, this year's publication will assess how local forests have changed over the past year and what threats they currently face. ACES' upcoming report will specifically focus on a single issue:
drought
. For many forests in the western United States, drought has been the defining feature of the 21st century, precipitating wildfires, beetle epidemics, and widespread die-offs.
This year's State of the Forest Report will be mailed to ACES Members in October.
Copies of the report will also be available at ACES at Hallam Lake, and a digital version of the report will be released later this month. Stay tuned to ACES website for details.
To read previous State of the Forest reports,
click here
.
To receive your advance copy of this year's State of the Forest Report,
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Become a partner in ACES' work!
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Aspen Center for Environmental Studies
aspennature.org | 970.925.5756
100 Puppy Smith Street, Aspen, CO 81611
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