ACES Annual Report 2024

ANNUAL REPORT

“To be whole. To be complete. Wildness reminds us what it means to be human, what we are connected to rather than what we are separate from.”

- Terry Tempest Williams, naturalist and “citizen writer”

About ACES

Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES) is a nonprofit environmental organization with three locations in the Roaring Fork Valley: Hallam Lake, Rock Bottom Ranch, and the Catto Center at Toklat.

Since 1968, ACES has inspired a life-long commitment to the Earth by providing innovative and immersive programming for all ages. Our programs focus on education, regenerative agriculture, forest and ecosystem health, land restoration, and environmental leadership.

ACES contributes to a national agenda for increased environmental awareness. With support from many partner organizations, our programs reach over 140,000 individuals every year. We teach daily in local schools, lead camps in the summer, and host adult classes. We share the beauty and ecology of our area with locals and visitors through naturalist-led hikes and field programs for all ages. We also engage our community by hosting public lectures and events. ACES collaborates with land trusts, public agencies, and other nonprofits to achieve our mission.

In the next 50 years, ACES seeks to cultivate a community of environmental stewards so that children, parents, consumers, decision-makers, and leaders can make informed decisions in an increasingly complex world.

Amiee White Beazley

Chris Cohen Photography

Eli Stoken

Isa Catto Shaw and Daniel Shaw

Jordan Curet

Kelsey Brunner

Olive and West Photography

Peter Feinzig

Stonehouse Pictures

Lane, Chief Executive Officer

Who Do You Trust?

This year, scientists discovered quasar J059-4351, containing the fastest growing black hole ever recorded, 17 billion times larger than our own sun, swallowing the equivalent of one sun every day and radiating energy equivalent to 500 trillion of our suns. Yes, trillion! Located 12 billion light years from Earth, it is now the brightest known object in the universe. This is noteworthy partly because it is so categorically mindblowing, but also because it exemplifies how impressive science is! I’m referring to the physics, dynamics, chemistry, calculus, and optics it took to discover it.

Last April, the same science concepts enabled the prediction of the recent solar eclipse to the exact second that it passed by each individual part of the U.S. All of us, regardless of political or religious affiliation, watched together, united by one magical moment with our sun and moon.

Thanks to science, modern medical procedures are possible, including cancer treatment, organ transplants, and openheart surgery. Science gives us carbon-free nuclear, wind, and solar energy and the eradication of polio, measles, and smallpox. Science even saved my own life when a robot was used to eliminate a deadly arrhythmia in my heart—all without even cracking my chest!

Today, only 57% of Americans say science has had a positive effect on society. When it comes to trust, almost 30% of U.S. adults have no confidence that scientists will act in the public’s best interest. Even those who rate themselves as “most trusting of science,” have declined 40% in the last three years.

Yet, we all still fly on planes (trusting the science of aerodynamics that they won’t crash), drive cars (trusting the science of hydraulics that the brakes will work), and take antibiotics (trusting chemistry that it will fend off infection). And, of course, we all use smartphones (trusting computer scientists).

Is it a stretch to trust climate scientists about our warming planet? Ecologists about species extinctions? Environmental scientists about the effects of pollution and resource overuse on our ecosystems, water, air, and human health?

This is where ACES steps in. We teach and inspire science— for all ages. Toddlers engage in our Nature and Me program. Elementary school kids at four schools from Aspen to New Castle get in-class, full-time, environmental science education. Preteens dive into the natural world through our summer nature camps.

High schoolers participate in our Tomorrow’s Voices environmental and civic engagement classes for college credit. Other teens learn and teach environmental education through our Trook Apprenticeship. Students of all ages connect with nature in our year-round outdoor field programs.

After college, Naturalists hone their environmental voices guiding visitors into the natural world throughout the valley. Agriculture Apprentices learn regenerative farming systems, jump-starting their careers by producing food that protects soil and sequesters carbon.

Adults participate in birding, naturalist-led snowshoe tours, Know Your Trees walks, mushroom fairs, astronomy nights, farm tours, and various lecture series on a range of sustainability topics.

In addition to our education work, this past year, our 55th anniversary, we completed numerous capital projects including the renovation of our wilderness retreat center, the Catto Center at Toklat, as well as improvements to Hallam Lake, Rock Bottom Ranch, and our outdoor education hub, Riverdance (all detailed herein). These improvements enable ACES to more effectively engage the world in our mission for another 55 years.

So, in this new world of alleged fake news, social mediaboosted hyperbole, political extremism, and cultural tribalism, who do you trust? At ACES, we trust science—physics, chemistry, biology, and ecology. We rely on it to help us all make informed decisions in our ever more complex world that spans from minuscule protozoans in the soil beneath our feet to mind-boggling quasars light years away.

Welcome to our 2024 Annual Report, where we share some of our progress in meeting our mission of “educating for environmental responsibility.”

Chris

Birding Outings

Community Programs

Our community programs transform our sites and the local environment into a community classroom, inspiring a greater sense of place, passion for learning, relationship building, and responsibility toward our environment. These programs thrive on shared and individual discovery in nature at every age. Our landscapes tell us stories and illustrate the role that humans and wildlife play within them. From geologic mysteries to forest adventures, participants of all ages explore the relationships between humans and nature through observation, adventure, games, and storytelling, often learning that everything is interconnected.

Toddlers to adult participants can experience fun, educational, age-relevant programming that instills the importance of environmental stewardship. Many program participants first come to ACES as children in our family programs and continue learning with ACES in their elementary education and beyond. We strive to cultivate authentic, place-based connections through engaging and creativity-driven offerings. These connections maintain personal and community connection with ACES for decades to come.

“Seeing my child become increasingly confident, comfortable, and excited to be outside, exploring at the Preserve, and clueing into animal signs was a highlight of Nature & Me.”

-Nature & Me Parent

FOREST & Climate WALKS Summer Camps

Summer Camp Registrants’ Residence 65%

from Colorado.

of those are Roaring Fork Valley resident s from out of state

Roaring Fork Valley Residents Out of State Residents

Age Range of Attendees

Roaring Fork Valley Residents Out of State Residents

Roaring Fork Valley Residents Out of State Residents

6 partner organizations collaborating on programs

24 nights Spent Under the Stars during summer camps

Elementary and middle school students

36% increase in participants from up and down the Roaring Fork Valley

248 hours participants spent at Riverdance in community programs

578 Community programs offered across age brackets

2,150+ hours of community programs offered

2,800 participants

Caregiver & Toddler Programs Field Courses & Hikes Wellness experiences

ACES Education

ACES’ extensive education programs from pre-K through high school are an essential first step toward cultivating environmental stewardship in our community. We kindle curiosity, connect students with their natural surroundings, and prepare them to excel in scientific inquiry and ecological understanding at an early age.

ACES Education partners with schools throughout the Roaring Fork Valley to provide environmental education in the classroom and in the field through hands-on exploration and investigation. With each

of our curricular units, we aim to increase students’ connections to and positive attitudes toward nature, enhance their awareness and knowledge of cultural, biological, and scientific systems, deepen their engagement in learning, and foster self-efficacy. The ACES Education team dedicates time to continue growing and developing their teaching skills. Educators attend the fall and spring conferences of the Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education, gather monthly for curriculum workshops, and attend relevant training at their schools.

3,800

Students in pre-K through12th Grade participated in ACES classroom and field programs

48 Thematic Units ACES educators developed & taught for K-5 classes at our partner elementary schools

2,160 Hours of professional development and training for ACES education staff

34 Hours of environmental education classes that each student at our partner elementary schools receives with ACES each school year

1,400 Hours ACES educators spent teaching students outdoors

Tomorrow’s Voices is a non-partisan, college-level course open to all Roaring Fork Valley high school students. The program provides students with the agency to be active community contributors and is deeply connected to ACES’ mission of educating for environmental responsibility.

“Every Monday, I go back to my dorm parent and have a lengthy conversation about our class. Our discussions on power inspire me to take control of my values. Our discussions on current/past events open my eyes to what responsibility I have to stay informed.”

- Colorado Rocky Mountain School Student

“Being a Naturalist has been incredibly important for me in developing ways to effectively communicate complex natural phenomena in approachable ways for people with wideranging backgrounds. Clear scientific communication is not only important for informing the general public on environmental issues, but also for environmental policymaking.”

-

’23-’24

Naturalist Programs

The ACES Naturalist Program is mutually beneficial for young environmental professionals, community members, and visitors. Each summer, 12-14 recent graduates are invited to Aspen to participate in our Summer Naturalist program to engage our community and visitors with the natural world through guided tours and programs, including bird of prey demonstrations, informational tree walks, and beaver walks. The Naturalist Program is designed to prepare young professionals for careers in the environmental field, while also providing accessible, low-cost programming for the community to learn more about the Roaring Fork Valley. In their time with ACES, Naturalists build confidence and skills to inspire others to meaningfully engage with their surroundings. They do this through interpersonal interactions, sharing the stories of the valley with over 40,000 locals and visitors each year on topics ranging from wildflower identification to watershed issues. Each summer season, ACES is enriched by innovative ideas and energy from this young cohort, with Naturalists reinvigorating our organization.

Teddy Loof,

Naturalist

Where Are They Now?

2019

Devan Crane Director of Programs and Operations at the Aspen Global Change Institute

Jeb Hines

Basalt High School Science Teacher

2021

Grace Berg

Snowshoe Tours: A cornerstone of ACES Naturalist programming, snowshoe tours have never been more popular, and based on guest feedback we think they are an effective activation to have people think about their relationship with the world differently.

Project Coordinator for Breathe Providence, a low-cost, communityscale air monitoring network based in Providence, Rhode Island.

Cecily Nordstrom

Stream Education Manager for Trout Unlimited, bringing education and conservation to students across the United States with communitycentered scientific research.

2022

Lillian Bell

ACES Community Programs Coordinator

Cameron Mackenzie

ACES Livestock Lead at Rock Bottom Ranch

Charlie Robinson

ACES Toklat Resident Supernaturalist

Forest & Climate Program

ACES’ Forest & Climate Program works to connect our community to local forests, bolster conservation efforts, and provide education about climate change. In 2022 and 2023, ACES completed two significant restoration projects. Partnering with the Aspen Fire Protection District, the City of Aspen, Pitkin County Open Space & Trails, and the U.S. Forest Service, ACES implemented a second 900-acre prescribed fire in Hunter Creek. With the same partners — alongside the Colorado State Forest Service — we distributed pheromone packets on Aspen Mountain to mitigate the impacts of the ongoing Douglas-fir beetle outbreak. The pheromone packets contain the synthetic pheromone methylcyclohexanone (MCH), which mimics anti-aggregation pheromones naturally produced by bark beetles. Beetles use anti-aggregation pheromones to signal that a tree is full; they’re essentially a “no vacancy” sign on the tree.

This year, ACES will publish its seventh State of the Forest report focusing on the intersection of forest and climate. In addition to dispersing more pheromone packets on Aspen Mountain, we are planning a 2025 prescribed fire on the front side of Red Mountain. When completed, this will help link the restoration work in Hunter Creek to similar work being done in Woody Creek. This type of connectivity and restoration improves habitat and mitigates wildfire.

2,000

ACRES of forest restored in Hunter Creek through fire, mastication, and thinning

14,000

MCH PHERoMONE PACKETS distributed on Aspen Mountain to protect trees from Douglas-fir beetle

850

ACRES of prescribed fire planned in 2025

13

PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS

“How did you go bankrupt?” Bill asked. “Two ways,” Mike said. “Gradually and then suddenly.”

-The Sun Also Rises, Ernest Hemingway

A Path Forward for Forests

Our Forests in a Warmer and Drier World

Adam McCurdy, ACES Forest & Climate Director

Forests are dynamic ecosystems, always changing and evolving. Sometimes change is slow: a seedling dropped last spring might sit on the forest floor for decades before germinating. Sometimes change is rapid: in a matter of seconds, a wildfire can dramatically transform a forest. When viewed in isolation, these changes might seem random. However, when considered together, it becomes clear that the changes in a forest follow a pattern influenced by various factors. Among these, climate plays a crucial role in guiding the many small and large changes within a forest.

A newly germinated Engelmann spruce came from a tree less than 600 feet away; the seed tree may have germinated in the same manner over 500 years ago. The natural cycles of a forest are events set in motion long ago. Climate frequently provides the timing for these events, and timing is essential. For example, leaves that emerge before the final spring freeze will die and fail to photosynthesize. Forests have evolved to thrive in a stable and predictable climate, and any abrupt changes can disrupt these fine-tuned cycles.

Climate, like forests, is dynamic: it is always changing and evolving. Any long-term change in climate is associated with species extinctions. If the change is slow, species may adapt, slowly moving to once again find climatic pockets where they are able to thrive Faster change results in more species going extinct. Over the past 500 million years, there have been at least five mass extinction events, periods in which over 75% of Earth’s species have gone extinct. Many of these events are associated with rapid climate change.

Over the past 150 years, Earth’s climate has been changing as a result of human carbon dioxide emissions. With changes in climate come novel changes in our forests. Persistent drought and above-average temperatures weaken trees, making them more susceptible to bark beetle outbreaks, wildfire, and pathogens. To respond to these changes we need to change how we manage forests.

For as long as humans have inhabited North America, we have played some role in managing forests. Native Americans used fire to rejuvenate forests and preserve hunting grounds. Europeans initially managed forests for resources, primarily timber and water. In the 1960s, this management changed to equally value wildlife, grazing, recreation, and wilderness. While many management techniques have been employed (to varying degrees of success or failure), all management has been predicated on the concept of

stationarity. Stationarity says that future conditions will be similar to past conditions. Extreme events, such as wildfires and beetle outbreaks, will happen but are predictable in the sense that they are similar in size and severity to previous events. Climate change breaks stationarity and makes management much more challenging.

To effectively manage forests in a nonstationary world, we need to manage for uncertainty. In any situation with uncertainty, one of the best tools we have is diversity. In the case of forests, this includes diversity of species, diversity of age, and a diversity of genetics within a species. Doing this isn’t as complicated as it sounds.

Managing for diversity starts with a diversity of management approaches. It is neither practical nor advisable to attempt to actively manage all forests. We need to identify areas where we allow forests to respond to climate change with minimal human intervention. Locally, this will primarily take place in federally designated wilderness and roadless areas. Other forests that have a history of disturbance and are closer to roads and communities are good candidates for more active management.

Forest management doesn’t attempt to build an ecosystem from the ground up, but rather guides and influences the natural processes within an ecosystem. This can be done with tools such as controlled burns, mechanical treatments (including selective logging, patch cuts, or even clear cuts in some areas), or invasive species management. Locally, ACES in partnership with Aspen Fire Protection District, the City of Aspen, Pitkin County Open Space and Trails, and the U.S. Forest Service has taken many of these steps in the Hunter Creek Valley. As climate change impacts forests, managers are considering assisted migration, which involves introducing non-native trees that are better suited to the new climate. While this technique has potential success it also has significant risk: humans have a long history of introducing new species with very unpredictable and undesirable ecosystem results.

Unfortunately, no amount of management can truly prepare forests for the dramatic changes in climate caused by human actions. For any management to be successful, we need to decarbonize our economy and rapidly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We also need to accept that forests will be changing. In many areas, we already see these changes: aspen groves on south-facing slopes are being replaced by shrubs, or conifer trees killed by bark beetles or wildfires are not regenerating. When we make profound changes to the climate, we cannot expect ecosystems to remain the same.

ACES at Rock Bottom Ranch aims to inspire a community of food-educated citizens. The ranch continues to evolve education about growing food, from our Farm-to-Table Dinners to our Farmer Training Program. Rock Bottom Ranch integrates local food production with land stewardship. Our agricultural practices demonstrate that food production can be profitable while protecting local ecosystems and enhancing the social fabric of our community.

1,627 transactions at Rock Bottom Ranch Farm Store

5,508 total customers served at Aspen Saturday Market & Carbondale Farmers’ Market

954 pounds of ground beef sold

80,252 eggs collected

43 Lambs born

18 vegetable varieties trialed for winter growing

43 CSA members served

422 Carrot bunches washed, bagged, and sold

Farmer Training Program

Our Farmer Training Program consists of teaching four apprentices from April through October on the regenerative agriculture practices that guide Rock Bottom Ranch’s work. Apprentices receive weekly lessons on our production systems, paired with the opportunity to tour and learn from several other farms in the Roaring Fork Valley. In conjunction with our apprenticeship, we also run a 10-week stewardship program geared toward introducing aspiring farmers to the basic principles of both vegetable and livestock production. Each steward spends

five weeks learning about vegetable production and five weeks learning about livestock production.

This immersive, hands-on program serves not only to teach aspiring farmers technical skills in farm operations but also demonstrates how RBR’s community-scaled agriculture plays a role within the larger community. The Farmer Training Program exposes people to the different aspects of farming, and to the potential to pursue many different opportunities within agriculture.

Spotlight:

Kathleen Voight, RBR Agriculture Apprentice ’20

Kathleen just completed a Master’s of Environmental Science at the Yale School of the Environment. Her research and coursework focused on the conservation of agricultural land in the Rocky Mountain West through land and water management, management tools for private land, and drought adaptation.

After graduating, she will be working for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust, focusing on conservation and improvement of ecological value on conserved properties. She is passionate about providing farmers and ranchers with the tools to enact water management systems that better support agriculture operations and conserve land in perpetuity.

“At Rock Bottom Ranch, I learned about the ecological and political challenges facing farmers. I didn’t just learn farming practices, but I got involved with the agriculture community and how it fits into larger systems,” she said. “I am pursuing this master’s work focused on agricultural land and a career positioned in agriculture conservation, all as a direct result of my time at Rock Bottom Ranch.”

She notes that mentorship from the livestock crew and ranch leadership was intrinsic to her experience.

“In addition to being great friends, their mentorship has lasted long beyond the season that I was there. They have been supportive of me getting involved with the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union. They have taught me what it means to be a steward and care for a piece of land and the community.”

ACES Events

always seek to bring our community together, whether it’s through educational experiences inspiring environmental stewardship or building connections between members, donors, ACES staff, and folks throughout the Roaring Fork Valley. Over the past year, our events continued to celebrate ACES’ mission and goal of promoting positive change in the environment through conversation and education on pressing environmental topics of our time. These events wouldn’t be possible without the support of our partners and sponsors.

Youth Community Lecture: Dr. Jane Goodall

“Here we are, the most clever species ever to have lived. So how is it we can destroy the only planet we have?”

- Dr. Jane Goodall

ACES hosted Dr. Jane Goodall—a scientist, ethologist, conservationist, and United Nations Messenger of Peace–in the Roaring Fork Valley this year, where she shared her message of hope with youth in Aspen, Carbondale, and Glenwood Springs. Dr. Goodall has dedicated her life’s work to meaningful, positive change that creates a better world for people, other animals, and the planet we share, through her nonprofit, the Jane Goodall Institute. Her work is in line with ACES’ mission to educate for environmental responsibility. She is a leading force in the environmental movement for change, specifically through her youth-led global community action program, Roots & Shoots, where participants identify and address problems in their communities while becoming the compassionate citizens our planet needs. Dr. Goodall’s main message from her visit is that everything is connected, everyone can make a difference, and “there is always a way forward.”

Jessica Catto Dialogue: Scott Weidensaul and A World on the Wing

Naturalist Scott Weidensaul, author of over 30 books and a Pulitzer Prize finalist, shared his passions for wildlife conservation and ornithology through a discussion of his most recent book, A World on the Wing. He underscored the miracle of bird physiology, and shed light on the shocking 2019 research that revealed we lost one-third of America’s bird population through habitat fragmentation and loss. Weidensaul explained that if given a fighting chance, birds will make a not-so-surprising recovery. He gave us concrete action items to take as conservationists, including getting involved in planning and zoning commissions to bring a conservation perspective to conversations on development. This lecture is made possible each year by the Catto family.

Living with Wolves: Coexistence in Colorado at the Wheeler Opera House

ACES hosted the “Living with Wolves: Coexistence in Colorado” event to expand the understanding of reintroducing wolves to Colorado and provide locals with information necessary to coexist with the species. Conservation biologist and wildlife ecologist Joanna E. Lambert started the event with a presentation about the shared history between humans and wolves in the Northern Hemisphere. John Calfa III from the Wolf Connection podcast then moderated a panel discussion with multiple stakeholder representatives, including Colorado Parks & Wildlife, ranchers, and experts in endangered species and land management. All speakers shared their unique perspectives on the voted-upon upcoming wolf reintroduction. Colorado Parks and Wildlife has since released ten wolves from Oregon in Colorado, and we are now seeing wolf activity in parts of the White-Yampa River, North Platte River, and Colorado River Headwaters basins.

An Evening on the Lake Benefit & William A. Nitze Community Lecture

ACES’ only annual fundraising event, An Evening on the Lake, raises critical funds for ACES environmental education programs and our operating budget. The 2023 Elizabeth Paepcke Visionary Award Honoree, Elizabeth Kolbert, renowned climate journalist and author, gave a free public lecture to a packed audience at the Elizabeth Paepcke Auditorium the day after our benefit. The Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist highlighted humanity’s outsized impact on Earth and the unforeseen consequences of human activity, which she describes in her new book, Under a White Sky. Amid an escalating climate crisis, Kolbert’s talk underscored the urgent question: what can we do to mitigate the devastating changes we’ve set in motion, and how do we do so without further harming our ecosystems? This lecture is made possible each year by the Nitze family.

Naturalist Nights*

Where Wildlife Meets the Road:

Advancing Safe Passages in the Roaring Fork Valley with Cecily DeAngelo and Julia Kintsch

This talk was a solutions-oriented conversation around promoting connectivity for wildlife corridors across roadways, preventing wildlife-vehicle collisions, and prioritizing the safety of wildlife and motorists, in Colorado and, more specifically, in the Roaring Fork Valley.

All of our Naturalist Nights talks can be viewed for free on the ACES YouTube channel or on our website, where you can watch the full presentation.

“I didn’t realize wildlife collisions and horrific roadkill were something we could change, and the moment that I realized this was a very solvable problem, it lit a fire in me to do something about it.”

-Cecily DeAngelo, Founder of Roaring Fork Safe Passages

•Ancient Wetlands: Their Essential Value and Threats in Our Warming World with Delia Malone

•The First Ascent: Over Ten Thousand Years of Native American Occupation in the Colorado Mountains with Jason LaBelle

•The Science of Coexisting with Black Bears in Colorado: with Dr. Stewart Breck

•Birds of Aspen and the Roaring Fork Valley: with Mark Fuller and Rebecca Weiss

Potbelly Perspectives

Conservation & Climate in the Peruvian Amazon:

Observations and Revelations from the Cloud Forest to the Tropics with Isa Catto and Daniel Shaw

Wild Perspectives

Penguins, Peaks, & Off-Piste Skiing:

Skiing in the Antarctic Peninsula with Samantha Podhurst

Other Events

• Colorado’s Third Congressional District: A 24,000-Mile, Father-Son Journey with Adam and Felix Frisch

• If You Want to Go Far, Go Together: Finding the “We” in Individual Sports with Jeff Colt

• From the Black Forest to the Black Sea: 1900 Miles Across Europe on Human-Powered Bikes with Craig and Pamela Mackey

• Avalanche Dreams: A Ski Mountaineer’s Life with Lou Dawson

• Perspectives from the Trail: The Miles that Counted Most with Challenge Aspen

• Homecoming: Ski Mountaineering in the Chilean Andes with Aidan Goldie-Ahumada

• Corsets to Harnesses: A Reflection on Women’s Climbing History from Our Adventures in Corsica and Beyond with Ruth Brown and Kim Levin

Throughout the year, ACES hosts many other engaging events that strive to connect the unique community of the Roaring Fork Valley with our mission.

Farm-to-Table Dinners

Harvest Party

Picnic on the Preserve Raptor Fair

Stars Above Aspen

*Naturalist Nights is a series in partnership with Wilderness Workshop and Roaring Fork Audubon.

**Wild Perspectives is a series in partnership with The Collective Snowmass.

Fulfilling Capital Campaign Goals

A primary goal for our three sites is to provide unparalleled educational experiences that establish each ACES site as a community destination for exploring nature, agriculture, and sustainability, as well as a place to enjoy the outdoors. ACES’ 2020 “Protecting the Future” Capital Campaign succeeded in raising $12.5 million to improve our visitor centers, site infrastructure, and programs. Below is an update on our progress:

Regional Forest Health Restoration:

• Planning prescribed burns in Aspen and the surrounding areas

• Distributed more MCH pheromone packets to protect high-value tree species from beetle infestation on the front side of Aspen Mountain

• With our partners, ACES facilitated two 900acre prescribed burns in the Hunter Creek Valley, along with several mechanical vegetation treatments that mimic fire

• Expanded ACES’ Forest Health Index website statewide and created State of the Forest Reports for other watersheds to promote policy change

Education:

• Increased the size of our education team, adding two full- and two part-time educator positions

• Expanded outdoor field program locations including East Elk Creek, Silt River Preserve, Rifle Falls State Park, and Sunlight Mountain

• Supported Basalt High School’s expanded experiential education program

• Completed educator housing in Carbondale for four educators who teach environmental education in the Roaring Fork and Garfield Re-2 school districts

ACES is celebrating 55 years this year! 2024 is the most exciting time in our organization’s history, as all three of our sites will be fully operational. We are so excited to continue sharing ACES’ three unique sites with locals and visitors alike—connecting people with nature, agriculture, and education.

Catto Center at Toklat & Riverdance:

• Completed renovation of the 70-year-old Catto Center at Toklat wilderness retreat center

• Developed the Riverdance property near Toklat into an outdoor education hub

Hallam Lake:

• Installed a new roof on the visitor center and the Kanders Family Science Teaching Lab exhibit

• Constructed a new entrance for pickup and drop-off for increased site accessibility, public education, and to ensure visitor safety

• Conducted a five-acre wetlands restoration to enhance existing habitat and reintroduce native plant species

Additional Hallam Lake visitor center renovations will occur next winter and include improvements to office, classroom, and meeting spaces.

Rock Bottom Ranch:

• Completed a field study center building renovation, constructed a chicken and egg processing facility, provided new employee housing, and increased food production

• Instituted our Farmer Training Program, which now includes new farm tours, workshops, classroom training, and 40 regenerative agriculture education videos that seek to enrich the learning experience

• Planted a Native Habitat Garden to educate visitors about the importance of pollinators and native species gardening

In the coming year, we will purchase more permanent multi-use housing for farmers, naturalists, educators, and administrative staff.

Membership

ACES contributes to a national agenda for increased environmental awareness while preserving our local natural habitats, protecting wildlife, and creating an environmentally educated society. We need policy and action to solve the climate crisis, but we also need to start seeing ourselves as part of the broader ecosystem and break down ideas of separation and superiority. Nature centers play a vital role in our communities by promoting place-based education, healthy ecosystems, scientific research, and community engagement. At ACES, we foster a deeper connection to nature for people of all ages and remind everyone to embrace our interconnectedness with the natural world.

ACES membership provides access to valuable resources, educational programs, and events that promote local, national, and global environmental awareness and conservation efforts. Being a member of ACES also provides a sense of belonging and empowerment, allowing our supporters to actively participate in initiatives addressing today’s environmental issues and ultimately playing a direct role in creating a healthier and more resilient community for future generations.

MEMBERSHIP PROFILE

-Jason Schnissel, ’08 Naturalist

“My first memory of ACES is tied to arriving in Aspen for the first time in 2008 as a summer Naturalist. Adam McCurdy was on the same flight as me, and Jim Kravitz met us at the airport and we made our way to the condo at Hunter Creek. The next day, I was introduced to Hallam Lake for the first time.

ACES is what brought me to the Roaring Fork Valley and introduced me to the community here. I love supporting ACES’ mission to continue running a Naturalist program every summer and allowing college students and young graduates to experience the Roaring Fork Valley as I did. I believe the work ACES does in schools from Aspen to Rifle is imperative for teaching the next generation about the importance of our natural world. I am happy to support the organization on an annual basis. Coming from another nonprofit, I recognize that continued support, no matter what level, is such a great way of supporting any organization. I would encourage everyone to give to and support ACES.”

Thank you!

We would like to express our gratitude to the contributors who generously supported ACES’ annual fund, Capital Campaign, Summer Benefit, and special projects between January 1, 2023, and December 31, 2023. Recognition in the ACES annual report is a membership benefit of the Bighorn Sheep membership level ($300) and above.

Our Donors

Chairman’s Circle ($50,000 & Above)

Anonymous (2)

Catena Foundation

Catto Shaw Foundation

Jan and Neal Dempsey

Fidel Duke

Jonathan D + Mark C. Lewis Foundation, Aspen Community Foundation

Melony and Adam Lewis

Living Peace Foundation

Merlin Foundation

Gina and Jerry Murdock

Penner Family Foundation

Pettit Foundation

Margot and Thomas Pritzker

Mr. Richard Riffel

Barbara and Don Rosenberg

Restorer’s Circle ($25,000-$49,999)

Anonymous

Argonautica

Jacolyn and John Bucksbaum

Ruth Turnquist Carver and Jim Schmidt

Charles William Cole

Laurence and Lori Fink

Soledad and Robert Hurst

Felicity Huffman and Bill Macy

Malott Family Foundation

Lisa and Willem Mesdag

Pat and Mary Scanlan

Teach a Man to Fish Foundation

Tillie Walton

Elisha and Jeffrey Zander

Sara and Nat Zilkha

Benefactor

($10,000-$24,999)

Aspen Business Center Foundation

Aspen Community Foundation

Susannah and Jim Adelson

Lisa and David Alpern

Meredith Bell

Amy and Gilchrist Berg

Jackie and Mike Bezos

Brittingham Family Foundation

Julie and Randall Brodsky

Karen Brooks

Sarah Broughton and John Rowland

Ruth H. Brown Foundation

Carla and John Brozovich

Jessica and Bill Budinger

Kristina and William Catto

Sarah Challinor

The Chicago Community Foundation

Janet Clark

City of Aspen

Dorian and Pat Damoorgian

Sarah and Chris Daniels

Linda and Ben Davis

Marsha and David Dowler

The Environmental Foundation

Shel and Clayton Erikson

Muriel and John Eulich

Suzanne Farver and Clint VanZee

Eliza Flug

Ann and Tom Friedman

Jessica and John Fullerton

Jennifer and Greg Goldfarb

Sherri and Dean Goodwin

Kristen and Wally Graham

Margaret and Bill Greenfield

Mary and Jim Griffith

Perry and Michael Griffith

Jody Guralnick and Michael Lipkin

Ellen Bronfman Hauptman and Andrew Hauptman

Kathy and William Hegberg

Amanda and Ashton Hudson

Carol and Michael Hundert

Woody and Gayle Hunt Family Foundation

J & M Foundation

Allison and Warren Kanders

Ronald and Eva Kinney Family Foundation

Francine and Tag Liebel

Daniel and Margaret Loeb

Susanne and Bill Losch

Gloria and James Marcus

Diane Moore and Joel Sax

David Newberger

Ilona and Chad Oppenheim

Kristi and Tom Patterson

Melinda and Norman Payson

Pitkin County Healthy Community Fund

Aimee and Ben Pritzker

Ilona Nemeth-Quasha and Alan Quasha

The Rodel Foundation

Polly Scott and Jim Maher

Wendy and Mike Sidley

Alison Teal and Sam Brown

Katherine Tomford and David Grossman

Rob Walton Foundation

Innovator ($5,000-$9,999)

Katie and Nick Abrams

Lydia and Bill Addy

CC and Stewart Armstrong

Aspen Chamber Resort Association

Jody and Jeffrey Black

Andrea Booher

Ed Bradley Family Foundation

Gary and Sylvie Crum

Mr. and Mrs. David Dillon

Muffy and Andy DiSabatino

Laura Donnelley

Terry and Wally Durham

Marcy and Leo Edelstein

Tracy and Bubba Eggleston

Helen and Dave Feinberg

Kristen and Andrew Firman

Margot and Richard Hampleman

Bush Helzberg*

Rebecca Henry

Noelle and Cecil Hernandez

Ambassador Bruce and Vicki Heyman

Toni and Daniel Hunt

Rusty and John Jaggers

Shana and Clint Johnstone

Denise Jurgens and Kevin Messerschmidt

The Knapp Fund

Anne Kerr L’Heureux and Matthew L’Heureux

Mary Schmidt-Libby and Russell Libby

Shelly and Tony Malkin

Patricia and Ricardo Marino

Janna and Tom McNicholas

Andrea and Bobby McTamaney

Martha and Adam Metz

Marcie and Robert Musser

Elizabeth Nordstrom

Oak Lodge Foundation

Tamar and Stephen Olitsky

Alexandra and Gunnar Sachs

Lorraine and Mark Schapiro

Betty* and Lloyd Schermer

Jacqie and Neal Shear

Rachel and Tony Sherman

Wendy and David Smith

Linda and Jerry Strickland

Mary Ann and Ray Tittle

Misty and Tyson Weihs

Carrie and Joe Wells

Heather and Phillip Wilhelm

Advocate ($2,500-$4,999)

Lisa and George Baker

Cara and Robert Barnes

Carrie and Stephen Bellotti

Coventry and Davis Berg

Sallie and Thomas Bernard

Nancy and Stephen Bernstein

Lucy Tremols Bright and Galen Bright

Nicole Birkhold and Gregg Heil

Rona and Jeff Citrin

Chinook Charitable Foundation

Carol Craig

Ann Dahmer and Kevin Geiser

Jamie and Steven Dell

Andy Docken

Jennifer DuBrul and Derek Foster

Dubose Family Foundation

Lauren and Ryan Elston

Joan Fabry and Michael Klein

Fergus Foundation

Donna and Gary Freedman

Barbara Glass and Rich Vossler

Carolyn and Tim Hagist

Leelee and Bill Harriman

Louise and Phil Hoversten

Mike and Laura Kaplan

Katherine Kendrick

Diane and Jack Kennedy

Nina Kjellson

Kurt Lageschulte and Jessica Rothstein

Christine and Andrew Light

Lux Household

Judy and Robbie Mann

Liza and John Mauck

David Moray

Lynn Nichols and Jim Gilchrist

Clarisse Perrette

Hensley and James Peterson

Ken and Emily Ransford

Phillip and Emily Ring

Stephen Sander

Lisa and David Schiff

Rachel Shechtman

Jennifer and Daniel Shorr

Kate and Phillip Spanton

Morgan and Shawn Stephenson

Steve Stunda

Allison and Ben Tiller

Patsy Tisch

Nancy and Charles Wall

Adelaide and Michael Waters

Jay and Patti Webster

Mr. and Mrs. Edward White

Steward ($1,000-$2,499)

Alison Coenen Abrams and Dale Abrams

Vanessa and Karl Adam

Julia and Tomakin Archambault

Claudia and Richard Balderston

Lissa Ballinger

Annabelle Bond and Ken Hitchner

Connie and Buddy Bates

Barbara and Bruce Berger

BF Foundation

Rachael and Brian Brady

Morgan and Matthew Brown

Ruthie Burrus

Marla and Lawrence Butler

David Byrnes

Lisa and Michael Cader

Cynthia Calvin and Mac McShane

Laurel and John Catto

Laurence Cohen

Sally R. Cole

David Corbin

Alicia and Jon Creyts

Bobbi Cunningham and Michael Ortiz

Natasha and Antal Desai

Chelsea and Chace Dillon

Liz Coplon and Carl Eichstaedt

Orly Friedman and Matthew Miller

Dawn Ford and Eric Doppstadt

Christine and Bryan Gieszl

Neil Glaser and Richie Lin

Joanna Golden

Patricia Goudvis

Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Greenberg

Chris and Gary Hartman

Shirley and Barnett Helzberg

Casady Henry

Nancy and Charles Hess

Mary and Dan Horn

Wendy and Stephen Huber

Janis and George Huggins

Tavia and Clark Hunt

Barbara Reid and David Hyman

Nina and Tim Itin

Mr. & Mrs. Rodney Jacobs

Caroline and Hugh Kaplan

Ali and Alex Kohner

Laura and Gary Lauder

Linda Lay

Lee and Zachry Lee

Rebecca and Doug Leibinger

Kim Lewis

Nicole Longnecker and David Pesikoff

Marlene Malek

Pete McBride

Joe McGuire and Matthew Tenzin

Barbara and John Patrick McMahon

Agustina Mistretta and Timothy Sack

Denise Monteleone

Jennifer Monteleone

Kristy Mora

Constance Hoguet Neel and Richard Neel

Ann Richards Nitze

Carol Pasternak

Jan and Jim Patterson

Carol Hood Peterson and Brooke A. Peterson

Noah Pollack

Rahm Household

Cari and Garrett Reuss

Louisa and James Rudolph

Shereen and Jordan Sarick

Nina and Joshua Saslove

Kirsten and Chad Schmit

Deborah and John Scott

Phyllis and David Scruggs

Carole and Gordon Segal

Layne and Mike Shea

Cyrena Torrey Simons

Christina Smith

Glenn Sonnenberg

Jill St. John and Robert Wagner

Shelley Senterfitt and Ken Canfield

William Lundeen Stirling

Sally Pendleton Thompson

Arden and Bob Travers

Barbara Trueman

Ruth and Bob Wade

Kay Watson

Alison and Jonathan Wente

Sarah and Robert Woods

Jessica Wu and Florin Toader

Alison and Boniface Zaino

Black Bear ($600-$999)

Shari Applebaum

Nadine Asin and Thomas Van Straaten

Suzanne Atkinson

The Austin Memorial Foundation

Lisa and Steve Ayres

Steve Barsanti

Justin Bayne

Gina Berko and David Fleisher

Carolyn S. Bucksbaum

Tony and Terri Caine

Christina and Juan Calle

Betsy and Jim Chaffin

Donna and Steve Chase

Nicole DeWolf

Elizabeth Epstein and Stuart Bohart

Elizabeth and George Farish

Carol and Jim Farnsworth

Darylynn and Tom Fellman

Susanne and George Fesus

Judith Fisher

Ruth and Dan Flournoy

Barbara Fretz

Laurel Gilbert and Bruce Etkin

Dr. Lisa Glazer and Dr. Jeff Braun Glazer

Thorey and Barry Goldstein

Karen and John Gray-Krehbiel

Nicholas Groos

Roger Gurrentz

Whitney Wolfe Herd and Michael Herd

Annabelle Bond and Ken Hitchner

Linda and Gregg Hollomon

Cindy Houben

Janet A. Johnson and Mary Ellis

Rita Justice

Wendy and Todd Kennedy

Sandra and Michael Klein

Tricia and Rich Kolsby

Phyllis Lally and Leonard Seevers

Sheila and Bill Lambert

Elaine Le Buhn

Peter Looram

Jessica Kaplan Lundevall and Torjus Lundevall

Anne Welsh McNulty

Martha Farish Oti

Karen and Richard Parker

Brooke A. Peterson and Carol Hood Peterson

Pitkin County Board of County Commissioners

Missy and Steve Prudden

Paula Rhodes

Katherine Roberts

Beverly and Howard Robinson

Ken Robinson

Kaja Rumney

Sheryl Schreiber

Sallie Shatz

Town of Snowmass Village

Pamela Stanton and Jack O’Donnell

Gretchen A. Straub

Tamara Susa

The Tucker Family Foundation

Angi Wang

Jane and Bruce Warren

Kathy and Roger Wells

Barbara and Charles Winton

Carolyn Workman and Kurt Wacker

Martha and Gerry Wyrsch

Bighorn Sheep ($300-$599)

Sherry and Duane Abbott

Julie and Harrison Augur

Carol and Robert Auld

Kimberly Bakker

Julia and Ted Behar

Donna and Skip Behrhorst

Amy and Neal Beidleman

Summer and Erik Berg

Kathy and Drew Berkman

Drs. Paula and William Bernstein

Nicole and Matthew Bickford

Sharon Bistline

Sarah Blaine

local vs out-of-state membership

ACES membership spans across the country, but the majority of our members reside in the Roaring Fork Valley. 58% of our members are local to the Roaring Fork Valley, 77% of our members reside in Colorado, and another 23% contribute to our organization from out of state.

Liz and John Bokram

Leslie Boyer and Bill Stein

Ruthie Brown

Andrea and Chris Bryan

Bryant Household

Tina and Geoff Buchheister

Barbara Bussell

Heather Cabot and Gaelen Means

Jody and Tom Cardamone

Cinda and Michael Carron

Cassetta Household

Gretchen Cole and Craig Corona

Anne and Edward Colloton

Annie Cooke

Liz Coplon and Carl Eichstaedt

Jeanette Darnauer and Rob Merritt

Amber and Ted Davenport

Elese and Gusty Denis

Anakarina Dingle

Ashley Dopf

Hall R. Easton

Kim Edwards and Jesse Bouchard

Christopher Ellis-Ferrara

Alissa and David Farrell

Lynne Feigenbaum and Steven Wolff

Sherry Ferguson and Robert Zoellick

Patty and Peter Findlay

Sara Finkle

Sistie Fischer

Karen Freedman

Nikola and Todd Freeman

Kathy Fry and Brett Beavers

Lauren Garrity

Alyson and Justin Gish

Kathleen and John Goodin

Raleigh Gray

Eileen and Richard Greenberg

Lisa and Bill Guth

Lisa and Michael Haisfield

Bart Harris

Trautlinde Heater

Sue Helm

Marilyn and Bayard Hovdesven

Hughes Household

Sandy and Peter Johnson

Alexandra Karlinski

Donna and Patrick Keelty

Debora Kelly and Scott Messina

Meg and Phil Kendall

Alexandra Kendrick

Marianne* and Richard Kipper

Missy and Chris Klug

Polly Koenigsknecht

Judy Kravitz

Dr. and Mrs. Tom Kurt

Dr. and Mrs. Patrick Lally

Kristen and David Lambert

Kirsten and Alan Langohr

Mark Lantz

Nancy Lazar and George Zachar

Jessica Leeke

Mr. and Mrs. James Lehmann

Suzanne Leydecker

Daylene and Gary Lichtenwalter

Elizabeth and Adam Lowenstein

Lynn and Ned Lubell

Carol and Patrick Luddy

Liz Lynch

Pamela and Craig Mackey

Mirte Mallory and Philip Jeffreys

Katharine Mann

Martin Manosevitz

Jim Martin

Susan and Lawrence Marx

Dee Matthews and Richard Thompson

Monica Mayotte

Rebecca McCurdy and Edgar Toledano

Sunni McBride

Mcclennen Household

Sherry and Gerald Merfish

Kevin Millin

Mary and Roger Moyer

Melanie Muss and Tracy Nichols

Jacqueline Neuwirth Swire

Allison and David Niles

Susan Okie Lindenaj

Nedra and Mark Oren

Ruth Owens

Judy Wender Buzz Patten

Ali and David Phillips

Jodi and Bill Pinkham

Gloria Pryzant

Nan and Robert Ratner

The Rehl Family

Noelle Rohde

Margaret and Dwayne Romero

Ivette and Andy Rothschild

Oakleigh and Tobin Ryan

Alma and Barry Salky

Linda and Jay Sandrich

Auden Schendler and Ellen Freedman

Marcelina and Joshua Seymour

Nancy and Barry Shapiro

Dr. and Mrs. Lisa and Brian Shaw

Claire Shope

Tiffany Sinay

Anda and Ryan Smalls

Dawnette Smith

Lynn Smith

Sandra Smith

Tami Solondz

Erin Spiess

Jim Stafford

Sandy and Steve Stay

Danette Stephens

Katya Sternberg

Elizabeth and Flynn Stewart-Severy

Michael Stolper

Natasha and Clifford Stowe

Wendi Sturgis

Susie Taylor

Lois and Doug Teegarden

Melissa Temple and Morgan Whittemore

Victoria Thomas and Tom Davies

Anne Tobey

Elissa Topol and A. Lee Osterman

Lea Tucker

Jennifer Turkat

Mike Uncapher

Janet Van Dyke

Becky and Craig Ward

Kristin Klingbeil-Weis and Karl Weis

Susan Welsch

Carlotta and Wendell Willke

Jessica Wildman Dubin

Susan Wolf and Doug MacLean

Suzanne Wolff and Gary Tennenbaum

* Marks donors that have passed away in the last year.

ACES’ continued success in community engagement, fundraising efforts, and program offerings grew revenue by a total of 37% over the last fiscal year. Operating expenses have risen significantly in the last fiscal year, with educational expenses growing 26% and comprising 76% of all operating expenses.

ACES’ financial position continues to strengthen, enabling the organization to expand our housing portfolio and staff while providing a meaningful runway for the opening of The Catto Center at Toklat.

NOTE: The 2021 contributions line item includes the 50th Anniversary Capital Campaign funds raised.

Administrative Staff

Chris Lane

Chief Executive Officer

Adam McCurdy

Climate & Forest Programs Director

Andrea Aust

Education Director

Brodie Kettelkamp

Finance & Operations Director

Christy Mahon

Development Director

Jim Kravitz

Naturalist Programs Director

Morgan Gosda

Communications Director

Patrick Banks

Rock Bottom Ranch Director

Phebe Meyers

Community Programs Director

Alyssa Barsanti

Farmer Training Facilitator

Emily Williams

Field Programs Coordinator

Greta Brown

Marketing Manager

Jack Osius

Development Coordinator

Kamille Winslow

School Programs Manager

Lillian Bell

Community Programs Coordinator, Hallam Lake & Toklat

Mariah Foley

Agriculture Manager

Raychl Keeling

Events Manager

Trisha Lavery

Community Programs Coordinator, Rock Bottom Ranch

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

ACES is committed to providing an equitable and inclusive environment for our staff, program participants, and community. We are continually working toward this through:

• Comprehensive training for our staff and board of trustees

• Updating policies and practices in order to better recruit and retain employees who are representative of our diverse community

• Encouraging innovative ideas from all areas of the organization

• Collaborating with local organizations to provide meaningful opportunities for all Roaring Fork Valley residents to engage with ACES

This Year, We Have:

• Provided ACES staff with a professional development budget for Spanish classes

• Formed an internal DEI committee, meeting monthly, that includes representation from all areas and levels of the organization including the board of trustees

• Integrated organizational DEI goals throughout ACES’ new strategic plan for 2024-2026

• Expanded ACES Education programs to schools in the Re-2 School District, including the addition of a partner school where we teach full time

• Provided scholarships (up to 100% of the cost) for approximately 75% of school groups participating in ACES field programs

• Partnered with local organizations to make ACES events more welcoming and relevant for our diverse community

Partners

ACES’ corporate partnerships seek to involve businesses that make our community a more inviting and environmentally conscious place. These donors contributed to ACES and/or sponsored an ACES event between January 1, 2023, and December 31, 2023.

Corporate Partners

Benefactor ($10,000 and above)

Alpine Bank

Bethel Party Rentals

MacDonald Hardwoods Co. Inc.

Innovator ($5,000-$9,999)

Aspen Chamber Resort Association

Aspen Skiing Company

Aspen Thrift Shop

Aspen Vodka

Field 2 Fork Kitchen

Forum Phi

Harriman Construction, Inc.

Martin Woods Winery

Obermeyer Wood Investment Counsel

Reese Henry and Company, Inc.

Advocate ( $2,500-$4,999)

Aspen Public Radio

Black Diamond/Mountain Khaki

Carington Creative

CCY Architects

Chris Klug Properties

FirstBank

Ken Ransford, P.C.

The Little Nell

Steward ($1,000-$2,499)

Aspen Brewing Company

Aspen Daily News

Aspen Times

Be Hippy

Christie’s International Real Estate

Gran Farnum Printing

Of Grape and Grain

Halcyon Productions

Isa Catto Studios

Marble Distillery

North Drinkware

Lead with Love

Ute Mountaineer

Partner ($500-$999)

Alpine Valley Services

Bristlecone Mountain Sports

Fusalp

Eagle Crest Nursery

Town of Basalt

Community Partners

Aspen/Snowmass Area

Ashcroft Ghost Town

Aspen Elementary School

Aspen Meadows

Aspen Mountain

Castle Creek Valley

Toklat

Hallam Lake

Hunter Creek

Independence Pass

Maroon Bells

North Star Nature Preserve

Red Butte

Riverdance

Snowmass Mountain

Basalt Area

Basalt Elementary School

Lake Christine Burn Area

Rock Bottom Ranch

Glenwood Springs Area

Glenwood Springs Community

Art Center

Sunlight Mountain Resort

Rifle/Newcastle Area

East Elk Creek

Kathryn Senor Elementary School

Rifle Falls State Park

Rifle Gap State Park

Silt River Preserve

Trustees

Daniel Shaw, Board Chair

Adam Lewis

Adelaide Waters

Alex Sanchez

Andrew Docken

Barbara Rosenberg

Ben Pritzker

Brian Brady

Chris Daniels

Colter Van Domelen

Diane Moore

Gina Murdock

Hadley Hentschel

Jennifer Goldfarb

Jerry Murdock

Leslie Lamont

Mark Hamilton

Megan Talarico

Reenie Kinney

Legacy Council

Amy and Gilchrist Berg

Jacolyn and John Bucksbaum

Larry and Lori Fink

Allison and Warren Kanders

Melony and Adam Lewis

Margot and Tom Pritzker

Zoe Baird and Bill Bundinger

“The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two contradictory thoughts at the same time.”

- F. Scott Fitzgerald

The world is registering important progress, but it also faces dire environmental threats. A critical first step is to get people to be ecologically literate. And to do that we must connect this urbanized, overly wired world to nature.