BCNA Classes, Hikes, and Webinars
“Can we imagine a world in which social and economic practices are in symbiosis with nature – rather than just means to human ends?”
— from “Exiting the Anthropocene? Exploring Fundamental Change in Our Relationship with Nature” by European Environment Agency, published March 20, 2023, last modified September 18, 2023
The mission of the BCNA Environmental Education Program is to build a community interested in learning from experts and each other about local environmental systems and actions to conserve Boulder County’s natural world.
Since the 1980s, BCNA has partnered with knowledgeable instructors to offer classes, field trips, nature hikes, social gatherings, an annual Ecosymposium, and other activities to present an in-depth understanding of the complexity and value of interconnected natural ecosystems in Boulder County and the Front Range. By highlighting the challenges facing these ecosystems and exploring avenues for advocacy, BCNA empowers members, the public, and professionals to contribute to the health and resilience of the environment.
If you are interested in leading a class, field outing, nature hike, or other activities to help us grow our environmental education program, please contact us to join our team!
Upcoming
2026 Classes and Hikes
BCNA’s Educational Hike Series
Fun Naturalist Scavenger Hunt for Kids Age 8+
Friday, June 19 from 8:30 am – 10:30 am
Children are born with a deep, biologically rooted attraction to the natural world — a phenomenon known as biophilia, first described by Edward O. Wilson. This innate connection means they are naturally drawn to living things, sensory experiences, and the rhythms of nature. From infancy, they explore through touch, smell, sound, and sight, engaging in active play like digging in dirt, chasing bugs, or splashing in puddles.
Do you have a child/grandchild 8+ who loves nature? Or needs an introduction to nature? Kids have an innate interest in nature that we can nurture for their future and for nature’s future.
Join us for a fun kid’s outing using the Seek phone app (required, download in advance). The child and parent will be a team, but the child must find ten plants or animals from our list using the Seek app. The app is very simple and does not export any data so your privacy is protected. Karl will show how to use the app. Parents and children must stay within sight of the trip leader. Prizes will be awarded to those who get the most badges and species from our list.
Bring sturdy shoes, a light jacket, sun protection, snacks, and water. Afterward, you have the option to visit the nearby Flagstaff Nature Center atop Flagstaff Mountain. There are picnic tables if you want to bring a lunch.
Location: Realization Point on Flagstaff Mountain. Parking is limited – get there early if possible. More parking is available west on the Flagstaff Rd. There is $5 parking fee if your car is not licensed in Boulder County.
Register: Email Karl at earthford@aol.com. Please include how many adults and children will be in your group. Limit for the activity: 16 people.
Please note: We will cancel if it is raining or there are predicted unsafe weather conditions.
Climate Change and Forests of Boulder County
Wednesday, June 10 – 8:00am – 5:00pm
Are you curious about how climate change has influenced wildfire activity and forest insect outbreaks in Boulder County? Have you ever wondered how scientists use tree rings to reconstruct fire history—and how fire activity under modern fire suppression compares to fire activity prior to fire suppression? Or how climate change is affecting tree regeneration after recent fires and driving increased mortality among mature trees?
Join Tom Veblen, CU Distinguished Professor Emeritus, and Karl Ford, BCNA Education Committee member, for a series of educational hikes exploring these themes in Boulder County’s lower montane, upper montane, and subalpine forests.
The third hike in this series will focus on subalpine forests near the CU Mountain Research Station near Ward. We will visit some of the permanent forest plots where Tom Veblen’s research group has been monitoring thousands of trees since the early 1980s. Through interactive discussions and firsthand observations, participants will gain insight into how peer-reviewed scientific findings apply to local forest conditions. We will also connect research conducted in the subalpine forests near the CU Mountain Research Station to broader patterns of climate impacts across Colorado and the western U.S.
This hike series is designed for conservation-minded nature enthusiasts who want to better understand how scientific evidence relates to messages about fire risk and forest management from national and local government and the media. Each hike will highlight key science-based knowledge of Boulder County forests and support informed public engagement on climate adaptation initiatives.
Participants must be capable of hiking (at a leisurely pace) from approximately 9,500 to 10,400 feet on a rocky, moderately steep old mining road. It is yet to be determined if 4WD vehicles will be available to transport us for the first half of the uphill climb. Participants need to be prepared for sudden weather changes (including the possibility of thunderstorms). Bring lunch and snacks, plenty of water, and sunscreen. No dogs or children please.
Meeting place: Buckingham Park in lower Lefthand Canyon. We will make one or two stops on the way to the Mountain Research Station.
Fee: None
Registration: Email Tom at veblen@colorado.edu. Limit 14 participants. Please notify Tom if you need to cancel.