Quemazon Trail. Courtesy/PEEC
PEEC News:
While the walls are going up and the roof is raised, a lot of work is going on behind the scenes to bring together all the elements that will make the much anticipated Los Alamos County Nature Center a great new resource for the local community.
PEEC is working with professionals to design not only the exhibits, but also an exciting new app that will be one of the highlights of the new center. The app will provide trail recommendations, and PEEC is calling on members of the community to submit photographs of local trails to be used for the app.
The deadline to submit photographs is Sept. 30.
The photographs should be of local trails and can be with or without people, though with people is preferred. Each photograph must be accompanied by the name of the trail and, if possible, when the photo was taken. By submitting the photograph, the photographer agrees to release it to PEEC and gives PEEC permission to use the likeness of the people included. Credit will be given to the photographer, so the photographer’s name also should be included.
The new app, called Los Alamos Trails, will be available on every platform. It will allow people to enter criteria (such as, I want to go on a three mile hike that’s good for dogs and see wildflowers) and get trail recommendations, guides and views from user-submitted photos.
Submit photos to PEEC’s Director of Interpretation, Jonathan Creel, at Programs@PajaritoEEC.org by Sept. 30.
The new nature center is a public-private partnership between Los Alamos County and PEEC. Under the partnership agreement, the County is responsible for construction of the facility, while PEEC, a grassroots organization that currently operates a small nature center on Orange Street, has been chosen by the County to operate the new nature center. PEEC also will provide professional exhibits, including the trail app, which will belong to the new nature center when it opens in spring, 2015.
The Pajarito Environmental Education Center (PEEC) was founded in 2000 to serve the community of Los Alamos. It offers people of all ages a way to enrich their lives by strengthening their connections to our canyons, mesas, mountains, and skies. PEEC maintains a nature center, holds regular programs and events, and hosts a number of interest groups from birding to hiking to butterfly watching. PEEC activities are open to everyone; however, members receive exclusive benefits such as discounts on programs and merchandise. Annual memberships start at $20. To learn more, visit https:////www.PajaritoEEC.org.