Educators know today’s students need a repertoire of knowledge and skills that are more diverse, complex, and integrated than any previous generation of students. In collaboration with Trinchera Ranch, Colorado Open Lands addresses this need by hosting an annual teacher workshop in the San Luis Valley. The annual week-long session is open to educators in grades K-12, special education, literacy programs and gifted and talented classrooms. We also welcome instructional coaches, principals, and community environmental educators who work with students across Colorado. The goal of the program is to help educators learn how to connect their students with the natural world around them. Through an immersive 5-day, 3 graduate credit workshop, educators collaborate with conservation practitioners, build their knowledge base, develop hands-on skills, and receive both classroom and outdoor based lesson plans and resources. The workshop connects science, literacy, historical, and practical knowledge in an authentic way, all while exploring innovative solutions to real-world problems.

 Since 2016, we have trained approximately 30 educators annually. Consequently, thousands of Colorado students have reaped the positive benefits of this impactful program!

The workshop is held at the beautiful Trinchera Ranch outside of Ft. Garland, CO. This 177,000-acre conserved ranch lies within the beautiful Sangre de Cristo mountains and boasts a variety of pristine habitat that helps facilitators make the content come to life!

Watch the video below to see if this workshop might be a good fit for you or someone you know.

Questions? Contact Judy Lopez at judy.lopez@trincheraranch.com or 719.580.5300 or Yvonne Schramm at yschramm@coloradoopenlands.org or 303.988.2373 ext. 223.