Environmental Education Volunteering

Environmental Education volunteers assist with school field trip programs at Loveland natural areas. Free training is provided for volunteers to learn to teach grade K-5 students about Colorado wildlife, plants, and ecosystems at small group learning stations. Choose your favorite subjects and share your love of the outdoors with local children!  Full and half-day programs are offered during school hours on weekdays during spring and fall.  Programs are hosted at River’s Edge Natural Area, Namaqua Park, and Viestenz-Smith Mountain Park.

Time Commitment for Environmental Educators

• On-site training:  2-4 hours, depending on program
• Teaching:  one weekday per week
  • Spring programs – March through May
  • Fall programs – September to November      

Volunteer for the environmental education program

Stewardship and Special Projects

Stewardship projects include wildlife monitoring, native species restoration, trail-building, weed removal, citizen science projects, cleanup days, and other projects. If you'd like to help with stewardship opportunities, please apply to be a Volunteer on Offero and be sure to select your volunteer interests and note any additional skills you can offer for special projects. Registered volunteers will receive follow-up information about interests indicated on the application. All training and materials are provided free to volunteers.  

Time Commitment for Stewardship Volunteers

• Project-dependent, varies from single-day projects to season-long opportunities

Volunteer for Stewardship Projects

Trail Host Program

The City of Loveland provides training for individuals interested in volunteering as Trail Hosts at City natural areas. Trail host volunteers engage with site visitors, answer questions, record visitor use data, and report maintenance needs. Loveland's natural areas contain diverse wildlife habitat including riparian lands along the Big Thompson River corridor, upland prairies,  fishing ponds, wetlands, meadows and farmlands. More than 20 miles of soft-surface trails are open to the public, along with 31 miles of paved trails and regional trail connections. The Open Lands & Trails brochure contains a map of all sites, a matrix of amenities and allowed uses at each area, and general rules and regulations.   

Time Commitment for Trail Hosting

• Training (2 sessions - "classroom" and on-site):  5 hours total + option for shadowing with experienced volunteers
• Trail Hosting:  4 hours per month preferred, self-scheduled site visits, year-round opportunities

Goals for Trails Hosts

• Engage in positive interactions with the citizens of Loveland and the general public 
• Answer visitors’ questions and provide general information about each natural area 
• Use Authority of the Resource Technique (ART) to encourage compliance with area regulations 
• Practice and teach Front Country Leave No Trace 
• Collect and report information regarding public use of natural areas using contact sheets or online forms

Volunteer to be a trail host

General Volunteer Information

All volunteers should be in at least fair physical condition, capable of an easy one-mile hike. No experience or specific knowledge is required – all training and materials are provided.

View our open lands volunteer flyer.

To become a volunteer for Loveland Open Lands & Trails, create an account Offero and click the blue "Apply to be a Volunteer" link.  

Still have questions? Contact Michele Van Hare, Coordinator at 970.962.2643 or michele.vanhare@cityofloveland.org and specify your interest in stewardship, environmental education and/or trail host opportunities. 

Preschool Environmental Education Programs (PEEPs)

Open to preschool children ages 2-5 with their parents/caregivers.  Each one-hour program offers information and activities to bring children into the world of nature.

These programs are generally offered on the third Thursday of each month in various City of Loveland locations (see Offero for specific dates and times). Each program includes hands-on activities, storytelling, games and crafts. FREE!

Registration is required. Click the REGISTER NOW button below to access Offero, the Open Lands & Trails system for programs, events and volunteer opportunities.

For grades 2-5, two programs are offered, Plants & Places at River's Edge Natural Area and Canyon Ecosystem Exploration at Viestenz-Smith Mountain Park. See grade level recommendations below. 

Our field trips include rotations through small group learning stations and guided hikes, all led by staff and trained volunteers. Programs include: 

• Plants and Places (grades 2-3) guides students through the various local plant communities, focusing on plants' adaptations to their environments. This program lasts about 4.5 hours, and is considered a “full day” field trip.  

• Canyon Ecosystem Exploration (grades 4-5) focuses on life zones and ecosystems of the Big Thompson canyon, including energy transfer, plant life, and animal adaptations. Program length on-site is about 4.5 hours, considered a "full day" field trip. 

See the Environmental Education Program Brochure for details about each program and how to request a reservation. Adult chaperones are required, depending on the size of your group. Groups over 60 can attend on two days. Parent chaperones are always welcome and chaperone materials are available in both English and Spanish.  

See below for detailed program descriptions, education standards for each grade level, and links to supplemental lesson plans where available. 

To request a program, teachers should visit the online registration system Offero. Click on the green "Request a Program" button on the home page to see the availability calendar and request field trip dates.  Questions, contact Michele Van Hare at 970.962.2643.

Education programs can also be tailored for specific groups, such as middle/high school grades, home school groups, scouts, clubs or other organizations, based on age and topic(s) of interest. 

For more information, please contact:

Michele Van Hare
Environmental Education & Volunteer Coordinator, Open Lands & Trails
970.962.2643
Michele.VanHare@cityofloveland.org

Exploring Green Careers: A Workshop Session for High School Students 

Led by trained facilitator Michele Van Hare, NAI CIT 

The Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education and Colorado Youth Corps Association created the GreenPathways.org website to increase awareness by high school-age Coloradans about natural resource career pathways.  This Careers in Natural Resources Initiative is supported by the US EPA, US Forest Service, GOCO and philanthropic funders.

Classroom sessions include guided exploration of careers in natural resources, the Green Pathways website, and the How-To Guide for Pursuing a Career in Natural Resources (longer session only).

An engaging program for kids ages 4-6 (Kinder through 1st grade),  Critter Scene Investigations (CSIs) offer a  2-2.5 hour outdoor program where students visit 5-6 stations along a nature trail, collect clues, and learn about local wildlife to solve a wildlife mystery. Trained volunteers guide students using nature-based clues to help eliminate one suspect at each station. Students learn about various Colorado animals, their diets and feeding methods, and where each of the animals is found in our state. 

CSI Programs for the 2025-26 school year will be The Case of the Feather Fluff Puff.  CSI topics rotate through different programs each school year, so students can solve different mysteries each year they attend.

In order to provide the best experience, larger classes over 24 students are divided into two groups on program day. One half starts the station rotation (details below) while the other group attends a Guided Nature Walk with a trained volunteer. The groups then trade activities. Students will experience some group puzzle-solving and playground time between activities. Children will spend about an hour experiencing the investigation program. 

Program Description

Students will gain a better understanding of animal actions and knowledge of common Colorado wildlife during this field trip. 

The mystery is laid out at the Introduction Table - the critter suspects are briefly introduced and students receive their record sheets and crayon to keep track of suspects as they are eliminated. Students then rotate through small group education stations, learning about each animal to help narrow down the  possibilities. 

At the 5-6 small group learning stations, students investigate each critter suspect and learn about the animal's habits, foods, habitats, and more. For the 2025-2026 school year program, station descriptions for the Feather Fluff Puff  include the following animal suspects:    

Suspect 1: Squirrel – Which suspects could get to a bird in a tree? Which suspects might have wanted to eat a dove? Where do squirrels live and what do they eat? Vocabulary introduced: herbivore, carnivore, adaptation (remembering the clues in the introduction)

Suspect 2: Coyote – The Coyote Café – more about what herbivores and carnivores eat – introduce omnivore (relative to humans), talk about animal vocalizations and communication

Suspect 3: Raccoon – humans are omnivores, so are raccoons, what do we have in common? What does it take to catch a bird like a dove? Vocabulary addition: carrion

Suspect 4: Gray Fox – An uncommon suspect that is growing more numerous in Colorado, a canine that can climb trees.  Vocabulary: canine, adaptation, habitat, reclusive (shy, not used to people)

Suspects 5 and 6: Great Horned Owl and Coopers Hawk – When are certain suspects most active? Vocabulary: nocturnal, diurnal (and crepuscular – dawn to dusk). What does it take to catch a dove? Speed and ability of various animals/suspects discussed

Prior to the rotation through critter suspect stations, the Puzzle Table is a holding station so that students are ready to move to the Introduction Table when it is available. This allows some time for children to re-group after the playground and be more prepared to participate in the learning stations.

Once students have finished all the stations, they will turn in their record sheets, which will be gathered and given to the classroom teachers.

CSI programs are available to reserve in the morning or afternoon. Please include information about lunch or snack period requests when reserving your program, or specific arrival or departure times needed. 

Preparing for your Critter Scene Investigation field trip

• Reserve transportation ASAP.  Teachers are responsible for arranging bus transportation. We make every effort to run programs regardless of weather, so it's best to be prepared so everyone can enjoy the learning experience. Due to limited bus availability, it is difficult, if not impossible, to reschedule a field trip later in the season.

• Give extra directions to your bus driver.  For this program, the bus will be parking near the picnic shelter at Namaqua Park (730 N County Road 19E, aka Namaqua Road). Students should take all of their belongings and meet the volunteers, who will show them where to gather with their chaperones.

• Recruit chaperones.  All of our lessons are taught by trained volunteers. Chaperones are needed to take students to the restroom, maintain a learning environment, and assist students during learning activities.

• Send out permission slips and include the information about what to bring and wear: closed-toed shoes, long pants, extra layers for warmth, a filled water bottle, and a snack or sack lunch if you are eating lunch at Namaqua Park.

• Provide information to our coordinators: a phone number to call at 7AM in case of weather or other program-changing events, total number of students attending, and number of chaperones, plus list any special needs that staff and volunteers should be aware of.

Volunteer Training Video/Program Preview for Teachers

A training video may be available for a volunteer refresher of in-person training. Teachers may also preview the video before attending with their class. Include a request for this information with your program reservation. 

1. Recognize that living things have unique characteristics and basic needs that can be observed and studied.

1. Observe, describe and discuss living things.
2. Observe similarities and differences in the needs of living things.
3. Ask and pursue questions through simple investigations and observations of living things.
4. Collect, describe, and record information about living things through discussion, drawings, graphs, technology and charts.

Supportive Teaching Practices/Adults May:

1. Provide opportunities for children to engage with live animals and plants along with toy/stuffed animals and plans and photographs/pictures

 2. Recognize that living things develop in predictable patterns.

1. Identify the common needs such as food, air and water of familiar living things.
2. Predict, explain and infer patterns based on observations and representations of living things, their needs and life cycles.

Supportive Teaching Practices/Adults May:

1. Provide opportunities for observation and investigation of the characteristics of animals and plants over time.
2. Take nature walks.
3. Encourage children to identify similarities and differences between living things and document what each need to survive.
4. Provide opportunities for children to explore available outdoor habitats.

Science - Standard 3. Earth and Space Science

2. The acquisition of concepts and facts related to the natural and physical world and the understanding of naturally occurring relationships.

Physical Education - Standard 3. Social Emotional Wellness

1. Demonstrate understanding of positive social interaction with teachers and peers.

Physical Education - Standard 4. Prevention and Risk Management

1. Understand basic safety rules and principles.

Reading, Writing and Communicating - Standard 4. Research Inquiry and Design

1. Begin research by asking a question to identify and define a problem and its possible solutions.

Science - Standard 2 - Life Science

1. To live and grow, animals obtain food they need from plants or other animals

Science - Standard 3 - Earth and Space Science

2. Plants and animals meet their needs in their habitats and impact one another

Physical Education - Standard 3. Social Emotional Wellness

1. Demonstrate respect for self, others and equipment.

2. Demonstrate the ability to follow directions.

Reading, Writing and Communicating - Standard 4. Research Inquiry and Design

1. Explore the purposes for research and inquiry by accessing resources in collaborative settings.

Science - Standard 2. Life Science

1. All organisms have external parts that they use to perform daily functions.

Physical Education - Standard 3. Social Emotional Wellness

1. Work independently and with others to complete work. Share limited resources in a way that allows everyone access.

Reading, Writing and Communicating - Standard 4. Research Inquiry and Design

1. Participate in shared research and inquiry projects, writing, recalling, or gathering information to answer questions.

The Plants & Places program provides students an outdoor experience while supporting standards presented in the classroom. River’s Edge Natural Area contains 163 acres of diverse plant species and includes two native plant demonstration gardens. Students will cover quite a bit of trail during the two 45-minute portions of the program and they will become familiar with several species of Colorado plants.

The opening of this program includes two  activities that cement the four basic needs of plants for growth and survival: the Sun, Soil, Water, and Air song and the relay race.

Please have students wear closed-toed shoes and long pants for the best experience. 

Students will experience the following five stations during their visit:

Students will hit the trail and review the life cycle of a flowering plant, then learn about various forms of seed dispersal and why they are important for plant species survival. After being given the background information they need, the students are led by volunteers to search for plants exhibiting wind-driven seed dispersal, “hitch-hikers,” “super poopers,” etc.  Students are allowed to collect four seeds exhibiting four different kinds of dispersal methods. These are applied to a bookmark which can then go home with the student. Instructors teach principles of responsible collection and where different dispersal forms can be found at home. (Note that collecting seeds or other materials are not permitted at other times.)

One purpose of this activity is to get students observing, looking and getting off trail in a supervised setting. Instructors brief the students on the various habitats found at River’s Edge and then guide them in looking for pond, meadow and disturbed area plants. Along the way they may find animal tracks, birds, mammals, amphibians and other signs of wildlife. Though many of the names may not be committed to memory, we hope that students remember to practice using their senses and observational skills exercised in this activity. For example: the smells of sage and skunkbrush and the feel of wooly mullein.

The view of cottonwoods across the prairie was sometimes a lifesaving event for westward traveling immigrants. In this lesson students review the parts of a tree (parts of a plant), the life cycle of a cottonwood and how flood waters are an important part of cottonwood survival. They learn about growth, food transport and why carving the bark is damaging. Students will experience counting rings to age a tree, the size of a champion cottonwood and hear lore and stories of cottonwoods. This station ends with a Cheyenne Indian story tying the trees to the formation of stars, and then students can find their own cottonwood stars.

Plants of Loveland and surrounding areas are used to illustrate the terms native, non-native and invasive. Plants are exhibited in groups and include hazardous but useful plants like yucca and cactus (fiber and food), or native plants that have unique characteristics like mountain mahogany (wood that sinks and surprising seed dispersal), and plants that just should be avoided like poison ivy. Photos of poison ivy reactions always generate discussion. There are samples of many of the plants to pass around.

Students learn care and use of low-power field microscopes, view samples of roots, stems and leaves under the scope, and complete an observation sheet.

Preparing for your Plants & Places field trip

• Reserve transportation ASAP.  Teachers are responsible for arranging bus transportation. We make every effort to run programs regardless of weather, so it's best to be prepared so everyone can enjoy the learning experience. Due to limited bus availability, it is difficult, if not impossible, to reschedule a field trip later in the season. 

• Give extra directions to your bus driver.  For this program, the bus will enter River's Edge via the main north gate at 960 W. 1^st Street, east of Taft Ave. The main entrance is marked with a large River's Edge monument sign, and is east of the smaller unpaved secondary lot. Buses park on the west side of the lot, where the extra wide sidewalk provides space for unloading. Students should take all of their belongings and meet the volunteers for the walk to the amphitheater.

• Recruit chaperones.  All of our lessons are taught by volunteers. Chaperones are needed to take students to the restroom, maintain a learning environment, and assist students with various learning activities.

• Send out permission slips and include the information about what to bring and wear: closed-toed shoes, long pants, extra layers for warmth, a sack lunch, and a filled water bottle.

• Provide information to our coordinators: a phone number to call at 7AM in case of weather or other program-changing events.  Also provide the total number of students attending, and number of chaperones, plus list any special needs that staff and volunteers should be aware of.

1. Plants depend on water and light to grow and on animals for pollination or to move their seeds around.

2. A range of different organisms live in different places.

Elaboration on the GLE:

Plants depend on air, water, minerals (in the soil) and light to grow. Animals can move around, but plants cannot, and they often depend on animals for pollination or to move their seeds around. Different plants survive better in different settings because they have varied needs for water, minerals and sunlight.

1. Organisms have unique and diverse life cycles.

1. Organisms have both internal and external structures that serve various functions.

4. The energy released from food was once energy from the sun.

Reading, Writing and Communicating - Second Grade, Standard 1 Oral Expression and Listening

1. Engage in dialogue and learn new information through active listening. 

Reading, Writing and Communicating - Third Grade, Standard 1 Oral Expression and Listening

1. Participate cooperatively in group activities.

2. Communicate using appropriate language in informal and formal situations. 

Reading, Writing and Communicating - Fourth Grade, Standard 1 Oral Expression and Listening

1. Pose thoughtful questions after actively listening to others.

Canyon Ecosystem Exploration

This program hosted at Viestenz-Smith Mountain Park focuses on life zones, energy transfer, plant life, and animal adaptations, with an emphasis on the Big Thompson canyon ecosystem.  Program length on-site is about 4.5 hours.

Sessions include: 

Plant Life of the Canyon | 30 min
A walking tour presents information about different microclimates resulting in three
different plant communities in the canyon.

Colorado’s Life Zones | 30 min
Includes information on specialist and generalist animals. A look into species’ habitat and food requirements and identifying which life zones they are found in Colorado.

Closing the Loop – Energy Returned and Recycled | 30 min
Includes discussion of decomposition, decomposers and items that resist decomposition, resulting in habitat degradation. Supplemental written lesson available and supplemental video lesson on Bioaccumulation.

Animal Adaptations | 45 min 
Students learn how different adaptations increase ability to survive when the animal’s physiology and/or behavior fit the environment.

Energy Through the Biosphere | 45 min
An overview of energy flows. Focus is on producers and consumers. Energy lost as heat and energy stored as biomass briefly covered.

Programs include playing the Food Chain Game. 

Preparing for your Canyon field trip

• Reserve transportation ASAP.  Teachers are responsible for arranging bus transportation. Use the address for Viestenz-Smith Mountain Park: 1211 W. Highway 34, Loveland, CO 80537.  We make every effort to run programs regardless of weather, so it's best to be prepared so everyone can enjoy the learning experience. Due to limited bus availability, it is difficult, if not impossible, to reschedule a field trip later in the season. 

• Give extra directions to your bus driver:  For this program the bus will enter  Viestenz-Smith Mountain Park and immediately turn left to park in the west parking lot. Students should take all of their belongings and meet the volunteers for the walk over the bridge to the amphitheater.

• Recruit chaperones.  Adult chaperones must accompany your group, to help  maintain a learning environment, take students to the restroom, and assist with various learning activities. Our trained volunteer educators teach all lessons but chaperones are required. 

• Send out permission slips and include information about what to bring and wear: closed-toed shoes, long pants, extra layers for warmth, a sack lunch, and a filled water bottle. Note: Canyon temperatures are usually much colder than in town. Students, teachers and chaperones should bring layers and a hat at all times of year. 

• Provide information to our coordinators: a phone number to call at 7AM in case of weather or other program-changing events, total number of students attending, and number of chaperones, plus list any special needs or timing that staff and volunteers should be aware of. 

Fifth Grade, Standard 1. Physical Science

4. The energy released from food was once energy from the sun.

Fifth Grade, Standard 2. Life Science

1.  Plants acquire their material for growth chiefly from air and water.

2. Matter cycles between air and soil and among plants, animals and microbes as these organisms live and die.

Fourth Grade, Standard 2. Life Science

1.  Organisms have both internal and external structures that serve various functions.

Third Grade, Standard 2. Life Science

1. Organisms have unique and diverse life cycles.

3. Different organisms vary in how they look and function because they have different inherited information; the environment also affects the traits that an organism develops.

Second Grade, Standard 2. Life Science

1. Plants depend on water and light to grow and on animals for pollination or to move their seeds around.

2. A range of different organisms lives in different places.