Education at the Chico Basin Ranch

Education is at the core of all Chico Basin Ranch activities. Even our recreation programs are designed to provide participants with hands-on learning experiences.

For Children, Groups, & Families:

TENS:

CBR is pleased to be an official field site for the Teaching Environmental Science-Naturally! (TEN) program created by the Colorado Division of Wildlife. Teachers who have been trained in the TEN curricula have the opportunity to bring their students to the Ranch for studies that range from aquatic invertebrates to grassland habitats. If you are a teacher in southeastern Colorado and would like to participate in TEN, please contact Steve Lucero at the Colorado Division of Wildlife.

ON THE WING:

Chico Basin Ranch has hosted Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory's On The Wing program, a residential summer camp for youth ages 11-18 who have an interest in ornithology. Participants in On The Wing design and conduct field research projects, go birdwatching in habitats ranging from alpine to grassland, and, of course, enjoy the usual camp activities. For more information, contact the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory.

SCOUTING:

Boy and Girl Scout troops, Campfire, and other youth organizations are invited to enjoy CBR as a great place to camp. Camping fees are based on number of participants and activities. Contact Chico Basin Ranch for more details.

(Left) Catching and identifying aquatic insects at the Vega Pond.  -- Sherrie York photo.

NATURALISTS AFIELD:

Art meets science in these programs for kid and adults. Guests of Chico Basin Ranch have the opportunity to join our resident artist/naturalist to explore and learn about prairie and riparian ecosystems. Collect, examine, and draw aquatic insects at one of our ponds, search for coyote sign, or learn to identify prairie birds. Start a field journal during your stay to record your experiences and share them with your friends back home. Contact Chico Basin Ranch for more details.

RANCH CAMP:

Learn about life on a working cattle ranch! School and other youth groups are invited to visit Chico Basin Ranch for a few days or a week. Ride with the cowboys, learn about range monitoring, wildlife habitat, fence building, and more! Contact the ranch to discuss your group's particular needs and interests.

Students from Fountain Valley School discuss their perceptions of modern ranch life and the things they learned during their stay on Chico Basin Ranch with ranch staff. -- Sherrie York photos

A young cowboy-in-training learns to brand under the watchful eye of ranch staff. -- Sherrie York photos

(Below) Visitors from the Colorado Historical Society's summer camp learn what it's like to be a cowboy...AND a cow! -- Sherrie York photos

For Adults:

Holistic Resource Management:

Chico Basin Ranch offers workshops in Holistic Management for land managers, ranchers, agency personnel, and others interested in the Holistic Model.

Range and Biota Monitoring:

CBR has established an ongoing monitoring program, which is used to better understand the health of ecosystem processes. Interested individuals can participate in our annual Prairie EcoFestival, a biological inventory day scheduled in May of each year.

Teaching Environmental Science Naturally (TEN):

Teachers trained in the TEN program have the opportunity to use Chico Basin Ranch as a field study site for their classes. Contact the Colorado Division of Wildlife for more information.

Cutting cattle in the North Pasture.
-- Nathan Solano photo.

TENs program teacher training.
-- Sherrie York photos