A weeklong celebration of Latino contributions to land conservation and connecting the Latino community to the outdoors concludes with a party at Two Rivers Park in Glenwood Springs on Saturday.
National Latino Conservation Week is recognized from July 16-24.
The event locally includes a wildfire risk mitigation service project and river cleanup, as well as a hike up Grizzly Creek, fishing, rafting and other recreational activities Saturday morning.
hen, from 1-5 p.m., there will be live music, food vendors, family activities and games at Two Rivers Park, 740 Devereux Road.
The event, ¡Celebremos al aire libre!, is organized by the Aspen Institute, the Wilderness Workshop’s Defiende Nuestra Tierra program and the White River National Forest, plus more than 15 partner organizations.
“National Forest System lands are for everybody, and we want to ensure we are reducing barriers that could be keeping communities from enjoying the outdoors,” White River National Forest Supervisor Scott Fitzwilliams said in a Forest Service news release.
Added Greg Gershuny, executive director for the Aspen Institute Energy and Environment Program, “This day of celebration represents a step in trying to break down these barriers and give each individual and each family the chance to enjoy their outdoor spaces, near and far.”
Service opportunities include clearing vegetation near the Glenwood Springs Recreation Center to help with wildfire risk mitigation, and a river cleanup organized by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management at the South Canyon exit west of Glenwood Springs.
Preregistration is required for the various outdoor activities.
“The Defiende Nuestra Tierra program at Wilderness Workshop means ‘protect our land’ — something we know Latinos in Western Colorado are passionate about,” said Wilderness Workshop’s Defiende Nuestra Tierra director Omar Sarabia.
“¡Celebremos al aire libre! is an exciting opportunity to help deepen the connection between the Latino community and the public lands that provide us with clear air and water, jobs, and abundant recreational opportunities,” he said.
For more information about the event and to register, visit wilderness-workshop.salsalabs.org/lcw2022fullday.
Written for Post Independent.
