Whitfield open; other upcoming programs

Whitfield Wildlife Conservation Area is open

Whitfield Wildlife Conservation Area, 2424 N.M. 47, is open to the public 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Thursday through Saturday.

Please remember:

•No dogs or other animals allowed in the conservation area;

•Bring water, sunscreen, good hiking shoes and hat to protect against outside elements;

•Wear a mask and maintain at least six feet of distance when interacting with staff and other members of the public;

•Use the restroom before you come as our public restrooms are not available to the public at this time;

•The visitor’s education building/district office remains closed at this time.

Permaculture educational series

The East Valencia Urban Garden Program recently completed the requirements for a permaculture grant awarded to the district by New Mexico Foundation for about $18,000. As part of the grant, Lindsey Diaz, Valencia Soil and Water District Conservation Manager, collaborated with Michael Reed, a local certified permaculture instructor, to create a four-part educational series that is now available on the district’s YouTube channel.

Education program updates

Teacher grants, free school activities and lessons are now public and available on the Valencia Soil and Water Conservation District YouTube Channel. To help the district keep track of how many students and schools it is reaching, please provide your name, school and number of students to [email protected].

Earth Day Science Fiesta

The Earth Day Science Fiesta will be held daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday, April 29 through Saturday, May 3, at the Whitfield Wildlife Conservation Area, 2424 N.M. 47, Belen.

Join local vendors to celebrate planet Earth with live animals, local organizational demonstrations, events and activities.

If you are interested in being a participant for Earth Day Science Fiesta, email Valencia Soil and Water Conservation District Education Manager Allison Martin at [email protected] for more information as soon as possible.

The Nature Challenge

Join in the enjoyment of the outdoors at Whitfield Wildlife Conservation Area for the Nature Challenge. From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, April 10, through Tuesday, May 3, take self-guided or volunteer guided hikes to observe nature at WWCA to observe nature and include findings in the iNaturalist app. Hikes are limited to 10 people and registration is required for volunteer-led hikes. To reserve a spot or if you are interested in leading a hike during the Nature Challenge, email Valencia Soil and Water Conservation District Education Manager Allison Martin at [email protected].

Friends of Whitfield Silent Auction

The Friends of Whitfield will be holding an online silent auction of several hand carved, hand painted Aldo Leopold benches, as well as several other items for nature lovers.

The online auction starts on Thursday, April 1, and runs through Tuesday, May 3.

Items up for bid can be found at charityauctionstoday.com/auctions/friends-of-whitfield-online-auction-21519.