Submit abstracts (200 words max) and bios (100 words max) to:Rick LoBello at lobellorl@elpasotexas.gov. Deadline June 1, 2026. Photo above – rare Del Carmen white-tailed deer in the Chisos Mountains of Big Bend National Park. Texas horned lizard in West El Paso. EL PASO, TEXAS — At a time when the future of the ChihuahuanContinueContinue reading “Scientists, Conservation Leaders to Converge in El Paso as Critical Deadline Nears for 2026 Chihuahuan Desert Conference”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Earth Day at the Zoo
By becoming a member, you directly contribute to strengthening activities and projects in the Chihuahuan Desert. Membership supports conservation and awareness initiatives that highlight the importance of the desert ecosystem, its unique biodiversity, and the communities that rely on it for their livelihoods and well-being. …and a Reminder We All Need by Rick LoBello, EducationContinueContinue reading “Earth Day at the Zoo”
Join the Border BioBlitz 2026 in Ciudad Juárez
A group of science communicators from Ciudad Juárez has come together to carry out the Border BioBlitz 2026, a citizen science effort that aims to record as many species as possible along a 15 km stretch of the U.S.–Mexico border. Photo above – Mockingbird in a mesquite tree by Rick LoBello The border region isContinueContinue reading “Join the Border BioBlitz 2026 in Ciudad Juárez”
Join Us – Be Part of Something Bigger
Sign up to become a member of the Chihuahuan Desert Education Coalition today. We are working to create a future where all people understand, value, and protect the Chihuahuan Desert. Photo – Mule deer in northeast El Paso by Rick LoBello Lechuguilla in bloom at Big Bend National Park. For just $1, you can becomeContinueContinue reading “Join Us – Be Part of Something Bigger”
Chihuahuan Desert Conference
Stay connected to the Chihuahuan Desert Education Coalition. Subscribe to this blog for free here!!! Photo above – Zoo Education Specialist Heather Rivera with Takota, a Golden Eagle that went to the first conference in 2010. The deadline to submit abstracts for presentations and posters is June 1 The Chihuahuan Desert Education Coalition and theContinueContinue reading “Chihuahuan Desert Conference”
Quelites of the Chihuahuan Desert: Desert Onion
Quelites are Mexican wild greens or edible tender herbs, often referred to as “edible weeds” or “potherbs”. Originating from the Náhuatl word quilitl, these nutritious greens are similar to spinach or leafy greens but with more complex, herbaceous flavors. Las Milpitas presentation at Tom Mays Park – Friday, April 10 In various cultures and peoples, the year begins whenContinueContinue reading “Quelites of the Chihuahuan Desert: Desert Onion”
Celebrate life in the desert
Families exploring the desert at Franklin Mountains State Park in El Paso. Top – Snow Geese at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge near Socorro, New Mexico. by Rick LoBello The Chihuahuan Desert is great place to spend time away from the hustle and bustle of city life especially during the fall and winter monthsContinueContinue reading “Celebrate life in the desert”
When the desert turns green: rains in the Chihuahuan Desert
by Cuau Vital There’s a certain magic that happens in the Chihuahuan Desert after a rain. For most of the year, this vast desert that stretches across northern Mexico and parts of the United States looks like what people usually imagine when they hear the word “desert”—sandy soils, scattered shrubs, endless horizons under the hotContinueContinue reading “When the desert turns green: rains in the Chihuahuan Desert”
Stamp Hunt Game at the Chihuahuan Desert Fiesta 2025
Kristy Flores and Dora Hernandez celebrating this year’s 21st Annual Chihuahuan Desert Fiesta. Dora is the City of El Paso Climate Manager and was the Chihuahuan Desert Fiesta Chair from 2020-2024. Kristy works for the Health Department and is the new Chair for this year. We hope to see everyone at our event on SaturdayContinueContinue reading “Stamp Hunt Game at the Chihuahuan Desert Fiesta 2025”
We are bringing back mini talks to the Fiesta
Former CDEC board member Sal Quintanilla was an outstanding volunteer who focused on education about the smaller creatures of the Chihuahuan Desert at the fiesta, Zoo events, school groups and all kinds of venues across the city including Fort Bliss and Rio Bosque Wetland Park. by Rick LoBelloFeature Photo – Luna, our female jaguar takingContinueContinue reading “We are bringing back mini talks to the Fiesta”