Chihuahuan Desert Education Coalition

An important goal of the Chihuahuan Desert Education Coalition is to facilitate integration of learning about our desert into the school curriculum from kindergarten on. The Chihuahuan desert offers a wide variety of habitats that all have their own animal and plant communities, which again are interacting with each other in often wondrous ways thatContinue reading "Learning about the Chihuahuan Desert"

The Chihuahuan Desert Fiesta is the signature event of the Chihuahuan Desert Education Coalition and Franklin Mountains State Park.   Last year nearly 800 people attended and with the 15th Annual Fiesta just two months way,  we could break the 1000 mark. (See poster below) Behind the scenes, volunteers and park staff are making arrangements forContinue reading "Countdown to the Fiesta – 9.28.19"

What will El Paso do when there is no more land to develop? by Rick LoBello All over El Paso and the surrounding area developers are on the move building new roads, shopping centers and housing areas.  These projects are making life a little easier for those of us who drive back and forth toContinue reading "Local leaders must act"

Chisos Katydid, Big Bend National Park.       Photo copyright Rick LoBello We are working with educators at the El Paso Zoo on interactive educational materials about the Chihuahuan Desert.  So far we have come up with the following list of animals and plants that we believe live naturally only in the Chihuahuan Desert eco-region.Continue reading "Only in the Chihuahuan Desert?"

Every July, amateur and professional naturalists descend on the Chiricahua Desert Museum located on the border of New Mexico and Arizona. Their purpose: to observe and document as many living species in the area as possible over a 24-hour period. The annual Charlie W. Painter BioBlitz is an important tool to engage the public inContinue reading "Teaching Citizen Science in the Chihuahuan Desert"

Texas alligator lizard climbing an alligator juniper in Big Bend National Park.  Photo By Rick LoBello by Rick LoBello Not everyone living in the northern Chihuahuan Desert is familiar with one of the coolest and least known lizards in our eco-region, the Texas alligator lizard.   More people in West Texas have seen alligator junipers thanContinue reading "The elusive alligator lizard"

This large boulder is along the road to the Aguirre Springs Campground at Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument.   Anyone know its geology?  I wonder if it fell off the cliffs in the background and rolled across the desert or if when they made the road they simply moved it out of the way.   Let's talkContinue reading "Do you know this boulder?"

We love our desert and are so excited about how more and more people in El Paso are working together to conserve the natural world around us.   On June 18, 2019 the Chihuahuan Desert Education Coalition Board of Directors approved a new plan to increase the conservation impact of our organization - FREE MEMBERSHIP.  That'sContinue reading "Join for FREE!"

The Chihuahuan Desert Education Coalition and Franklin Mountains State Park invites you to be a part of the 15th Annual Chihuahuan Desert Fiesta at Tom Mays Park on Saturday, September 28, 2019. We are looking for local organizations to offer interactive educational activities, knowledgeable people to offer guided walks and demonstrations and musical groups andContinue reading "Celebrating life in the desert"