Fermilab Natural Areas donates education materials

This holiday season, Fermilab Natural Areas, a nonprofit group that helps restore the U.S. Department of Energy's Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory natural areas, is in the spirit of giving.

Fermilab Natural Areas is donating a selection of environmental education books and materials to the laboratory's Lederman Science Center.

The materials were purchased with a grant from the Nature Conservancy's Volunteer Stewardship Network.

The donation includes field guides for Fermilab docents to use during tours, and Spanish-language nature books for visiting students.

"Every year, the Lederman Science Center hosts thousands of students who visit Fermilab to experience and learn in the ecosystems found on-site," said Spencer Pasero, head of the Fermilab Office of Education and Public Outreach, which manages the center.

"We are very grateful to Fermilab Natural Areas for donating these materials, which will enrich that experience for these students and their teachers."

The Lederman Science Center welcomes more than 4,000 visitors each year and more than 3,000 students for ecology-themed field trips, and is the site for the annual Fermilab Outdoor Fair, during which dozens of local students learn about the Fermilab ecosystems.

Among the materials slated for donation are numerous field guides to birds, butterflies, moths and beetles of North America, many of which are in Spanish.

Fermilab Natural Areas, a nonprofit, all-volunteer organization, was formed in 2006. It is dedicated to restoring, managing and enhancing the natural areas and resources of Fermilab in order to maintain and improve their ecological health and biodiversity.

It does not receive funding from Fermilab or the federal government and depends on membership, donations and grants to fund its operations.

Throughout the year, the group conducts work events where volunteers come together to participate in organized restoration projects. It welcomes all volunteers, donations and memberships to Fermilab Natural Areas.

Members aim to conserve, restore and study the natural areas in Fermilab while encouraging employees and neighbors to experience and enjoy the facility's natural beauty.

For details, visit www.fermilabnaturalareas.org.