Sandia Mountain Natural History Center

10/01/2026

Happy !

Raccoons have a lot of touch receptors linked to high brain activity. They have 4-5 times more mechanoreceptor cells than most mammals other than primates, which allows them to gain detailed information about the world around them through physical sensations.

Photos from City Nature Challenge ABQ 2026 by iNaturalist.org user iziahg and a trail camera at the Sandia Mountain Natural History Center.

10/01/2026

Middle and high school teachers, did you know you can access a free toolkit intended for New Mexico students to learn about climate change and how it impacts our state?

Climate Hope consists of 4 lessons, related resources and extensions, and a project of your choice that engage New Mexico students in learning about climate change impacts, causes, solutions, climate justice, and actions they can take part in.

Fill out our Climate Hope Interest Form to get started.
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe1ou_fo0rm29pbJ0L6GlyQ7K1oscuL1ppdwbhMtqUEcZC-Eg/viewform

You can then access the toolkit on the NM Public Education Dept. website or by requesting Google Drive access:
oer.ped.nm.gov/courseware/lesson/5693/overview

Learn more: 350newmexico.org/climatehope

350 New Mexico 350.org Sandia Mountain Natural History Center Talking Talons Youth Leadership

09/29/2026

Our educators Susanna and Michael had a good time hanging out with Smokey Bear and educating attendees about our mountain wildlife at the event at Sandia Ranger Station. The event focused on showcasing all the recreation and experiences that can be had in our national forests and other public lands.

Public Lands Interpretive Association
NEEF - National Public Lands Day - NPLD
US Forest Service - Cibola National Forest & National Grasslands

09/23/2026

Join us at the Sandia Ranger Station this Saturday, September 26th between 9am and 1pm for Celebrating the Sandias! National Public Lands Day at Sandia Ranger District!

Meet your local forest rangers and partners, get information, and do family-friendly activities including a BINGO challenge with giveaways. Then head into the forest for self‑guided adventures on your public lands.

Location: 11776 Hwy 337, Tijeras, NM 87059

Contact [email protected] or (505) 954-2002 with any questions.
To request accommodations, email [email protected] by Sept. 19.

Public Lands Interpretive Association
U.S. Forest Service
Environmental Education Foundation - NEEF
Forest Service - Cibola National Forest & National Grasslands
- National Public Lands Day - NPLD

09/19/2026

Take part in iNaturalist.org's during one of our local events, or go out and make observations to put on iNaturalist with the people in your life!

https://www.inaturalist.org/pages/inattogether

*Our Moths & the Moon event is tomorrow night. The event is full, but we look forward to photographing nocturnal insects and sharing them on iNaturalist with those who secured a parking pass! Email [email protected] if you can't make it after all so that she can offer to those on the waitlist.
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/nocturnal-insects-at-the-smnhc

*Make observations this Sunday, Sept. 20th at the Rio Grande Nature Center Fall Festival.
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/rio-grande-nature-center-2026-bioblitz?tab=about

*Take a walk in Aldo Leopold's old neighborhood downtown from 5-7pm next Wed., Sept. 23rd.
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/aldo-leopold-neighborhood-habitat-walk?tab=about

09/16/2026

Do you like spending time with people and getting outside? this Friday through September 28th! You can go anywhere with your people, take photos of wildlife, and upload them to iNaturalist.org or in the app.

https://www.inaturalist.org/pages/inattogether

Our Moths & the Moon event this Saturday evening is full, as much as we'd like to include you ALL- but our parking lot only has so many spots!

Email Susanna at [email protected] to cancel your registration if you can no longer attend or if you want to get on the waitlist. If you can get dropped off or carpool with someone who already has a vehicle pass, you don't need your own!

09/14/2026

What if outdoor learning was able to happen every day across schools?

On October 24, 2026, educators, school leaders, community organizations, policymakers, outdoor professionals, and advocates from across New Mexico will come together with TOTAL NM at Explora for the NM Outdoor Learning Convening: Building a Statewide Movement for Daily Outdoor Learning.

Sign up here for free:
https://www.totalnm.org/2026-outdoor-learning-convening/

A statewide gathering of educators, partners, and community leaders working together to normalize daily outdoor learning for all New Mexico learners.

09/09/2026

The Environmental Education of New Mexico - EENM NM Outdoor Learning Summit is this Saturday!

Registration closes tonight (9/9) at midnight, with limited slots opening up the day of the summit- 9/12, for on-site registration. Free for public and charter school teachers. It is being held at Albuquerque Public Schools Berna Facio Professional Development Center in Albuquerque.

https://eenm.org/nmols/

09/08/2026

Mini-grants (up to $2,000) are available to support Indigenous high school youth to develop projects to address environmental resilience, adaptation and related natural resource conservation in their home communities.

Learn more at:
nycalc.org/minigrants

National Conservation Training Center
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
New Mexico Wildlife Federation

09/04/2026

Happy ! We put the focus on wildlife daily here, talking about how cool they all are, looking for their evidence, and using our trail camera photos to provide insights into who's around and what they're up to.

For the first time ever, we got a photo of a desert spotted skunk. Check out that awesome patterning! There have only been 11 observations made on iNaturalist.org in the Sandias/Albuquerque area, and only 7 actual skunks. Now we have had 3 skunk species here- striped (most common), hognose (common in the last couple years), and desert spotted.