POCATELLO — The Edson Fichter Nature Talks series is returning for its sixth year this September, providing area residents an opportunity to learn more about wildlife, habitats and fossil history.
The free lecture series is co-sponsored by the Friends of Edson Fichter Nature Area and Idaho Fish and Game. The evening chats will be held at the outdoor amphitheater at the Edson Fichter Nature Area every Wednesday night in September from 6 to 7 p.m. The nature area is located off Cheyenne Avenue next to Indian Hills Elementary in Pocatello.
A new feature of the series this year will be a sketching class with a biological illustrator and a presentation by a paleontologist. Each Wednesday night presentation will include a variety of different topics and speakers.
The series kicks off Sept. 2 with a talk on animal social behavior by Rosemary Smith, an emeritus biology professor at Idaho State University.
The series continues Sept. 9 with “Observing Nature through Sketching,” a hands-on session led by Ashelee Rasmussen, a biological illustrator with a doctor of arts degree in biology who creates and teaches art to foster engagement with science and nature. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own sketchbooks, paper and pencils with erasers, though supplies will also be provided free of charge.
On Sept. 16, Erik Bartholomew, a regional wildlife biologist with Idaho Fish and Game, will present “Beneficial Beavers.”
The following week, Sept. 23, paleontologist Robert Gay, education manager at the Idaho Museum of Natural History at Idaho State University, will discuss late Pleistocene extinctions.
The series wraps up Sept. 30 as the Friends of Edson Fichter Nature Area mark the group’s second anniversary. The celebration will feature a guest speaker on the art of falconry, who will introduce attendees to one of his birds, along with an update on plans for the nature area’s renovated entrance. Refreshments will be served as visitors learn what’s ahead for the nature area.
Audience members are encouraged to bring chairs or blankets to sit in and around the outdoor amphitheater. Seating is limited, so organizers are encouraging guests to come early to get a good spot. In the event of inclement weather, different meeting arrangements or cancellations may occur.
For questions or directions to the nature area, contact the Friends of Edson Fichter Nature Area at friendsofefna@gmail.com, visit their website at friendsofedsonfichternaturearea.com or contact the Idaho Fish and Game office in Pocatello at 208-232-4703.