The highly anticipated Naturalist Nights speaker series is set to return on Jan. 8.

Naturalist Nights is a winter speaker series in Garfield County, featuring expert talks on ecology, conservation, and natural science. Hosted by local groups like the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies, Wilderness Workshop, and Roaring Fork Audubon Society, these free weekly presentations educate the community on environmental issues and conservation efforts.

The collaborative effort features the Wilderness Workshop, Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES) and Roaring Fork Audubon. The series will kick off with a diverse range of lectures aimed at exploring significant environmental issues impacting our region.

“Wilderness Workshop is excited to welcome another amazing group of speakers to our valley for our annual Naturalist Nights speaker series,” said Erin Riccio, advocacy director at Wilderness Workshop. “This winter’s series will feature a wide range of topics that are sure to resonate with our community. I’m particularly excited to hear from some of our expert speakers about the impacts of recreation on our public lands and managing wildfires in wilderness areas. We can’t wait to share another winter of Naturalist Nights with all of you!”

The opening lecture features Auden Schendler, senior vice president of sustainability at Aspen One, discussing his latest book, “Terrible Beauty: Reckoning with Climate Complicity and Rediscovering Our Soul.” This session is scheduled for 6-7 p.m., Jan. 8 at the Third Street Center in Carbondale and Jan. 9 at the Limelight Hotel in Aspen.

Following lectures include “Beavers are For Birds” by Delia Malone, an ecologist with the Colorado Natural Heritage Program, on Jan 22-23. Malone will explore the ecological impacts of beavers on local habitats.

February’s talks will spotlight tribal engagement in the Colorado River Basin, featuring Celene Hawkins and Izabella Ruffino from The Nature Conservancy on Feb. 5-6. Christopher Monz, will address wildland recreation and its ecological disturbances on Feb. 19-20.

The series concludes with a discussion on “Untrammeling the Wilderness: Restoring Natural Conditions Through the Return of Human-ignited Fire” by Clare Boerigter and Jonathan Coop, on March 5-6.

“ACES is thrilled to once again launch Naturalist Nights with our partners Wilderness Workshop and Roaring Fork Audubon,”, Director of Naturalist Programs at Aspen Center for Environmental Studies Jim Kravitz said in the relase. “As always, we aim to bring timely issues and science education that impacts our lives and our region. We have a great lineup of diverse topics such as recreation impacts on public land, climate complicity, beavers, fire as a restoration tool, and tribal engagement in the Colorado River basin.”

Presentations will also be available on digital platforms of each organizing group after the live events. While registration is recommended, it is not mandatory for attendance.