Environmental education for all ages.
Yampatika is a non-profit organization whose mission is to inspire environmental stewardship through education. They fulfill their mission by implementing hands-on inquiry-based educational programs; advocating conservation and the sound use of natural lands and cultural resources; and strengthening connections to natural and cultural environments through place-based education. Yampatika was established in 1992 as the "Yampatika Outdoor Awareness Association" by a group of community members and government agencies that sought to provide environmental interpretation in a rural setting. Today, Yampatika continues to rely on private individuals and government entities; their collaborative efforts have grown to include partners in the private sector and the school systems in both Routt and Moffat Counties. Each year, their small, but dedicated, staff and committed volunteers deliver environmental education programs to nearly 20,000 residents and visitors. The quality of their programs and their continuous presence in the community has gained them recognition at the state and national levels. In 1996 and again in 2002, they received the Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education, "Educators for Excellence" award, and in 1998, they were honored with the "Partners in Action" award from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service (USFS) for wilderness education. In 2008, they were nominated as a New Pioneer, an award given by the Community Alliance of the Yampa Valley.
