Jonathan Creel
PEEC News:
It wasn’t all that long ago that the Pajarito Environmental Education Center (PEEC) operated as an all volunteer organization.
Last fall three new part-time staff members joined the team, more than doubling the staff, and last month a sixth part-time staff member came on board. Jonathan Creel moved from his home in Florida to join PEEC as the director of interpretation, a newly created role.
As the director of interpretation, Creel will be in charge of designing the rotating exhibits at the new Los Alamos County Nature Center, which will be opening next spring and operated by PEEC. Creel also will be charged with lining up the regular programs for which PEEC is so well known.
“I envision designing some of the programs around the rotating exhibits we’ll have at the nature center,” Creel said. “I would like to see PEEC kick off each new exhibit with a corresponding presentation by an expert in the field.”
Creel earned his B.A. in History and M.A. in Public History from the University of West Florida. While on a school trip led by his mentor who grew up in Los Alamos, Creel fell in love with Northern New Mexico and started down a career path in the field of interpretation. He served as a park ranger in Yellowstone National Park and Grand Canyon National Park, but always dreamed of returning to Los Alamos where he became enamored with the outdoors. Exhibit design and interpretive programming are two of his passions, as well as hiking, camping and exploring new places.
The PEEC nature center is open noon to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. The center is at 3540 Orange St., behind Los Alamos High School. PEEC offers a wide variety of programs, including classes, day trips, hikes and more. For a full calendar of events, visit PEEC’s website at www.PajaritoEEC.org. Entrance to the nature center is free, and there are many exhibits on display for all ages to learn and have fun. Construction is underway on the new Los Alamos County Nature Center, which is slated to open in spring, 2015 and will be operated by PEEC.
The Pajarito Environmental Education Center (PEEC) was founded in 2000 to serve the community of Los Alamos. It offers people of all ages a way to enrich their lives by strengthening their connections to our canyons, mesas, mountains, and skies. PEEC maintains a nature center, holds regular programs and events, and hosts a number of interest groups from birding to hiking to butterfly watching. PEEC activities are open to everyone; however, members receive exclusive benefits such as discounts on programs and merchandise. Annual memberships start at $20. To learn more, visit www.PajaritoEEC.org.
