BOISE, Idaho — As the Latino population steadily grows in Idaho, a group of Latino environmental advocates are banding together to make a difference.
Latino Conservation Week (LCW) is back in the Treasure Valley for its third consecutive year. It’s offering a full week of events, encouraging Latino families and other supporters to connect with the outdoors and their cultural community.
"Our goal here in the Treasure Valley is to encourage families to come out and enjoy nature with their with their peques (children) and spend time outdoors, and really just promote access to our natural resources, and we do that through a cultural lens," America Yorita-Carrion, Boise LCW planning committee member and co-founder of Peques Nature Club, told KTVB Saturday.
This year’s celebration runs from September 14th to the 22nd. It’s part of a national initiative that has been around for 11 years. The events in Treasure Valley in the upcoming days are hosted by local organizations, including everything from birdwatching to bilingual karaoke and everything in between. The outdoor activities are made accessible to all and promote earth conservation as well as personal well-being.
America says, "We're able to connect through music, through dance, through food, through aguas frescas, and also, through each activity, learn what are the conservation what is a little tidbit of information that we can take home with us and then implement. "
The opening ceremony began on September 14th with a family-friendly afternoon at the MK Nature Center and Kristin Armstrong Municipal Park in Boise. The day was mostly put together by The Nature Conservancy in Idaho but had many other organization involvements. Some others in attendance were Peque’s Nature Club, Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge, Golden Eagle Audubon Society, with more planned throughout the week.
Traci Swift of the Nature Conservancy in Idaho expressed that, "nature doesn't have to be out in the middle of the forest. Nature is right here, where we live. In parks like this, maybe in a backyard and that to enjoy it, you don't have to go far."
The opening celebration started with an official proclamation for Latino Conservation Week, followed by all-age activities like fishing pole casting, making nature art, and taking an educational guided tree walk.
The main performance of the party was a special dance performed by Ballet Folklorico Mexico Lindo, which the crowd of families proudly watched as a Latino community.
Latino Conservation Week will continue with a range of activities designed for people of all ages, cultures, and interests.
Some of the highlights include:
- Bird Watching Walk – September 14
- Planting Native Species – September 15
- Meet a Beekeeper – September 16
- Table Rock hike – September 18
- Bilingual Karaoke – September 19
- Community Clean-Up Hike – September 20
- Intro to Trail Riding – September 22
You can find a full list of opportunities with 2024 Latino Conservation Week in Boise here.
Latino Conservation Week was created by the Hispanic Access Foundation to help Latino families and youth have meaningful outdoor experiences. The event has grown over the years, with activities designed to bring diverse groups of people together and make the outdoors inclusive for everyone.
In searching for more Latino nature conservationists, America says, "it's really important for the Latinx community to come together, because with numbers, there's impact. Not only are we having fun, not only are we modeling for our younger generations, our peques, our children, they're able to see that."
The week’s events are open to everyone and are free to attend.
Latino Conservation Week is a nation-wide celebration to show appreciation for the contributions of the Latino community in protecting Mother Nature's resources.