According to their nomination, the grassroots group of individuals who established the Chihuahuan Desert Nature Park in 1990, were motivated by the fact that most of those living in southern New Mexico were largely unfamiliar with the native desert vegetation that surrounded their communities. In addition these individuals recognized that most local school districts were poorly funded and that science education was often taught from national textbooks that were more suited other, wetter areas of the country.

Today those living in the border region of southern New Mexico and west Texas have in the Chihuahuan Desert Nature Park a valuable local organization that provides unique field trips, schoolyard ecology projects, annual education events, and teacher workshops.

From its beginnings, the Nature Park has expanded considerably because its small staff have been assisted by an incredible corps of volunteers - more than 200 volunteers worked with the Park's 2 paid staff last year. Theyl helped the Park serve more than 14,000 K-12 students, 700 teachers, and 5,000 other adults each year.

Their hands-on science and ecology education programs, such as Experience Science Program. Schoolyard Desert Discovery Project, Chihuahuan Desert Expo, Desert Science Teacher Workshops, along with their field trip programs, have both connected scientists and graduate students to local classes and created enthusiasm for inquiry learning about the ecology of their own region.

Accepting this award, for the Chihauhuan Desert Nature Park will be Rink Somerday, the organization's Program Coordinator.