A bird walk will be hosted by the Durango Nature Studies at 9 a.m. Wednesday at For the Birds, 1560 East Second Ave.

The walks last about one hour and 15 minutes. Bring binoculars. The walks are free, but donations to the hosting group are welcome. For more information, call 382-9396.

Christmas open house to be held Dec. 22

A Christmas open house will take place from 1 to 3 p.m. Dec. 22 at Sunshine Gardens Senior Community, 25 Sunshine Court, off 32nd Street.

There will be an hor d’oeuvres buffet, musical entertainment, and fun for the family. RSVP is not required, but preferred.

To RSVP, email [email protected] or call 385-4090.

CDOT encourages people to visit website

The Colorado Department of Transportation is asking residents to get involved in planning the future of the state’s transportation system.

With the unveiling of the statewide plan website at www.coloradotransportationmatters.com, CDOT is inviting the public to play a role developing the Statewide Transportation Plan, set for release in mid-2014.

Website visitors will discover what opportunities and challenges are facing Colorado’s transportation system. It allows the public to provide comments and take surveys and examine the financial practices and organizational policies used by CDOT to stretch resources and meet statewide needs.

In addition, local planning processes, upcoming events and data on the state’s economy, environment and transportation system is available on the site.

Native Plant Society to meet Wednesday

The San Juan/Four Corners Native Plant Society will host a meeting and presentation called “The Impact of Tamarix on Arthropod Abundance in Big Gypsum Valley” at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Lyceum Room of Center of Southwest Studies at Fort Lewis College.

FLC students Derek Uhey and Amanda Rowe will speak about their study comparing arthropod (insects, arachnids, crustaceans, centipedes and millipedes) communities in tamarisk, willow, and native shrub communities in Big Gypsum Valley.

Their study aims to see how the invasive tamarisk shrub impacts arthropod abundance and diversification.

In addition to the ecological study, they also hope to catalog the diversity of arthropods found at the study site, where little research has been done.

Herald Staff