Lunch with the Locals is a free, monthly community lunch and ecology symposium hosted by the Town of Vail.

The purpose of the program is to raise awareness and educate the community about local environmental sustainability issues. Thanks to our sponsoring partners, Eagle River Water & Sanitation District and High Five Access Media, we have begun to record and archive the presentations here so you can watch them even if you are not able to attend the event!

Recycling in Eagle County

Recycling in Eagle County with Nina Waysdorf from Walking Mountains Science Center and Beth Markham from the Town of Vail.

The Lawn-Industrial Complex

Peter Wadden, the Vail Watershed Education Coordinator, dives into the history of how turf became ubiquitous in American landscaping, what some of the consequences of that are, and alternative landscaping options.

American Dipper

Peter Wadden, the Vail Watershed Education Coordinator presents a brief presentation on the American dipper talking about their adaptation, diet, locations and more other interesting facts.

Bear and Moose Safety

Tom Griffin of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game discusses how people can stay safe in bear and moose country.

Watersmart

Amy Schweig and Maureen Mulcahy of the Eagle River Water & Sanitation District present on how to be more efficient with our water usage.

Beyond the Gore

Holly Loff of the Eagle River Watershed Council presents on some of the threats facing the Valley's waterways.

Conservation vs. Preservation: A Century-Old Debate

Pete Wadden, of the Town of Vail, discusses the history and ongoing controversy surrounding the philosophies of conservation and preservation in the U.S.

Recycling

Melissa Kirr and Sophia Gianfrancisco of Walking Mountains Science Center discuss the “Science behind Recycling.”

Maintaining Stream Health

Siri Roman of the Eagle River Water and Sanitation District and Ellen Kutzer of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment discuss how to manage nutrients to maintain stream health.

Restoring Native Fish in the Colorado River

Ben Felt of Colorado Parks and Wildlife discusses the efforts taken to restore and protect native fish species in the Colorado River.

Insects of Gore Creek

Dave Rees, an aquatic entomologist from Timberline Aquatics, discusses the aquatic insects of Gore Creek and what they can tell us about the creek's health.

Safe Passages for Wildlife

Julia Kintsch of Eco - Resolution discusses Safe Passages for Wildlife in Colorado.

Ecologically-Based Weed and Pest Management

Dan Bean of the Palisade Insectary discusses Ecologically - Based solutions for Weed and Pest Management.

Noxious Weeds

Gregg Barrie of Vail Public Works discusses the various noxious weeds that have been spotted in Vail, CO. In addition to identifying the various weeds, Gregg Barrie also discusses the different methodologies to deal with noxious weeds.