Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center - Newsletter July 2007

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	RMDRC Newsletter Happy 4th Anniversary Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center They say time flies when you’re having fun. If that’s true, we must be having a ball at the Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center. It seems unbelievable that we have been here for 4 years already. When we started we didn’t really know what to expect. It has been a learning experience in more ways than one. We opened to huge crowds on Memorial Day Weekend 2004. The Woodland Park Chamber of Commerce members were here to help with the ribbon cutting. Within the first year RMDRC welcomed almost 47,000 visitors. We were already halfway to our goal of 100,000 visitors a year. During the last 4 years, we have fine tuned the exhibit halls with the input of all of you, adding more skeletons and more hands on exhibits every few months. Each year we strive to improve all aspects of RMDRC by working with teachers in and out of our immediate area. Just this spring we have hosted tours of over 100 schools within a 2 hour driving radius of Woodland Park. RMDRC worked with the WP schools early release program to engage students in after school activities. Our Scout programs support and enrich the scouting experience by helping them earn badges. We’ve had a great time participating in community events such as “Cruise Above the Clouds”, Kidsfest, Critterfest and the Christmas parade. And just this last January we helped put Woodland Park on the map by our participation in “Walking with Dinosaurs” at the World Arena in Colorado Springs. On June 7^th we will celebrate our 4^th anniversary. The festivities begin with the unveiling of our newest exhibit, the cast of the Ultrasauros bone, discovered by Jim Jensen and donated to us by Gwen Pratt. This amazing bone will present a great new photo op for all of our visitors. Our guest artist, Paul Hudson will be conducting a special workshop for the Dino Art 2008 winners at 10:00. At 11:30 and 2:30 Paul will present two different lectures in the Marine room for all RMDRC visitors. Don’t forget to be here for the cake cutting at 1:00 in front of the museum. The award ceremony for the Dino Art 2008 winners will take place at 2:00. See the complete time schedule of events below. June 15^th is Father’s Day. Bring Dad to the museum on his special day. Fathers get in free with one paid adult or child admission. Don’t forget to come in before then to check out all of the great gifts in the Prehistoric Paradise gift store for Dad. Check out the Woodland Retail Alliance’s website for other activities and events going on in our beautiful community of Woodland Park at www.discoverwoodland.com. I’ve found that living in the mountains brings more family and friends to visit than anywhere else we’ve ever lived. When your family and friends come to visit, bring them in to the Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center for a fun and educational experience. When you’re here stop in and say "Hi”. We always look forward to seeing you! Sincerely, JJ Triebold President, RMDRC
	From the Education Desk Happy almost summertime! National Trails Day is June 7^th and if you are looking for an excuse to start your summer outside, consider joining a National Trails Day event. This is the 16^th year that NTD has been put on by the American Hiking Society. The idea behind this is to have people experience everything the great outdoors has to offer. Why not take a hike with friends or family and along the way help clean up the trail you are on. The purpose of this day is to educate the public on the importance of trails and their conservation. In Divide, Co. they are having their annual Kite Flight along with information booths to learn about the area’s trails. Go to: Americanhiking.org/ntd.aspx. for information about events in your area. June is also National Rivers Month, a time when communities across the country hold events that spotlight the importance of their local waterways. Our rivers are truly natural treasures, offering recreation, wildlife viewing, ecosystem study, and peaceful contemplation. They are also a necessary source of water for many of our communities. The United States has more than 250,000 rivers. That’s 3.5 million miles of rivers. The largest is the Mississippi and the longest is the Missouri. The Animas River in Colorado, at an elevation of 9,230 feet, is one of the highest boatable rivers in America. Our own Colorado River, 1,450 miles long, is seen by many as the lifeline to the Southwest. It supplies water to over 25 million people and helps to irrigate 3.5 million acres of farmland. More water is exported from the Colorado River’s basin than any other river basin in the world. It begins in the Rocky Mountains and flows into the Gulf of California (in Mexico). It runs through Utah, Wyoming, New Mexico, California, Arizona and Nevada. All these territories have rights to the river under the Colorado River Pact of 1922. Changes in the earth’s climate are projected to have far ranging impacts on rivers and freshwater fisheries worldwide. A report by the U.S. Interior Dept. says that Alpine streams in the northern Rockies face glacial loss and rushed snowmelt. Alaskan rivers, where permafrost has already began to thaw, are especially at risk of losing native plants and animals. Nearly 40% of the rivers and streams in the U.S. are too polluted for fishing or swimming. Rivers are the world’s main source of fresh water and about half of the available supply is already being used up. All of these reasons provide a powerful incentive for acting now to improve our nation’s energy policies, and for us to think about how we can help protect our river resources for the generations to come. And just in passing……June 7^th and 8^th are Banana Split Days……..Enjoy!! Regards, Geri LeBold Education Director geri@rmdrc.com
	From the Business Development Desk Summer is finally here so book your family tour today! What a great place to celebrate your birthday! For a small price children and adults get to enjoy a party in the company of dinosaurs. RMDRC Paleo Patch Program meets all the requirements for the Girl Scouts Dinosaur badge, the Jr. Girl Scout Try-It badge, and some requirements for Boy Scout badges. Call and book your Tour, Birthday Party or Paleo Patch today! Contact us at 719-686-1820 x 104. See you soon! Business Development

	From Triebold Paleontology, Inc. Greetings from Triebold Paleontology! It’s been a crazy busy month at TPI. The lab has been swamped with projects and Dino Art 2008 has ended with a bang! Dino Art 2008 recognizes aspiring artists who designed their posters with the 2008 theme, “*Savage Ancient Seas”* at the Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center. Winning entries, listed below, will travel with the Embedded Exhibitions traveling exhibition, “Savage Ancient Seas.” This exhibit features the ferocious marine animals that filled the oceans while dinosaurs roamed the earth. The competition, open to folks of all ages with four judging categories: pre-school thru 2^nd grade, 3^rd thru 5^th grade, 6^th thru 8^th grade and high school thru adult, was judged May 29, 2008 at Bemis Art School. This year’s judges were TaraThomas, Bemis Art School, Jane Bennett, Imagination Celebration (KCIC), and Kathy Conarro, Colorado Springs Independent. Prizes will be awarded during the Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center 4 year anniversary celebration June 7^th. Publishing companies from around the country donated dinosaur and science related books for a dino library that is donated to the school with the largest percentage participation. This year’s winning school is Remington Elementary, D-49 Colorado Springs. Miami Yoder Elementary, Yoder and Sargent Elementary, Alamosa tied for second place. RMDRC guest artist Savannah College of Art and Design professor Paul Hudson will provide a workshop for the winning artists the morning of June 7 at RMDRC, followed by two public lectures at 11:30 am and 2:30 pm. Working through both fields of art and science, Hudson has explored this world and worlds beyond. From Disney to NASA, Hudson is recognized worldwide in the art and science industries. A selection of his artwork will be on exhibit at RMDRC through the summer. Hudson now passes much of the information he has learned over the years to his many students at the Savannah College of Art and Design where he teaches as a full time professor. He is currently completing his book Sculptural Anatomy for Abrams Books for release in January of 2009. Hudson is also working with Triebold Paleontology, Inc. to illustrate and sculpt a number of dinosaur and marine specimens. Watch for some updates on this project in his presentation on June 7^th. What types of creatures were swimming in the oceans while dinosaurs ruled the land? Visit the Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center to see the artists work through the month of June. The artwork will then travel to the Colorado Springs Airport July through September and other locations throughout the Pikes Peak Region for the next year. A special unveiling will occur on Saturday, June 7 at 9:30 am with the recently donated cast from the *Ultrosauros macintoshi* donated by Colorado Springs resident Gwen Pratt. Described by self taught Brigham Young University paleontologist Jim Jensen, the humerus measures over 8 feet in length. A large toe bone belonging to a “giant dinosaur” was originally found in the Dry Mesa Quarry in Western Colorado by Eddie and Vivian Jones from Delta, CO in the fall of 1971. Jenson returned the following summer with a research grant and small crew to start digging. Supersaurus was originally described by Jensen in 1972 and in 1979 Jenson found Ultrosauros parts in the same quarry. He didn’t publish on the find until 1985. There has been some controversy over the years as to whether the bones found are from the same species or if they’re from different animals. Be sure to check out the exhibit and see what the consensus is! DINO ART 2008 WINNERS High School/Adult Division 1^st place Nina Carbutt Alamosa 2^nd place Nina Peterson Air Academy High School 3^rd place Randy Ross Colorado Springs Honorable Mention Lesley Johnson Colorado Springs 6^th – 8^th Grade Division 1^st place Jack Woolridge New Jersey Home School 7^th grade 2^nd place Sierra Case Sabin Middle School 6^th grade 3^rd place Kyra Griswold D-49 Homeschool 8^th grade Honorable Mention Colin King Evangelical Christian Academy 6^th grade Honorable Mention Ryan James Sullivan Manhattan Middle School 7^th grade 3^rd – 5^th Grade Division 1^st place Kelci Van Treese Sargent Elementary 5^th grade 2^nd place Makenna Akins Sargent Elementary 5^th grade 3^rd place Leighton Burt Sargent Elementary 3^rd grade Honorable Mention Alyssa Bueno Southeast Elementary 5^th grade Honorable Mention Bradley Kaufman Sunrise Elementary 5^th grade Pre K – 2^nd Grade Division 1^st place Patrick Rahill Steele Elementary 1^st grade 2^nd place John Zhou Remington Elementary 2^nd grade 3^rd place Garrett Hackney Summit Elementary Kindergarten Honorable Mention Grant Lindaman Remington Elementary 2^nd grade Honorable Mention Hannah Mitchell Sargent Elementary 2^nd grade We look forward to seeing you on June 7^th! Be sure to take a last look at the Apatosaurus and other big skeletons in the lab. They’re going into crates and shipping to customers soon. But rest assured, we’ll have more projects coming up to watch in the lab. Happy Summer. Tracie Bennitt Sales and Marketing Triebold Paleontology, Inc. tracie@trieboldpaleontology.com
	From the Lab News from the lab. Thanks to all of our visitors that have been so patient with us working with the main lab doors open. We have completed work on "ORM" the Tylosaurus kansasensis and "Big Ed" will be done the first week of June. Our Apatosaurus and Appalachiosaurus mounts will be leaving the lab in mid-June as well, so we will look a bit empty for a week or two. Preparation on "Cap'n Chuck", our 20 foot Platecarpus ictericus, has begun in earnest and we hope to have a real bone mount on display in the future Have no fear though, our first field excursion of the year to Kansas will leave on June 7th. Stop by and see us to wish us good hunting during our 4th anniversary celebration! We will also feature a new display on local Colorado ammonites collected from the Pierre shale by Red Tapper. This exhibit is located right outside the lab viewing windows. Captions: (left) Mike Triebold in the field with ORM's skull, as it was returned from the poachers (right) ORM on display in our Marine Hall, after much work Anthony Maltese Curator, Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center 719.686.1820 x106 anthony@rmdrc.com

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URL: http://www.rmdrc.com/news/RMDRC_newsletter_0108.htm Last Updated: June 2008