Climate change is no longer just an environmental issue—it is one of the defining public health challenges of our time. In this thought-provoking talk, physician-scientist Dr. Mark Gladwin, Dean of the University of Maryland School of Medicine, explores the rapidly emerging field of climate medicine and how a warming planet is already reshaping human health. From wildfire smoke and extreme heat to expanding infectious diseases and environmental toxins, climate change is altering the conditions that keep communities healthy. Dr. Gladwin connects the science to real-world impacts and discusses why understanding climate through the lens of health may be one of the most powerful ways to inspire solutions and build more resilient communities—here in Aspen and around the world.

Celebrate Earth Day in Aspen with a community-wide gathering focused on environmental stewardship, climate action, and civic engagement.

Witness to Water follows the Colorado River from its pristine headwaters in the Rocky Mountains to its altered and endangered end in the Sonoran Desert. In this immersive multimedia presentation and book launch celebration, acclaimed National Geographic photographer and filmmaker Pete McBride shares images, videos, and sound from decades spent documenting the river from source to sea—or dry delta—and its many tributaries, from the Roaring Fork to the Gila and beyond.

Are you noticing changes in our local forest? Join Colorado State Forest Entomologist Dr. Dan West as he explores the complex factors driving the Douglas-fir beetle outbreak, from biological interactions to climate change, and dives into how Douglas-fir forest might evolve over the next 20 years. Discover the realities of the current infestation and learn about management options and limitations.

Science on Skis: Traversing the Juneau Icefield is about Izzo’s experience as a student with the Juneau Icefield Research Program (JIRP). Since 1946, JIRP has facilitated two months of immersive, hands-on glaciology research across the Icefield. Izzo shares about glaciological field methods, camp life and logistics, and hopefully answer the question: “Why study glaciers in a warming climate?”

In this discussion, Dr. Brett Walker reviews results from more than a decade of Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s research on sagebrush-obligate birds in western Colorado. His projects reveal some new and unexpected patterns of habitat use and selection among Greater Sage-Grouse and Brewer’s Sparrows.

In this presentation, environmental journalist Zak Podmore discusses his book Life After Dead Pool, which explores the complex challenges ahead and reframes the inevitable loss of Lake Powell as a turning point for a more sustainable future, debunking the notion that the West’s water challenges are unsolvable, and inviting us to secure a future where the Colorado River once again runs free.

Pinyon-juniper woodlands are among the most extensive and ecologically diverse ecosystem type in the southwestern United States. They support the largest remaining tracts of mature and old-growth forest in the country and are culturally important to many Indigenous peoples in the region. This talk explores the ecology of these woodlands, the challenges they face through various global change pressures, and ongoing stewardship and research efforts to sustain their resilience for future generations.

Avians have been migrating between North and South America for millions of years, linking the hemispheres like only birds can do. In November 2025, people in San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina and Aspen bridged this journey in a new way: through our Sister Cities program and our shared love of birds.

In 2025, Scott Fitzwilliams retired from leading the 2.3 million acre White River National Forest — the most visited in the country — for 15 years. Now, he speaks with local journalist Elizabeth Stewart-Severy, whose reporting for Aspen Journalism has helped to uncover how changes at the White River National Forest will impact the public lands that surround our communities.