Books and reading come natural to Angie Salazar, who said she was a “teacher in a former life.”

Salazar used to teach middle and high school Spanish and English in Denver. She also taught international students at Regis University.

Now a mother and board member of Mesa Land Trust, Salazar will begin a monthly story time at the Central branch of the Mesa County Public Library, starting Tuesday.

Salazar will read stories that focus on conservation and the environment on the last Tuesday of every month.

Some books will be recognizable, such as “The Giving Tree,” and others will be modern stories dealing with healthy living, a healthy planet and healthy spaces, Salazar said.

Stories will sometimes touch upon population growth and how to build cities intelligently, Salazar said.

Other books will focus on garbage — where does it all go? And what happens if we pave all of our land? Salazar said.

The story hour is geared toward young children and will include hands-on activities such as coloring or puppet-making. Conservation readings and information about the Land Trust will be on hand for parents as well.

The story time is intended to raise awareness for the Land Trust’s mission of conserving agricultural lands, wildlife habitat and open space in and around Mesa County, according to a Land Trust press release. The nonprofit land trust has conserved more than 52,000 acres of land through binding agreements with private property owners.

“We thank the library for assisting us in this important endeavor,” said Rob Bleiberg, Land Trust executive director.

Salazar will also be giving away bookmarks created by the Land Trust last summer.

“Teaching kids about taking care of the planet should be part of their every day,” Salazar said.

Reach Sharon Sullivan at ssullivan@gjfreepress.com.