Page 98 - Family Resource Guide

SCIENCE & NATURE NORTH STATE PARENT FAMILY RESOURCE GUIDE FALL/WINTER 2021/2022
CARET-SQUARE-RIGHT Geology&Rockhounding
CARET-SQUARE-RIGHT Nature & Wildlife Centers,
Organizations & Rescues
CARET-SQUARE-RIGHT Planetariums, Observatories & Astronomy
CARET-SQUARE-RIGHT Science & Technology
CARET-SQUARE-RIGHT Spelunking (Caves)
GEOLOGY & ROCKHOUNDING
BUTTE COUNTY
Feather River Lapidary & Mineral Society; Oroville. This club promotes & encourages the pursuit of all types of lapidary & jewelry art, as well as all aspects of collecting & studying rocks, minerals & fossils. Monthly meetings & field trips, rock shop for lapidary & silversmithing, classes & lectures. Hosts the annual Chico Gem, Mineral and Jewelry show. info@featherriv- errocks.org. featherriverrocks.org
Gem & Mineral Club; Paradise. Fun group of rock hounds promoting & advancing the appreciation of rocks & minerals. Meetings, annual picnic, annual show & field trips for those interested in the earth sciences, lap- idary techniques & general rockhounding. paradisegem.org. (530) 343-0894.
SHASTA COUNTY
Shasta Gem & Mineral Society; Ander- son. A nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing the knowledge of gem, mineral & lapidary arts programs through reading, classes, workshops & field trips. Work- shops. Includes jr. division for ages 8-17. Make new friends with fellow rock hounds & earn badges. shastagemandmineral.org. Questions & Membership: (530) 632-7279
TEHAMA COUNTY
Gaumer’s Mineral & Mining Museum; Red Bluff. Educational & entertaining for visitors of all ages. Gold mining, fossils, Native American artifacts, rocks, crystals & fluorescent minerals. Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm. School tours available. gaumers.com. 78 Belle Mill Rd. (530) 527-6166.
ONLINE
RocksForKids.com. Canadian-based rock- hounding website with good information for kids of all ages. Includes rocks list & pictures. rocksforkids.com
NATURE & WILDLIFE CENTERS, ORGANIZATIONS & RESCUES
MULTIPLE COUNTIES
Altacal Audubon Society; Butte, Glenn & Tehama Counties. Promotes awareness, appreciation & protection of native birds
& their habitats. Bird walks, informative & entertaining monthly programs at Chico Creek Nature Center, educational outreach at local schools & events. Sponsors the annual Snow Goose Festival each Jan. altacal.org.
California Native Plant Society, Mount Lassen Chapter; Butte, Glenn, Tehama & Plumas Counties. Year-round field trips, native plant seeds, monthly meetings & annual events, rare plant conservation & educational outreach programs to schools & groups. mountlassen.cnps.org.
BUTTE COUNTY
Barry Kirshner Wildlife Sanctuary & Edu- cational Center; Oroville. This education & preservation center is home to a wide vari- ety of non-releasable endangered & exotic live animals. See tigers, mountain lions, bobcats, coyotes, leopards, hawks, owls, African lions, servals, a lemur, wallaby, reptiles & much more. kirshner.org. 4995 Durham-Pentz Rd. (530) 533-1000.
Butte Environmental Council (BEC); Chico. BEC educates & advocates for the environ- ment. Provides information about current land, air & water issues, offers classroom education programs & provides resources for community action. Waste education thru RARE program (Recycling and Rubbish Education). Hosts the annual Endangered Species Faire each spring in Bidwell Park & the annual Bidwell Park & Creeks Clean-up Day in September. becnet.org. 313 Walnut St., Ste. 140. (530) 891-6424.
Chico Creek Nature Center; Chico. The official information & education center for Bidwell Park. Classes for youth & adults, day camps & field trips. The center is also home to more than 15 species of living animals. chicorec.com/chico-creek-na- ture-center. 1968 E. 8th St., (in Bidwell Park). (530) 891-4671.
Feather River Fish Hatchery; Oroville. State-of-the-art facility features underwa- ter viewing windows to observe migrating salmon (mid-Sept through mid-Nov) & steelhead trout (mid-Dec through mid- Feb). Learn about the life cycle of fish & view spawning operations. Offers educa- tional programs & tours & hosts the Annual Salmon Festival in Sep. Open daily, sunrise to sunset. Free admission. Check website for current hours of operation. wildlife. ca.gov/Fishing/Hatcheries/Feather-River. 5 Table Mountain Blvd. (530) 538-2222. Feather River Nature Center & Native Plant Park; Oroville. An original river rock bath house used by gold miners. This is
a great place to enjoy family picnics or
just relax by the river. Nature Center: daily from sunrise-sunset. Bath House Museum: Apr-Oct; Sat-Sun, 12-4pm; guided tours available by appt. Select the Museums link at cityoforoville.org. Montgomery St. & Old Ferry Rd. (530) 538-2401.
Gateway Science Museum, CSU; Chico. Inspiring the exploration of science & natural history in Butte County & beyond. Hands -on minds- on exhibitions, Discov- ery Room for kids, native plants gardens
& ongoing STEAM projects. csuchico.edu/ gateway. 625 Esplanade. (530) 898-4121.
Gray Lodge Wildlife Area; Gridley. Year- round wildlife viewing in a 9,100-acre wet- land area. In fall & winter see vast numbers of migratory waterfowl. A museum, paved trail to a viewing platform & seasonal guid- ed tours Oct-Feb. Annual events include
a children’s fishing day. Open sunrise to sunset. wildlife.ca.gov. 3207 Rutherford Rd. (along the Pacific Flyway). (530) 846-7500 or Sat & Sun (530) 846-7505.
The Worm Farm; Durham. Family farm featuring 9,600 linear ft of windrows of redworms. Learn how vermicomposting provides gardeners with a means of pro- ducing healthy plants while positively af- fecting the environment. Hands-on group tours year-round by appt. Wear gardening clothes when visiting. thewormfarm.net. 9033 Esquon Rd. (530) 894-1276.
Wild Things. Let Wild Things share a fun-filled and energetic experience with your school, library, or private event. Wild Things brings rescued exotic and native wildlife to you, and utilizes the animals’ personal stories to teach natural history, unique adaptations and a conservation message. Wild Things has something for everyone with topics such as: the Amaz- ing Amazon, North American Wildlife, Beasts of the Backyard, Animals of the World, and Scaly Wonders, among others. Children and adults alike enjoy meeting and making connections with the animals! We offer in-person or live or recorded virtual programs! Wildthingsoutreach.org. programs@wildthingsoutreach.org. (530) 878-2618.
GLENN COUNTY
Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge; Willows. Headquartered in Willows, the complex consists of five national wildlife refuges & three wildlife management areas, comprising more than 35,000 acres of wetlands & uplands in the Sacramento Valley. Auto tours, hiking trails, visitor center, bookstore & educational programs. School & group tours available. fws.gov/ refuge/Sacramento (530) 934-2801.
SHASTA COUNTY
California Native Plant Society, Shasta Chapter; Redding. Field trips, workshops, monthly events with presenters, annual plant sales, shows & information. Serves Shasta, Lassen, Modoc and Siskiyou Counties. Educates the public about native plants in their natural environment & for use in the garden. shastacnps.org. For information shastacnps@gmail.com.
City of Anderson Water Pollution Control Plant. Students of all ages can learn what happens to sewage water in a field trip that shows the steps of sewage wastewater treatment before it is released into the Sacramento River. Students will view the microorganisms used in a natural biological process that treats the water. ci.anderson.ca.us. 3800 Rupert Rd. (located in Anderson River Park). (530) 378-6665 or (530) 378-6664.
Coleman Fish Hatchery; Anderson. Explore the largest Chinook salmon & steelhead hatchery in the lower 48 states. Open daily for informative self-guided tours 7:30am-dusk. Nature trail, annual Re- turn of the Salmon Festival (3rd Sat in Oct), school & youth group tours (Oct & Nov). Check website for current hours. fws.gov/ coleman 24411 Coleman Fish Hatchery Rd. (530) 365-8622.
Redding Reptiles Exhibit Room; Red- ding. All ages can check out over 50 rep- tiles from around the world on display in the new, larger exhibit room. Volunteers on hand to provide information about the animals. Exhibit Room: Weds-Sat 12-6. ReddingReptiles.com. 74 Lake Blvd. (530) 338-2446.
Shasta Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation; Anderson. A nonprofit organization that rehabilitates sick, orphaned & injured wildlife to release back into the wild. Vol- unteer opportunities in spring & summer. Tasks include feeding baby birds & helping rehabilitate older birds so they can be successfully returned to the wild. shastaw- ildlife.org. 3752 Rupert Rd. (530) 365-9453 (365-WILD).
Turtle Bay Exploration Park; Redding. Turtle Bay Exploration Park is a fun, 300- acre, non-profit, gathering place, featuring the Sundial Bridge, museum, forestry and wildlife center, arboretum, and botanical gardens. Attractions and educational programs for all ages including animal shows, traveling exhibitions, towering playgrounds, indoor aquariums, an immersive Parrot Playhouse, and more. Turtle Bay also offers educational resourc- es to the community including school field trips, Discovery Camps, teacher/ classroom support, and Turtle Bay TV, a free distance-learning show on YouTube. Memberships are available. Learn more about current programs and offerings at turtlebay.org. 844 Sundial Bridge Dr. (530) 243-8850.
Wild Horse Sanctuary; Shingletown. This 5,000-acre preserve is dedicated to pro- tecting & preserving America’s wild horses as a living national treasure. Provides them sanctuary in an ecologically balanced en- vironment. Visitors welcome for free wild horse viewing. Trail rides, horse adoptions & sponsorships available. Check website for current hours. wildhorsesanctuary.org. 5796 Wilson Hill Rd. (530) 474-5770.
Wintu Audubon Society; Redding.
With a mission of conserving & restoring natural ecosystems, focuses on birds & other wildlife & their habitats. Education & interactive programs. Year-round activities include a monthly educational program for grades 4 & up. Check website for cur- rent hours. wintuaudubon.org.
SISKIYOU COUNTY
Mt. Shasta Audubon Society. The Mt. Shasta Area Audubon Society encourages a love of birds by providing field trips (typ- ically Apr-Jul), A Birder’s Guide to Driving Routes in Siskiyou County & a checklist
of birds found in the county. The chapter is involved in education & conservation efforts to protect & enhance the region. mtshastaaudubon.com. 2220 Pack Trail. (530) 926-2093.
98 North State Parent Family Resource Guide Fall/Winter 2021/2022 • www.northstateparent.com