Page 96 - North State Parent September 2023

SCIENCE & NATURE NORTH STATE PARENT FAMILY RESOURCE GUIDE FALL/WINTER 2023
Community benefits of land conservation
Conserved land provides many benefits to our community. Clean drinking water, fresh air, carbon sequestration as a tool against climate change, strong local food networks and abundant recreational opportunities are just a few of the benefits seen in our lifetime, with an immeasurable impact on future generations. These lands are necessary for our survival, from the water we drink, to the food we eat. By protecting our region, rich with freshwater rivers, lakes, forests and farms, we can ensure a more resilient, healthy and inhabitable future.
Our health depends on access to nature
A connection to nature is an essential and invaluable human need. Access to the outdoors, with its innumerable mental and physical benefits, has been shown to lower stress, prevent chronic disease, improve physical health and increase mental wellness across all demographics.
In partnership with local organizations, Shasta Land Trust has protected over 19,000 acres of publicly accessible recreational land. These conserved lands, with lakes to paddle and trails to hike, will continue to exist so that future generations will have access to the natural spaces upon which their health and happiness depends.
Explore & learn at a local Wildways events
Children can get outside and explore nature in our local area with kid and family-friendly events available through the Shasta Land Trust’s Wildways series. Each Wildways season features outdoor educational nature events available for kids and families in our community. These free or low-cost events have an emphasis on getting outdoors, learning about local wildlife and plants, and inspiring a curiosity for nature. Visit the Shasta Land Trust website at Shastalandtrust.org to learn more and register to attend an upcoming Wildways event.
Nature needs your help
Support local land conservation efforts to protect wildlife habitats, recreational lands and working agricultural lands by attending an upcoming Wildways event or donating to the Shasta Land Trust. Visit Shastalandtrust.org to learn more about land conservation in our local area and view upcoming family- friendly nature events. (530) 241-7886 outreach@shastalandtrust.org
There are non-profit land trust organizations throughout California working to preserve lands and resources that benefit us all. For a list of California land trusts, go to calandtrusts.org/lt-member-profile. Ó
Land Trusts in the North State
• Shasta Land Trust www.shastalandtrust.org
• Siskiyou Land Trust www.siskiyoulandtrust.org
• Sutter Buttes Regional Land Trust www.sutterbutteslandtrust.org
• Feather River Land Trust www.frlt.org
• Bear and Yuba Land Trusts www.bylt.org
• Placer Land Trust placerlandtrust.org
• Northern California Regional Land Trust www.landconservation.org
• Sacramento Valley Conservancy sacramentovalleyconservancy.org
CARET-SQUARE-RIGHT Geology&Rockhounding
CARET-SQUARE-RIGHT Nature&WildlifeCenters,
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 rockhounds promoting & advancing the appreciation of rocks & minerals. Meetings, annual picnic, annual show & field trips
for those interested in the earth sciences, lapidary techniques & general rockhound- ing. facebook.com/paradisegemandminer- alclub. (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. Includes jr. division for ages 8-17. shastagemandmin- eral.org. (530)945-9225.
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; Serving Butte, Glenn, and Tehama Counties. Free public field trips. Beginners are always welcome, since our trip leaders are eager to instill a love of birds in anyone. We provide indoor and outdoor education for primary and secondary school classes. Getting kids out in nature where they learn about birds, their habits and habitats, and how they
fit into the ecosystem is important work altacal.org. Email director@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; Chico. Educates & advocates for the environment. Information about current land, air & water issues, classroom education programs & 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. Quality ed- ucational programs to elementary school students and the public. Uses the natural systems of Bidwell Park as a classroom. chicorec.com/chico-creek-nature-center. 1968 E 8th St. (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
In appreciation of the beauty
of the Mount Shasta area
• We build trails
• Help support trail protection
& good stewardship
• Work to conserve the natural
beauty of Siskiyou County.
Join us as a donor or volunteer: mountshastatrailassociation.org
96 North State Parent Family Resource Guide Fall/Winter 2023 • www.northstateparent.com