MULTIPLE COUNTIES
Forebay Aquatic Center: The only aquatic education center north of Sacramento. Specializes in school and youth program. Offerings include water safety, boating skills, environmental education, birding, hands on science and fun physically active outdoor experiences. Salmon spawning tours, river adventures and much more for a huge variety of outdoor, adventure learning. Located at the beautiful North Forebay State Recreation Area. Forebayaquaticcenter.com. 930 Garden Drive, Oroville aqautics.education@gmail.com. (530)774-7934.
Leave No Trace. FREE inclusive online course that calls upon people of all different backgrounds and outdoor experiences to take action by participating in Leave No Trace’s free 45-minute virtual outdoor education course. The course will go over Leave No Trace questions, including how to prepare for your outdoor adventures, what to do when encountering wildlife and so much more! Trainings for all ages. LNT.org.
BUTTE COUNTY
Earthbound Skills; Chico. Direct experience in naturalist skills, wilderness survival and primitive living for a wide range of ages. Nature, observation and awareness in our outdoor school, seasonal camps and other programs. Immersing students in hands-on tracking, bird language, plant identification and more. See article in North State Parent May 2020. earthboundskills.com. earthboundskills@gmail.com.(530)513-2542.
Northern Buttes District of California State Parks; Oroville. Whether virtual or in-person, there are several free educational opportunities for classrooms to enjoy. Learn about the smallest superheroes and their contributions to our environment or discover how pollinators, plants and people are interconnected. mNBDK12Program@ parks.ca.gov for more information and to begin scheduling your parks experience.
Watershed Schoolhouse; Chico. A microschool offering accessible, place-based education for whole-child learning (K-4 cohort). Unique, hands-on, project-based curriculum integrates nature, academics and social justice on a 43-acre campus with year-round creek. Learn more or join the current cohort at watershedschoolhouse.org.
Wildflower Forest School; Chico. A free-public TK-8 charter school that offers Integrated thematic learning in an open classroom structure. Offers Forest Schooling to provide kids and the community with the benefits that learning in nature offers. Program includes 1) A full-time Forest Transitional Kindergarten (Forest TK) class that meets 5 days a week from 8:30am-12pm at Bidwell Parks 5-mile area; and 2) Forest “Days” program for the campus classes, grades TK-8th. wildflowerschool.com. 2414 Cohasset Rd., Suite 3. (530)892-1676.
SHASTA COUNTY
Shasta Land Trust. Learn about our local ecosystems, wildlife and the natural wonders of our biodiverse region. Events include family-friendly hikes, bike rides, movie screenings and more! All events support local land conservation efforts in protecting wildlife habitat, recreational lands and working agricultural farms and ranches. Visit Shastalandtrust.org to sign-up. (530)241-7886.
Turtle Bay Exploration Park; Redding. Turtle Bay Exploration Park is a fun, 300-acre, non-profit, featuring attractions and educational programs for all ages including animal shows, traveling exhibitions, indoor aquariums, an immersive Parrot Playhouse and more. Explore the wonders of our local Sacramento River in the Water Wonders Animal Program, held on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10:30 – 10:45 am. Animal Trainers will guide you into the ecosystem of this Riparian habitat through fun interpretive talks with animals who call it their home. View more seasonal animal exhibitions and programs at turtlebay.org/animals. 844 Sundial Bridge Dr. fieldtrips@turtlebay.org. (530)242-3108.
SISKIYOU COUNTY
Headwaters Outdoor School; Mount Shasta. Wilderness skills, bow and arrow making, nature awareness, boys’ and girls’ Rites of Passage. Custom classes and private groups. hwos.com. info@hwos.com. (530)938-1304.
Maagic Mountain Farm; Mount Shasta. Year-round, hands-on, interactive animal field trips, homestead classes, group or individual tours and guest farm stays. In connection with the land, all the creatures work together to provide for everyone’s needs through sustainable interdependent living. maagicmtnfarm.com. (530)925-6752.
