North Coast
Serving Humboldt, Del Norte, Lake, Mendocino, and Sonoma Counties

On-Going Programs and Field Trips

CLASSROOM VISITS AND FIELD TRIPS

Recycling & Waste Reduction Education Program

How much trash do we make each day? Where does it go? How can we make less? The Arcata and Eureka Community Recycling Centers are pleased to offer a series of lessons on the important topics of recycling and waste reduction that answers these questions and more. These engaging hands-on lessons are offered free of charge to all K-12 grade classrooms within Humboldt County. Each lesson includes interactive discussion and activity portions such as investigating a vermicompost bin or making recycled paper. Visit www.arcatarecycling.org/EducationProgram.pdf to view our education program brochure. Our goal is simple: to get kids thinking about simple ways they can reduce waste in their own lives and empower them to do so. For questions or to schedule a classroom visit, call Allison at (707) 822-4321 x205.

Field Trips for Teachers and Their Students
Tour of the Laguna Treatment Plant and Reclamation Farms in Sonoma County
The City of Santa Rosa's subregional sewage treatment plant offers tours to all grade levels. Tours can be customized to emphasize any concept related to water. Tours are also available for the created wetlands adjacent to the treatment plant or one of the City of Santa Rosa farms, abundant in natural resources. Please contact Denise Cadman at 707-543-3408 to arrange a visit.

Tidepool Education Program
State Park program sponsored by Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods
Grades 3 and above, Curriculum guide for grades 3 – 8.
An opportunity for students to explore the intertidal zone with experienced docents. A classroom presentation is available before an on-site visit to Sonoma Coast State Beach.
Teacher’s curriculum guide and resource materials are available upon request. Registration is required and low tide days fill up quickly so call early for spring 2006. Call Stewards at (707) 869-9177 or email Annie Cresswell Also check our website at www.stewardsofthecoastandredwoods.org.

Watershed Education Program
State Park program sponsored by Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods
Middle and High School
An interactive hands-on program teaching students about watersheds and how they affect anadromous fish. A classroom visit takes place before the field visit to the Willow Creek watershed, which is part of Sonoma Coast State Beach. Teacher’s curriculum guide and resource materials are available. Registration is required and dates are limited so register early for spring 2006. Call Stewards at (707) 869-9177 or email Annie Cresswell. Also check our website at www.stewardsofthecoastandredwoods.org.

Redwood Ecology Program
State Park program sponsored by Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods
Elementary and Middle School
Docent-led program at Armstrong Redwoods State Reserve which teaches students about redwood ecology as well as the cultural history of the park. Teacher’s guide available. Registration is required and dates fill early, especially in the spring. Call Stewards at (707) 869-9177.  Also check our website at www.stewardsofthecoastandredwoods.org.

SPECIAL DAYS AND WEEKS TO CELEBRATE

California Coast Week
Each year thousands of volunteers participate in clean-up events throughout the state. Please join the California Coastal Commission's Public Education Program in celebrating COASTWEEKS mid-September through mid-October 2006 on various beaches, rivers, streams, and wetlands. For ideas on how you can become involved please visit their website http://www.coastal.ca.gov/publiced/coastweeks/coastweeks.html. For information about events at your local waterways, call 1-800-COAST4U or for information on the coastal cleanup day visit http://www.coastal.ca.gov/publiced/ccd/ccd.html.

Year of Clean Water Outreach Materials
The EPA website highlighting different monthly topics to celebrate the Year of Clean Water and 30 years of the Clean Water Act presented Oceans and Coasts in June. Materials on the site include information brochures, posters, and even crossword puzzle placemats that can be customized for your organization. Bookmark http://www.epa.gov/water/yearofcleanwater/month.html and check out each month’s new materials.

MISCELLANEOUS EE THINGS TO DO

Solar Schools Program
Solar Schools Program encourages the installation of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems at public schools by offering a rebate of up to 90 percent of the purchase and installation cost. The information on how to apply to the Solar Schools Program is now available at http://www.consumerenergycenter.org/solar_schools/index.html California Department of Education curriculum tie-in guidelines can also be found on that page. If you have any questions about the Solar Schools Program please call (800) 555-7794. You may also contact Mr. Dale Trenschel, Buydown Program Lead or call (916) 653-2834.

Docent Training
Docent training is available for all State Park “Volunteer in Parks” programs in the Russian River area. Trainings will take place between February and April in 2006. Call Stewards at (707) 869-9177 or email volparks@mcn.org. Also check our website at www.stewardsofthecoastandredwoods.org

Join the Coastal Stewardship Pledge
Be a part of this important program from one of the CREEC Network’s State Partners, the California Coastal Commission. The Coastal Stewardship Pledge is a way for Californians of all ages to commit to protecting our coast and ocean. To participate, choose from a wide-ranging list of suggestions on how to protect the coast, and then pledge to follow through and complete your chosen actions. In the process, you become a "Coastal Steward" and are rewarded with a certificate and a free "Coastal Steward" tote bag to help you with the "paper or plastic" dilemma. To take the pledge, just visit http://www.coastforyou.org

Raptors in the City
"Raptors in the City" is a new inquiry-based science and technology program for grades 4-6 that stars the peregrine falcon. The online portion of Raptors in the City guides children through nesting season (roughly February to June) as they watch the still rare falcons live via cameras mounted on skyscrapers. The curriculum supports one semester of study, and the students learn environmental, biological, and technological lessons, as well as research skills, based on national science and technology standards. A complete study package for peregrine research is available consisting of assignments, resource lists, rewards, evaluation tools, a reference book, and an e-newsletter. Nesting season begins in February. http://www.raptorsinthecity.org/

Birdhouse Building
Spring is just around the corner, do you have your bird house nest boxes up yet? Migration is beginning, and now is a good time to get prepared. There is an excellent opportunity for schools to participate in The Birdhouse Network of the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology. There is a lot of GREAT information on their web site at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/birdhouse The web site provides information about cavity-nesting birds, habitat requirements, how to construct or select a good nest box, installing predator guards, clutch size, incubation and nestling periods, and much more. If you join The Birdhouse Network, you'll receive a welcome packet containing a full size color poster of the top ten cavity nesting birds, field worksheets, instructions for logging onto the web site to enter data, and "Inside the Birdhouse," a newsletter specifically for TBN participants. You'll also receive a subscription to Birdscope, the Lab's quarterly newsletter, and access to Nestbox-L, a private email discussion group where participants can exchange tips and share their nest box experiences. Participants submit their data online and view, edit, or retrieve information about their data from Cornell Lab scientists over the Internet as it becomes available. A $15 participation fee helps defray the cost of materials and data analysis. Anyone can participate and one nest box is all you need to begin attracting cavity-nesting birds to your area. For more information or to sign up for The Birdhouse Network, visit their web site, call (800) 843-2473, or email them at birdhouse@cornell.edu

Free Poster: Pennies for the Planet
World Wildlife Fund's "Pennies for the Planet" campaign is in full swing! "Pennies" is WWF's annual program for kids, designed to educate about biodiversity and the concept of ecoregion-based conservation. This year, WWF teamed up with Scholastic Inc. to produce a "Pennies" poster that features this year's highlighted ecoregions-the Atlantic Forest of South America, the Everglades and South Florida, and the Miombo Woodlands. Beginning in January 2003, you can quickly donate your coins by visiting a Coinstar machine at your local participating supermarket. Use WWF's special 4-digit code (8888) for your coins to be donated directly to the "Pennies for the Planet" program. For more information about the featured ecoregions and to request a free "Pennies" poster, visit our Web site at www.worldwildlife.org/windows/pennies

Home Compost Education Project
Environmental Discovery Center, Spring Lake Park, Santa Rosa.
Composting information is available for the public, there are hands on activities for children, demonstrations of worm-boxes etc. Hours are: Wednesday-Friday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sat. & Sun. noon - 5 p.m. Phone: (707) 539-2865 for more information.

Contact Olga Clymire if your  organization does classroom visits or field trips and you would like these listed here!

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