Environmental Education

Environmental Education at the Cache Creek Nature Preserve

Where We Are:

The Cache Creek Conservancy offers its Experience the Creek environmental education program at the Cache Creek Nature Preserve, located on the north side of Cache Creek about five miles west of Woodland, California. The 130-acre preserve provides a multitude of outdoor learning sites allowing visitors to experience the natural world.  

What We Do:

The Cache Creek Conservancy’s education programs emphasize interactive learning by observing and using natural materials. Written by our skilled staff, the Experience the Creek activities for primary schools focus on environmental education in support of state Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) for classrooms. Following NGSS, we recommend that school groups choose activities around a theme by grade level. We believe that learning stations centered on a central theme reinforces student learning, understanding, and retention of concepts presented in their classrooms.

Reservations:

Field trips for the 2019-20 school year will be held on Mondays and Tuesdays starting in September and continuing through May. A calendar of open dates can be found below. We will start taking reservations for 2019-20 field trips on June 3, 2019, and will continue until all spots are filled. 

To reserve a field trip spot, fill out the Reservation/Program Guidelines form below and return to Mikayla Peterson at mpeterson@cachecreekconservancy.org. Spots will be reserved on a first come first serve basis. This form confirms the date, time, number of students and chaperones, and your choice of activities. We DO NOT reserve spots until we receive a completed and signed Reservation/Program Guidelines form. The Conservancy does not charge for the field trip, however, there may be a small materials fee associated with a few stations, if selected. Limited transportation scholarships are available. 

Length of visit:

The recommend length of a field trip is three and a half to four hours (this includes a lunch break). Field trips can be scheduled between the hours of 9:00am and 2:00pm. 

Supervision:

We require at least one chaperone for every six students, however, two chaperones are recommended for each activity group. For example, if you divide your group into four sub-groups, then we request eight adults. The adults supervise the groups as they rotate through activities or they may be asked to help lead a station. 

Weather:

Programs are presented outdoors rain or shine unless you or the Nature Preserve staff determines that conditions are too extreme. If needed, we will work to reschedule the visit.

Clothing:

Please dress appropriately for the expected weather conditions on the day of your visit. For safety, we require closed-toed shoes for all participants (this includes adults and students). 

Facilities: 

Picnic tables are available in our large barn or under our massive Valley Oak trees. We have two portable restrooms and limited water for hand washing, but no potable water for drinking . Groups must provide their own drinking water. 

The Education Program is proudly sponsored by the Cache Creek Conservancy, a non-profit organization dedicated to restoration, education and outreach.

Contact Mikayla Peterson, Outreach and Watershed Education Specialist 

mpeterson@cachecreekconservancy.org 

(530)661-1070