American River Natural History Association

PURPOSE IS TO PROMOTE, AID AND AUGMENT NATURE EDUCATION AND INTERPRETIVE ACTIVITIES IN THE AMERICAN RIVER PARKWAY, PRINCIPALLY IN CONNECTION WITH THE EFFIE YEAW NATURE CENTER.

THE NATURE CENTER OFFERS CUSTOMIZED EDUCATIONAL SCIENCE AND CULTURAL PROGRAMS TO LOCAL SCHOOLS BOTH ON SITE AT THE CENTER AND NATURE PRESERVE, AND IN SCHOOL CLASSROOMS FOR GRADES K THROUGH 8 AND IN 2021/22 WE CONTINUED TO DO SO VIRTUALLY. TWO OF THESE VIRTUAL FIELD TRIP PROGRAMS ARE HIGHLY FOCUSED - ONE ON THE NATIVE NISENAN MAIDU INDIAN CULTURE AND THE OTHER ON AQUATIC STUDIES - BOTH INCLUDING HANDS-ON EXPERIENCES AND ACTIVITIES. CLASSROOM PROGRAMS INCLUDE A NATURALIST VISITING THE SCHOOL (ON-LINE) WITH LIVE ANIMALS OR NISENAN MAIDU CULTURAL MATERIALS FOR HANDS-ON LEARNING. ALL PROGRAMS TEACH TO SCHOOL AND STATE SCIENCE STANDARDS. IN FISCAL YEAR 2021-22, 298 PROGRAMS WERE OFFERED TO APPROXIMATELY 8,000 STUDENTS. OUR URBAN NATURE PROGRAM, WHICH OFFERS EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FREE OF CHARGE TO SCHOOLS SERVING HIGH-NEED POPULATIONS, CONTINUED TO BE SUCCESSFUL THANKS TO GRANTS FROM ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUAL DONORS INTERESTED IN ENSURING ACCESS TO OUTDOOR EDUCATION TO ALL CHILDREN. IN FISCAL YEAR 2021-22 WE PROVIDED 131 PROGRAMS TO MORE THAN 4,400 STUDENTS - AT NO COST - THROUGH THIS PROGRAM.

COMMUNITY PROGRAMS: NATURE EDUCATION PROGRAMS ARE DESIGNED TO PROVIDE NON-SCHOOL OPPORTUNITIES, SUCH AS SUMMER AND HOLIDAY NATURE CAMPS, FAMILY PROGRAMS, AND LEARNING FROM EXPERTS THROUGH ADULT NATURE WORKSHOPS, LECTURES AND FIELD TRIPS. GROUPS SUCH AS SCOUTS, BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS AND MEET-UP GROUPS BRING LARGE NUMBERS OF YOUNG PEOPLE ON WEEKENDS, HOLIDAYS AND SUMMERS. MAJOR EVENTS INCLUDING 'NATUREFEST' (PRODUCED IN COOPERATION WITH TWENTY FOUR ADDITIONAL PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS) AND BIRD & BREAKFAST COMBINE A NATURE, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE SACRAMENTO AUDUBON SOCIETY, FOCUS WITH HANDS ON ACTIVITIES. ADULT ONLY CLASSES ARE OFFERED ALMOST EVERY MONTH WITH TOPICS RANGING FROM BEGINNING BIRDWATCHING TO NATURAL HISTORY OF RATTLESNAKES. A SEMI-ANNUAL UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA NATURALIST CERTIFICATION PROGRAM IS OPERATED BY THE EFFIE YEAW NATURE CENTER. ALL PROGRAMS HAVE MINIMAL FEES TO ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION. SCHOLARSHIPS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE FROM PREVIOUSLY RECEIVED RESTRICTED CONTRIBUTIONS.

IN MOST YEARS, THE EFFIE YEAW NATURE CENTER IS OPEN SIX DAYS A WEEK AND OFFERING FREE OR LOW-COST PUBLIC PROGRAMS EVERY WEEKEND, THE NATURE CENTER IS AN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE ACCESSIBLE TO ALL COMMUNITY MEMBERS. IN RESPONSE TO THE COVID PANDEMIC, IN 2021/22 WE WERE FORCED TO CLOSE THE DOORS TO OUR NATURE CENTER MUSEUM AND BUILDING FOR MANY MONTHS, AND QUICKLY TRANSITIONED OUR EDUCATION PROGRAMS TO A VIRTUAL PLATFORM. PROGRAMS THAT WERE HELD IN PERSON, WHEN SAFE TO DO SO, WERE CONDUCTED OUTSIDE AND REGISTRATION WAS LIMITED TO ALLOW FOR SOCIAL DISTANCING. OUR FAMILY-ORIENTED EDUCATION PROGRAM OWL-O-WEEN, AND NATURE CAMPS FOR CHILDREN OFFERED OUR COMMUNITY ENCOUNTERS WITH LIVE ANIMALS, HIKES IN THE PRESERVE, CRAFTS AND GAMES. OUR ADULT EDUCATION PROGRAMS, THE NATURE OF THINGS SPEAKER SERIES AND THE CALIFORNIA NATURALIST CERTIFICATION PROGRAM, CONTINUED TO EXPAND OUR COMMUNITYS KNOWLEDGE OF THE NATURAL WORLD - IN VIRTUAL, SOCIALLY DISTANCED FORMATS. THESE EFFORTS, ALONG WITH AND INCREASED SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE AND THE FREE ACCESS TO OUR NATURE PRESERVE AND HIKING TRAILS, ALLOWED US TO CONTINUE TO MEET OUR MISSION AND SERVE OUR COMMUNITY.