Join Bear Yuba Land Trust and California Naturalists Steve Roddy and Linda Conklin in partnership with the UC Sierra Foothill Research and Extension Center (SFREC) for an amazing salmon exploration experience for the next installment of the Junior Conservationist: Stories in Nature series!

This event will take place on November 10, 2018 from 9:30-11:30am at the SFREC. During the trek, Junior Conservationists and their friends and families will visit two sites along the Yuba River. The first stop will be the area directly in front of the Englebright Dam, which is called” The Narrows.” Here, hikers will learn about the impact the dam has on spawning salmon and restoration efforts that are underway to increase population numbers. The second stop is at an outdoor classroom which is downstream from the dam. This stretch of river shows the hydraulic gravels near Rose's Bar and provides a different perspective on salmon habitat.

Directions: Meet at 9:30 at the Park and Ride on the corner of Pleasant Valley Road and Hwy 20; look for the meeting spot on the left side going west. Hikers will then carpool about 20 minutes to the UC Field Station from there.

Wear: Durable hiking shoes and clothes. THIS IS A RAIN OR SHINE EVENT, so dress accordingly. Please bring water and snacks and an enthusiasm to learn!

Suggested Donation of $10 per Family

Register Here

On Thursday October 4^th, Sierra Foothill REC hosted its 5^th Annual Beef & Range Field Day for high school students enrolled in FFA & 4-H. Following an inspirational keynote address discussing possibilities after high school in research and agricultural careers by Maddison Easley of Placer County Resource Conservation District, the 112 students and their 10 FFA teachers enjoyed the remainder of the day participating in four different outdoor learning stations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Gaby Maier of UC Davis Veterinary Medicine gave students a closer look inside cattle with her presentation station discussing ruminant digestion and nutrition. Students were able to look at gut flora and different types of feed.

 

 

 

 

  Dr. Sam Sandoval & Dr. Romina Diaz Gomez of the UC Davis Department of Land, Air & Water Resources brought watershed sciences to life with an interactive plexiglass model that demonstrates the movement and flow of groundwater. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 SFREC's Director, Jeremy James gave the students an eye-opening tour of SFREC's CIMIS weather station equipment and how changes in climate patterns over time effect California's natural oak woodlands, grasslands and agricultural industries.

 

 

 A special thank you to this year's event sponsors Farm Credit West, Nevada County Resource Conservation District & Yuba-Sutter Farm Bureau. Additional thanks to Nevada County Resource Conservation District for sending out two volunteers to help facilitate this year's event.

 

In mid November, SFREC partnered with Grass Valley Charter School and Twin Ridges Home Study by bringing students to the center to catch a glimpse of salmon spawning in the Lower Yuba River. The opportunity to observe salmon spawn is a way for students to see the last stage of the unique salmon life cycle and learn about the important habitat that our local waterways provide to this species.

Kindergarteners from GVCS visited over two days for a fun-filled science field day. Students were able to hunt for benthic macroinvertebrates, look at decaying salmon carcasses, search for salmon redds (the nests that they build to lay their eggs), and understand the challenging lives that salmon have by acting out the stages of their life cycle. Students loved their field day, saying they "couldn't choose a favorite thing, it was all so fun!" Another student noted that "I am happy to be a human. Being a salmon seems hard."

Students of all ages from Twin Ridges Home Study visited on another field day. They were led on an interpretive hike where they learned not only about salmon, but about the history of the land around the river. This includes looking at the gravel piles created by historic mining and learning about how the land is now used for grazing cattle.

The opportunity to see these natural wonders first hand can have a lasting impact on student learning. SFREC is dedicated to increasing the number of hands-on science field days it offers to local students. This spring we will be offering field science trips for 4th and 5th graders where they will learn about a variety of science concepts and field science techniques. For more information about these field science days please contact Ali Stefancich at astefancich@ucanr.edu. 

Last month, teachers and educators from around Northern California came together for a weekend to learn about best practices for science education with a Forestry Institute for Teachers+ (FIT+) workshop. FIT+ is a new professional development program from the Northern California Society of American Foresters and UC Cooperative Extension Project Learning Tree. This workshop is an extension of the Forestry Institute for Teachers, which focuses on curriculum from Project Learning Tree and Project Wild. The Forestry Institute for Teachers also hosts lectures from foresters about best practices and lesson plan development using the program's curriculum guides. FIT+ on the other hand, concentrates more on the Project WET curriculum and hosts guest speakers that talk about all varieties of ecology.

The educators had a fun-filled, well-rounded, educational weekend. They connected with one another and practiced the Project WET curriculum, by physically doing some of the activities as well as creating mock units for their classrooms that integrate Project WET activities and other resources. In addition to getting acquainted with the curriculum guide, the teachers were treated to two educational lessons, and a trip down to the Lower Yuba River. The first lecture was by Doug McCreary, who gave an overview of oaks in California and the role they play in our foothill ecology. SFREC Director, Jeremy James followed with a lecture about invasive species, how they invade and the impact they can have in our ecosystems. While down at the Yuba River, teachers practiced interpreting river health through analyzing the benthic macroinvertebrates that were collected with the help of Kelly Santos of Sierra Streams Institute.

Look out for the return of FIT+ to SFREC in the upcoming year!