Science based
All field trips are grounded in research conducted by scientists at the UC Hopland Research and Extension Center. Grade specific field trips align with NGSS.
Teacher Testimonials
"Highly organized... My 4th graders were very engaged the entire time!"
"I cannot say enough wonderful things about our trip to see the lambs! The hosts were kind, thoughtful, and truly engaged with the students"
"HREC made the planning easy. The activities were engaging and informative for my 6th graders. A wonderful field trip!"
Bilingual staff
Our 26-27 season will be supported by Spanish/English bilingual staff members.
| Name of Program | Description | Time of Year | Grade |
| Lambing Time | Your class will enjoy a short hike to our lambing barn, helping to find "lost sheep" along the way! Students will meet new lambs, find out why we raise sheep, and felt their very own woolen ball. | January-February | K-2 |
| Meet the Birds | Which bird has a skull harder than a crash helmet? As your class meets the birds of the oak woodlands, they will learn about adaptations, study museum specimens, and get the binoculars out to become birders! | May | 3-5 |
| Fire Science | Turn your middle schoolers into fire scientists! Students learn about the role of fire in California, visit a fire-adapted ecosystem, safely conduct a live fire model, and learn how they can be more wildfire prepared. Fire Science field trip costs for the 2026 season are covered by Mendocino County Fire Safe Council. | February-March | 6-8 |
| Oak Stewards | Get to know the oak woodlands we call home! High school students will get outside for a naturalist hike and hands-on stewardship experience through acorn collection and/or oak seedling planting. | Oct-Nov; Feb-April | 9-12 |
| NatureFest | A celebration of Earth Day for Schools! | April 23, 2027 | 3-12 |
Booking
Bring your class to HREC to enjoy one of our field trip programs. High school teams can also be supported in the Farm Robotics challenge. Contact us to craft a field program to suit your class needs.
Registration for programs in the 2026-27 school year is now open.
The first round of field trip dates will be confirmed by September 18.
FREE!
Thanks to our generous donors, all 2026-27 field trips will be free!
For middle school classes joining the Fire Science program, not only are field trip costs covered, but you can also claim back your transportation costs courtesy of Mendocino County Fire Safe Council.
Support for teams to enter the Farm Robotics Challenge is provided by California Jobs First Council funding.
Questions?
Facilities are also available for overnight field trips, camps or college/university field classes.
Call Hannah Bird to find out more about our current programs or to discuss your field trip: 707 744 1424 ext 1642 or e-mail hbird@ucanr.edu