Environmental Education Programs

As the drawings in our gallery illustrate, kids appreciate our parks even more when their attention has been drawn to the details of plants, earth, and animals in the park. They learn about forest and foothills ecology in docent-led tours tailored to their age and abilities. Each docent brings his or her special interests and knowledge about wildlife, Native American lore and natural history to their hike.

Tailored to the childrens' ages and abilities, docents lead walks on short one-mile loop trails. In addition to enjoying the fresh air and beautiful vistas, the children generally enter the parks with excitement mixed with hesitation about the unfamiliar surroundings. Within a few moments, curiosity takes over and the kids want to know about everything from "How many ants live in each hill?" to "What do birds use to make their nests?"

We find that students enjoy sharing their new-found knowlege when they return to the park with family and friends. Think of all the fun your kids will have telling you about the fiddlehead ferns and salamanders or the difference between the unusual bark on a mesquite versus a madrone.

We offer free hikes in the spring and fall to children from pre-kindergarten through the third grade. If you’d like to schedule a hike for your school or community group, please call Daran Reinholm at 650-851-2660.