Santa Rosa Plateau Nature Education Foundation

Eleven-year old Jason was sitting alone on the bench in front of the Visitor Center at the nature reserve.  He looked lonely and sad.  I approached him asking if he was OK and if he was with his family.  He said they went out on the trail but he didn't want to go.  When asked why he didn't want to be with his family....he said he wanted to stay back to play his video games.  I noticed his device on his lap but not on.  "So why aren't you playing your game?" I asked.  He actually had tears in his eyes...."There is no reception here for my game. I really want to go home, I don't like being outside and I can't take my game with me if I go hiking."

OUR MISSION: To educate and empower youth to appreciate, preserve and protect nature. 

OUR PASSION: To connect a generation of youth to nature and who have grown up indoors and isolated from the natural world. 

OUR PROMISE: To provide a environmental education learning pathway towards a life of environmental stewardship. 

We are a place-based, outdoor and nature education provider. Our programs are aligned with EEI (Environmental Education Initiative), NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards) and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) curriculum components. Our programs are also fun, full of adventure and provided at no cost to students. 

OUR PROGRAMS:

• Third Grade Outdoor Education
• Third Grade Outreach to Title I Schools
• 4TH Grade Trout-in-the-Classroom
• 5th Grade Seed Bank Studies
• Middle School Grassland Restoration
• High School Habitat Studies and Restoration
• Environmental Studies Scholarships to Graduating Seniors

LOCATION: Programs are conducted at the Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve in Murrieta, CA; in individual classrooms at participating schools, and in various protected and public lands and watersheds in Riverside County. 

OUR REACH:

• 9,000 students per school year
• 10 school districts
• 250 classrooms

OUR STAFF:

• Professional and Volunteer Naturalists
• University Botany Graduate Students
• Science Teachers On Special Assignment
• Trained Volunteer Docents

OUR PARTNERS:

• California Department of Fish & Wildlife
• Riverside County Regional Park & Open Space Dist.
• UCRiverside Botany Department
• Mt. San Jacinto Community College
• Murrieta Valley Unified School District plus nine school districts in Riverside County