Field Trips and Group Programs

General Education Program Information

Free field trip programs are offered at two sites at the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge. The San Francisco Bay Wildlife Society provides programs at the Environmental Education Center in Alviso. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducts field trips at the Refuge Headquarters in Fremont.

Please note weekday field trips at the Environmental Education Center in Alviso are currently very limited due to construction from the South San Francisco Bay Shoreline Levee Project. Most public programs are planned during the early evenings or on Sundays.

These programs actively involve teachers, adult volunteers, and students in investigating the diverse habitats and wildlife at the refuge. The hands-on, small-group activities are designed to teach basic ecological concepts and to introduce endangered species, migratory birds, and wetland habitats to the students. All programs have been correlated to the appropriate State of California Education Standards. We are piloting new and modified activities that support Next Generation Science Standards.

Field Trips at the Learning Center in Fremont

Contact the Environmental Education Staff at Fremont:

Office: (505) 417-2561
Cell: (510) 377-7269
E-mail: Tia_Glagolev@fws.gov

Field Trips at the Environmental Education Center in Alviso

Programs for K-12

Guided Field Trips for K-12 students are currently put on hold due to ongoing construction from the South San Francisco Bay Shoreline Levee Project at the Alviso Unit. Please contact the Watershed Watchers Program Coordinator at watchershedwatchers@sfbayws.org or call (408) 515-1889 to learn more about our in-class presentation options. Priority for Field Trips is given to schools located within Santa Clara County.

Programs for Colleges and Universities

Guided Field Trips are offered at the Environmental Education Center in Alviso. Programs generally last from 1 ½ hour – 2 hours. Reservations must be made at least eight weeks in advance of the desired field trip date. Contact the Watershed Watchers Program Coordinator at watchershedwatchers@sfbayws.org or call (408) 515-1889 to make a reservation. If we cannot accommodate your field trip request due to ongoing construction, an in-class field trip option may be discussed.

Students from Mission College on a guided field trip at the Environmental Education Center, Alviso in May 2022. Credit Olivia Poulos.

College instructor-led Tours are also allowed at the Environmental Education Center in Alviso. All college instructors planning this type of field trip must make a reservation at least eight weeks in advance of the desired field trip date. If your group size is over 25 you will need to acquire a Special Use Permit from our Headquarters office in Fremont. Please contact the Watershed Watchers Program Coordinator at watchershedwatchers@sfbayws.org or call (408) 515-1889.

Application for Blue Goose School Bus Transportation Funds

The Blue Goose School Bus Field Trip Transportation Fund was started with funding from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Connecting People with Nature Program. The San Francisco Bay Wildlife Society has provided additional funding for the current school year. The program will be administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and San Francisco Bay Wildlife Society Staff.

The fund was created to help Title 1 schools access the Wetland Round-Up and Living Wetlands Field Trip Programs at the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Environmental Education Center in Alviso and the Newark Slough Learning Center in Fremont.

The San Francisco Bay Wildlife Society will pay up to $700 for transportation for a field trip. If you are awarded funding for a bus you will be expected to hire the bus and mail a copy of the invoice to the San Francisco Bay Wildlife Society. Once they receive the invoice they will send the check for up to $700 either to the bus vendor directly (school district or local vendor) or to the school/school district for reimbursement, whichever method is preferred by the school.

PLEASE NOTE: If your school is in need of transportation to a field trip you will need to reserve a field trip date first and then fill out a Bus Fund Form. Please follow these steps and we will contact you as soon as possible with a response.

If you would like to make a donation to the Blue Goose Bus Transportation Fund, any support is always appreciated. Donations can be made via Mighty Cause: https://www.mightycause.com/story/Bluegoosebusfund or San Francisco Bay Wildlife Society’s general donation page: https://sfbayws.org/donate.

Scout Programs located at the Environmental Education Center, Alviso

The Environmental Education Center may be offering scout and youth programs on Sundays only in the Spring of 2024. Please email the Watershed Watchers Program Coordinator at watchershedwatchers@sfbayws.org or call (408) 515-1889 with a detailed description of your Scout or Daisy group and the journey or badge that you are hoping to complete.

Traditionally, these programs are free, hands-on programs for youths. During the programs participants learn about endangered species, migratory birds, wetland habitats, and the relationship between personal habits and their effects on the San Francisco Bay. These programs are designed to meet the badge/ patch requirements of Scout Groups, but anyone can participate. Because of the popularity of such programs, reservations are required. Children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Badges are not provided.