The bypass recently opened after having been closed for three months because of the unusually long rainy season. On Aug. 20, all groups will be invited to attend a field trip to two additional sites, the Davis Wetlands and the Conaway Ranch. The Davis Wetlands, located near the Water Pollution Control Plant, is a 400-acre area recently converted from agriculture. The three sites were chosen to link together a theme of water use and wildlife habitat. Cheryl Chipman, a Yolo Basin Foundation program coordinator, said the workshops are organized to give students and teachers a broad education about wetlands.
Teachers are very excited about it.
The YBF will provide all objects necessary for field activities, including spotting scopes and binoculars. By adding the middle-school level, coordinators predict a minimum twofold increase to those numbers. This year, the workshop will focus on emphasizing restoration. The YBF will supply teachers with samples of native grasses and sedges that they can temporarily take to their schools to plant and observe before returning them to the Yolo Bypass area and the Davis Wetlands for replanting. Local sponsors of the workshop include the City of Davis, the Conaway Ranch, the Dean Witter Foundation and the Teichert Foundation.