Outdoor Education

Free educational programs for students and adults

Desert Awareness - Students
This 90-minute in-classroom or outdoor program is tailored to meet AZ science standards. Students rotate through stations: botany, geology, wildlife biology, zoology, hydrology desert safety and leave no trace. Students discover the importance of water and how plants and animals have adapted to the desert environment. Exploration includes hands-on activities and a journal to log their key learnings.

Desert Awareness - Adults
Learn about the common plants, animals, and geology of the Sonoran Desert and how to stay safe and not leave a trace when enjoying the desert. The 90-minute in-person presentation can be hosted indoors or outside. Program includes a display of common plants, animal skulls, and an array of rocks and minerals.

Hug-A-Tree and Survive
This 45-minute fun and interactive program provides children with safety tips such as staying in one place using trees (or other large objects) and how to be "big" and get noticed by people searching for them. There are demonstrations on signaling for help using a whistle and a reflector, as well as how to stay dry and warm using a trash bag. Participants receive a free survival pack. This program is geared for ages 6 - 12. Presented in partnership with Yavapai County Search & Rescue.

Leave No Trace - It's Your Nature
Leave No Trace (LNT) is a set of outdoor ethics promoting conservation in the outdoors built on seven core principles that are used to communicate how to minimize impact while enjoying the outdoors. These Principles are the most robust and widely utilized minimum impact outdoor practices. These can be applied anywhere - from the backcountry, to local parks, to your backyard - and for any recreational activity.

Nature Trails & Gardens
WCF works with local schools and other organizations to develop nature trails and pollinator gardens to support STEM based outdoor education. Students are encouraged participate in Citizen Science projects that teach scientific methods of study and data collection and encourage students to formulate and answer questions. Data collected by students is submitted for use by the scientists.

Nadaburg Elementary School

Wickenburg Outdoor Education Partnerships 
WCF partners with different organizations to create, host, and fund hands-on nature programs to increase student interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) and support AZ science standards. Organizations include:
Maricopa County Parks
Friends of Hassayampa (Hassayampa River Preserve)
Desert Caballeros Western Museum
AZ Game and Fish
Bureau of Land Management
Town of Wickenburg Parks & Recreation
Wickenburg, Nadaburg and Morristown schools
Wickenburg Chamber of Commerce
General Federated Woman's Club Morristown

Your donations make these fun and interactive programs possible!