Field Trip Information

The Wetlands Educational Team is responsible for providing supplemental assistance to WREN facilitators both in the field and in the classroom, often leading or supporting these programs. Field trips take place at the West Eugene Wetlands and are available to grades 1-5. WREN offers two types of field trips, the Wetland Exploration Stations trip (grades 3-5 o­nly) and the Wetland Walking Tour. This breakdown allows teachers to adapt their students’ wetland experience to focus on areas of personal interest. 

Beginning at 9:00 AM, students reach the wetlands at the peak wildlife observation time of the day.  Team members lead as many as a dozen sets of eyes watching attentively as guides point at swallows, Great Blue herons, European starlings, kestrels, red-winged blackbirds, and other wetland birds flying in the skies over West Eugene.  Great Blue heron and hovering kestrels are only a few examples of the rich wildlife that students learn about at the wetlands.  Student's active participation and the steady stream of questions provide a fulfilling experience for all involved.  The field trips end with the knowledge that this service provided students with an alternative learning experience in a local outdoor setting.  Having the ability to teach outdoors in a natural background like the West Eugene Wetlands provides students with the chance to experience learning outside of a classroom and learn from local teachers outside of their schools.