Farm and Wildlife Refuge

Farm and Wildlife Refuge

Butte College Farm & Wildlife Refuge

WildlifeRefugeLogoOur 926-acre campus provides a wonderful outside laboratory for our Ag and Natural Resource classes, as well as other programs the college offers. We definitely teach the hands-on approach.

Farm

Our 85-acre farm produces:

  • Hay, wheat and rye, garden, pumpkins, fruit & vegetables
  • Vineyard with 6 acres, including 3 varieties red wine grapes 
  • Citrus trees
  • Goats

Goat chewing grass

Pumpkins resting on a hay bale

Wildlife Refuge

The entire campus is designated as a wildlife refuge. We are fortunate to have a great diversity of habitats:

  • Over 2 miles of Clear Creek Riparian
  • 320 acres of Blue Oak-Gray Pine Woodland
  • 220 acres of grassland
  • Over 50 acres wetlands- includes 10 ponds, a marsh and many vernal pools and drainages
  • Our farm fields provide food and lodging for many critters also. 

These areas provide habitat for black-tailed deer, beaver, river otters, coyotes, foxes, ring-tailed cats, possum, raccoons, coyotes and an occasional mountain lion and rarely a bear.  Over 150 species of birds have been observed on campus.

Over 220 plant species have been identified on the refuge- 64% native and 36% introduced.

Some of the wildlife refuge projects conducted by our students include:

  • Pond and marsh construction/ restoration
  • Riparian restoration with goats
  • Native plant restoration/ plant studies
  • Road construction, fire breaks

Content Editor:
Erin Shimizu
(530) 895-2835