The Yolo Basin Foundation in Davis, CA is such a hidden gem! They are a nonprofit organization dedicated to education, conservation, and connecting the community with the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area. Their programs focus on local wildlife, wetlands, floodplains, and environmental stewardship and they make learning genuinely fun and engaging. My fiancé did their bat talk and tour back in September after seeing a post about it online. It's during certain time of year and you book/schedule your spot online. It was AMAZING. The classroom portion was incredibly informative, full of fascinating bat facts, a coupon live bats gently presented with a projector screen to show their characteristics up close , and surrounded by like-minded people who were genuinely excited to learn. You can tell the presenter was passionate and knowledgeable. After the talk, everyone caravanned out into the Yolo Wildlife Area using walkie talkies (which was honestly such a fun touch). We drove through the wetlands at in the afternoon and then parked to watch the bats emerge and fill the sky. It was such a cool experience you wouldn't normally get to see up close. It was educational, interactive, and really unique. Highly recommend to anyone who loves nature, wildlife, or just wants to try something different and memorable, and do an extremely fair price. They also sold shirt and memorabilia and all the proceeds by back into their foundation and wildlife preservation. We'll definitely be back for more programs in the future. Highly recommended :) read more

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We went on a bat walk and tour!! Corky was one of our docents (there were several others but I did not get their names) - they were all amazing. They are also passionate and really offer an amazing experience to the public. It's such a high-quality tour that gives a lot of value to the community. I bought our tickets a couple months in advance, these tours only happen in the (late spring too??) summer, so you really have to make sure to buy tickets because the spots tend to fill up quick. We started at an indoor presentation to learn about the bats in our area and other bats around the world. We learned how they are so important to the agriculture, and really cut down on pesticide usage. We then went on a 2 mile driving tour to the an area under the freeway overpass where they live, and they tend to take flight. It was so amazing to watch the bats go out into the night to go feed. I recommend this experience to any one of all ages and abilities. Bring folding chairs, snacks, cameras, binoculars, and light jackets! read more

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Living in Davis provided plenty of opportunities to visit the nearby Yolo Bypass Wildlife area. No matter what the season, rain or shine... always something fun and exciting happening. Just jumping in the car and cruising the roads in the bypass was a blast. There are so many different kinds of birds and wildlife. I was recently reminded about this special place because of a notification from the Yolo Basin Foundation regarding the Mexican Free-Tailed bats that reside there and the tours available to the public. I can attest to how cool and interesting these walks are! I have included some dates/times of upcoming events. If you have a moment, take a peek. And should you decide to take the tour, you will come away amazed. Bats and brews anyone??? Check out that activity! Yolo Basin Foundation also offers many talks/classes for children/young adults. Are you looking for kid-friendly amusement this summer? This is the place. I miss you, Yolo Bypass Wildlife area, but you are only a 45-minute drive away. Hmmm... I wonder if they would consider champagne or wine and bats!:) Cheers! read more

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Yolo Basin offers a lot of amazing events. I recently took a photography workshop that they offered to include taking photos at the Yolo Basin Wildlife area. The event was well organized and was given by a great photographer, Lewis Kemper. Proceeds went to the foundation. The class was amazing, learned a lot and met new friends. They have a partnership with California Dep't of Fish and Wildlife. I would have never been exposed to the beautiful wildlife at the Yolo bypass have I not taken their class. read more

Yolo Basin Foundation - Community Service/Non-Profit Near Me - Davis, California

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We had the best time at a recent Bat Walk! The YBF staff were welcoming, knowledgeable, engaging and made the 3 hour experience a great evening!. Omar was our tour guide. The family friendly 'class' introduced bats overall, close up and via PowerPoint presentation. Joelle introduced 3 types of bats being housed with YBF and was wonderful. She showed up close details of 3 types. The car caravan included a walkie talkie tour of the fields, a history of them and the part the bats have played over the years. When the bats flew at sunset, millions were seen rallying and flying! A spectacle. A short walk, ongoing facts by Omar, including microphone audio of the actual bats echolocating! Brilliant! Some folks brought camp chairs but not necessary. YBF bat tshirts for sale by wonderful volunteers! Do this amazing and fun bat tour! So worth it ! read more

The kids went for a class field trip. Most of the volunteers were super nice and friendly - maybe a bit stern for the age. The activities were age appropriate and very engaging for the kids who are animal lovers. I learned a lot as chaperone and have already returned w my other kiddo to show her the birds. read more

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I was happy to work with Yolo Basin Foundation to set up an event at the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area. I've been familiar with the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area for nearly half my life, at this point, having attended college at UC Davis, but was previously unaware of the work the Yolo Basin Foundation did for it. The staff there are wonderful stewards of this great local resource, and their passion for the Wildlife Area shows! Everyone I have had the pleasure of meeting through the Yolo Basin Foundation has been helpful and very knowledgeable of the land and its inhabitants - plants and animals, alike. The docents that lead the tours are not only personable, but enthusiastic in teaching folks about the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area and the creatures that live within it. While taking a tour this weekend, the Yolo Basin Foundation team was generous in sharing binoculars and learning materials, which included photos of local birds to identify as we made our way throughout the Wildlife Area. Ken, our tour guide, led the way and pointed out different birds as we drove along the trail. Some were difficult to spot, so it was great having his expertise to point out birds that would have otherwise been hidden away in trees to the untrained eye. Lots of information was offered on our trip, including information on the different birds that lived in the area, with topics ranging from sleeping patterns, distinctive markings, bird names, etc. We even found out that the Giant Gardner Snake, an endangered species, can be found in the Yolo Wildlife Bypass area, though it is rarely (if ever) seen. They offer a lot of great different tours that are not limited to driven or just in the morning. They mentioned a bat tour which happens in summer months just around dusk which sounded neat. I'd love to do it! If you love wildlife, want to get outside, or just want to learn more about a neat spot in your own backyard, consider going through the Yolo Basin Foundation for an educational trek through the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area! read more

We attended a bat walk last night. The experience was very professionally handled and was very covid-safe. Tickets to the bat 'walk' are $50 for a "pod" of up to four people. The pods are areas marked out on the ground of the wildlife area to maintain distancing for the participants. Before the 'walk' attendees are encouraged to watch the bat 'talk' via Zoom. The talk was very informative and well run with opportunities to ask questions. For the 'walk' we were directed to arrive at the Yolo Basin Foundation facility on Chiles road where we were checked-in, given a walkie-talkie and had an opportunity to use the restrooms before heading out to the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area, each in our own cars. Along the way we heard (via the walkie-talkie) about the history of the area, what is grown there, what wildlife can be viewed, and much more. We then parked near the highway and walked under it to the viewing area. You could hear all the bats chattering above us. At sunset the bats take off for their nightly feeding. Most days they leave the underpass on the north side, so that's where we were set up. Well, they decided to leave from the south side, with a few heading out the north side. It was still really cool to see. In addition, the Foundation staff and volunteers provide information, have three rescued bats for viewing and offer t-shirts for sale. A word of advice, there are a lot of mosquitos. Put on bug spray and wear long sleeves and long pants. I did but still have lots of bites on my hands and ankles because I didn't spray. Overall a great experience and highly recommended. We look forward to other Foundation offerings, such as their photography walks. read more

We recently learned about the Yolo Basin Foundation's tours and took part in their California Rice Field to Fork field trip. Many thanks to the Robbins Rice Company and Premium Rice Group for the informative tour of their fields and rice drying facilities. I think many of us who live in the Sacramento region know that rice is an important crop in the area. But few of us have the opportunity to learn about all the ways that rice growers work with conservation organizations and scientists to better utilize the floodplains and the water that flows through the area. We learned about the Yolo and Sutter bypass, the complicated work of rice growing, conservation strategies, proofing out new ideas, and how agriculture can assist conservation efforts to beneficially share in the use of water flows onto the floodplains and benefit endangered fish. An amazingly educational day in a beautiful landscape! Thank you everyone for a great day out in the field. Check out the events and tours from the foundation and learn about your backyard!! read more

Great idea and nice for those who were able to follow the caravan. There were no maps, and our car and several others were left behind. No one waited for us to direct us to the site. Very disappointing. read more

The Yolo Basin Foundation is a great resource, especially if you have children or are interested in learning about the species native to the area. I went on the Bat Walk & Talk last summer, a very popular tour about bats, and had a blast. The tour started in the Yolo Basin Foundation building, where we saw a video about bats and were shown a live bat. Then, we took a caravan to an area beneath the Causeway at dusk. If you have a 4-wheel drive vehicle, I would recommend coming in it. The Foundation has a couple multi-passenger vehicles to take some of the group, but not everyone. Once at the area beneath the Causeway, you wait for the bugs to come out. Then, the bats emerge. It's a great way to learn about bats and to take some cool pictures. I highly recommend this tour. Dress in layers and be sure to reserve your spot early on the Yolo Basin Foundation website. read more

This place is great! I came here as part of a school field trip with my daughter. The volunteers and staff were amazing! They know the area, with its plants and animals, like it is their own backyard. They were friendly, easy to talk to, knowledgeable and informative. I'm looking forward to bringing my family back there again. read more

They are refunding me. Chido, the manager over there was very pleasant to talk to and she explained to me how they were flooded out. I have no beef with them and look forward to their next excursion. Thank you Chido. read more