Notes about educational tours:
At Shipley Nature Center, we bring California’s native ecosystems to life through immersive, docent-led education programs tailored for learners of all ages. Whether you're exploring wildlife, studying plant adaptations, or digging into composting systems, our hands-on tours offer meaningful, place-based learning in one of Orange County’s most unique outdoor classrooms.
Tours are available for school groups, community organizations, homeschool groups, and adult learners.
All private tours include:
Tours typically last 60–90 minutes and are best for groups of 10–20 participants.
From bird surveying to wildlife identification, students learn to tune in to the world around them—sharpening their awareness of animal behavior, signs of wildlife, and ecosystem dynamics. This program is designed to foster curiosity while encouraging thoughtful exploration of how native landscapes support biodiversity.
Participants will explore essential plant science concepts such as life cycles, plant anatomy, and identification skills, all in a hands-on outdoor setting. Along the way, students build observation techniques and learn how native plants support pollinators, conserve water, and contribute to biodiversity.
At the end of the tour, each student receives a wildflower earth pod—a fun and easy way to help re-wild open spaces with native blooms. It’s a meaningful takeaway that reinforces stewardship and encourages continued learning long after the visit.
How does nature handle “trash”? In this interactive and practical program, students discover the unsung heroes of the ecosystem—nature’s decomposers—and explore how organic waste is broken down to build healthy soil.
Participants learn about two composting methods, including traditional composting and vermicomposting using worms. Along the way, they’ll explore Orange County’s waste management systems and understand how composting fits into a broader environmental context.
By the end of the tour, Little Wigglers walk away with real-world knowledge—how to start a worm bin, sort waste responsibly, and apply the zero waste hierarchy to reduce landfill use and regenerate local ecosystems.
Some tours may include a visit to the Education Courtyard, where students and visitors can explore:
Embark on a guided nature walk through our trails to learn about the remarkable stories that shaped Shipley’s unique habitats over the last 50 years. From water and ecology to stewardship and volunteerism, this stroll explores the power of people and place to build a positive legacy across time and space.
Embark on a guided nature walk through our trails to learn about local ecology and the original inhabitants of Orange County – the Tongva and Ajachemen and Peoples. Explore topics including shelter, food, hunting, trading, clothing, middens and the ecological systems that make this place unique. Discover Tongva and Ajachemen culture then and now.
Led by a local herbalist, explore a variety of California native medicinal plants and explore their practical uses from ethnobotany to western herbalism. Engage in herbal folklore, traditional medicinals, handy wilderness plants, and ideas for California foraging.
This tour is only available on the third Wednesday of the month and the third Saturday of the month.
For district-coordinated school programs, we proudly partner with Inside the Outdoors, an environmental education program administered by the Orange County Department of Education. These field trips align with current California academic standards. The OCDE website has more information about scheduling a field trip at Shipley Nature Center.
If your school group is larger than 20 students, we recommend booking with Inside the Outdoors.
To schedule a school group through Inside the Outdoors, contact them directly:
