Nature by Design, an education program of Ventura Land Trust, provides field trips and session-long programs for students in Ventura County. These programs are designed, often in line with the classroom's objectives, to connect children to nature through hands-on learning experiences related to the natural sciences. 

With the support of the Audacious Foundation, a foundation funded by Paul and Jane Wood Orfalea, Nature by Design has been providing weekly field trips for two schools in Oxnard at no cost to the students. 98% of these students are considered low-income and/or vulnerable youth. Each week, these students receive transportation to a preserved natural area in Ventura County for a three-hour field trip as part of their regularly scheduled school day. Topics covered have included habitat restoration, bird and plant identification, watershed education, stewardship, and much more.

Throughout the 2022-2023 school year, we have provided this program for a total of 123 students spanning across 4th, 5th, and 6th grades. “A study of 40 schools in twelve states compared classrooms that integrated the natural environment into lessons with those that did not, and found that in 92% of the comparisons enthusiasm for learning, standardized test scores, and GPAs were higher in schools with integrated natural environments. According to a study by the California Department of Education, at-risk children who participated in outdoor education programs raised their science test scores by 27%, improved their conflict resolution and problem-solving skills, and experienced better self-esteem and motivation to learn. Research also shows improvements in motivation to learn and classroom behavior, improvement with concentration, retention, behavior and cognitive function, a reduction to stress, and an improvement to their ability to cope (acting like a reset button for fidgety kids). Time outdoors also increases a child’s propensity to cooperate, as well as actively care about others and the environment. ” (Source: The Audacious Foundation)

With the support of The Audacious Foundation and VLT supporters, this program is set to expand to twice per week beginning in the 2023-2024 school year.