“One touch of nature makes the whole world kin.”
-- William Shakespeare

It all started with a teacher. Deterding Woods. Learning through exploration.

ABOUT US

Effie Yeaw Nature Center isn't just a place; it's a legacy. Named after the remarkable Effie Yeaw, a teacher and passionate advocate for conservation, our center embodies her spirit of curiosity, learning, and love for the natural world. Since our founding, we've been dedicated to inspiring others to appreciate and protect the environment.

"DEAI: Welcoming all, respecting differences, ensuring fairness, and providing equal opportunities."

Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion (DEAI) are more than just words at ARNHA—they're the heart of everything we do. We're dedicated to creating a welcoming environment where everyone, regardless of background, feels valued and respected.

Our Commitment Diversity: We celebrate the unique backgrounds and perspectives of our community, embracing diversity in all its forms.

Equity: We strive to create a fair and just organization where everyone has the opportunity to thrive, no matter their background or identity.
Accessibility: We're committed to making our facilities, programs, and resources accessible to all, ensuring that everyone can participate fully.
Inclusion: We actively work to create an inclusive environment where all voices are heard, valued, and respected.

Our Initiatives Diverse Programming: Our wide range of programs and events reflect the diverse interests and backgrounds of our community.

Equity in Hiring: We're dedicated to diverse and inclusive hiring practices, ensuring our staff and volunteers represent the communities we serve.
Accessibility Improvements: We continuously assess and improve the accessibility of our facilities and programs to ensure they're welcoming to everyone.
Inclusive Language: We use inclusive language in all our communications and materials to promote a welcoming and respectful environment.
Get Involved Volunteer: Join us in our DEAI initiatives by volunteering your time and expertise to help create a more inclusive organization.
Donate: Support our DEAI efforts through donations that help fund accessibility improvements and diverse programming.
Feedback: We welcome feedback on how we can improve our DEAI efforts and better serve our community.

As a nature center and educational hub dedicated to enriching lives through environmental education and conservation, the American River Natural History Association (ARNHA) and the Effie Yeaw Nature Center (EYNC) are committed to fostering diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion (DEAI) in all aspects of our work.

Our Commitment: We believe that DEAI principles are essential for creating a welcoming and inclusive environment where all members of our community can learn, explore, and connect with nature. By centering and uplifting historically marginalized and oppressed communities, we can create more accessible and equitable environmental education opportunities, address environmental injustice, and inspire a deeper appreciation for the natural world.

Our Initiatives: Internally, we strive to build diverse teams and recognize that diversity alone does not guarantee inclusion or equity. We are committed to transforming our policies, training, and organizational structures to create a more inclusive and equitable environment for our employees, volunteers, and visitors.

Externally, we are dedicated to increasing accessibility in our facilities and programs to ensure that everyone, regardless of background or identity, can participate fully in our offerings. This includes providing access to low-income individuals through our expanded scholarship programs and offering modified visiting hours for people with sensory access needs.

Get Involved: We invite our community to join us in our DEAI initiatives. Whether through volunteering, donating, or providing feedback, your support helps us create a more inclusive and accessible environment for all.

Together, we can cultivate diversity, equity, inclusion, access, and belonging at ARNHA and EYNC, and create a safe and welcoming space for all members of our community to thrive.

Meet the Team

Here's our Team Member Spotlight. We will feature a new member every month.

Board Member

Eric Ross

After retirement, my wife, Karen and I have enjoyed giving back to our community through church activities, tutoring school children, and doing monthly clean ups on the American River. We love the river and its beautiful parkway; it's a natural gem running through our highly urbanized region. Whether walking, biking, or birding it, we always come away inspired and renewed.

In 2019, I became a UC Certified California Naturalist and completed an Ecology Certificate program through the Los Rios College District. Seeking to volunteer, I met with the then EYNC Volunteer Coordinator, Rachael Cowan, took the docent training, and became a docent.

As a docent, I have enjoyed interpreting nature to school children in the Visitor Center Museum, leading hikes through the NSA, and displaying and describing to them our Animal Ambassadors, particularly snakes. It felt very rewarding to interact with these young minds, fielding questions and getting energized by their curiosity and joy spending time in the NSA. More and more, I came to appreciate EYNC's quality outdoor education and its special learning environment along the river for our larger community. We have terrifically talented people who are dedicated to doing great work for the Nature Center.

Working on the ARNHA Media Committee has allowed me to write a number of articles for The Acorn magazine on local wildlife and interview interesting people associated with EYNC with the help of colleagues and great photographers. Now serving on the ARNHA Board, I am committed to being a trustee for the Nature Center ensuring its continuing success and promoting its invaluable programs to greater numbers of people.

In a world increasingly dominated by screens and algorithms, the Nature Center I love gives adults and children alike an opportunity to deeply connect with its unique habitats, its plants and animals, the peace of the American River, to play and explore without holding a game controller, and the simple joy and awe of being out in nature with its unpredictability and its incomparable beauty.

Animal Ambassador

Clem

Northwestern Pond Turtle - Actinemys marmorata

Clem is a Northwestern Pond Turtle, a species of special concern in California. He was 1 of 5 pond turtles hatched from eggs. EYNC kept Clem and gave the other 4 to UC Davis. He turned 17 this year. He loves superworms and dubia cockroaches, and loves to snack on krill when offered.

Volunteer Profile

Chris Miller

If you stop by the reception desk at Effie Yeaw Nature Center (EYNC) most Tuesday or Friday mornings, you are likely to be welcomed with a cheery hello and warm smile from receptionist Chris Miller. A rotating cast of friendly volunteers staff the reception desk, and Chris has been one of them for more than two years.

Chris has been coming to EYNC for many years. When her daughter was a child, she would regularly take her on hikes in the Nature Study Area, which she found to be a safe and wonderful place to introduce her daughter to nature. Also, before retiring, Chris was a kindergarten teacher for 25 years, much of it at Sacramento Country Day School. One of the highlights each year was bringing her classes to EYNC for a nature hike.

Chris loves coming to EYNC on her volunteer days. Walking into the Nature Center lifts her spirit. Each day is different and she is constantly learning. And she says nothing is quite as exciting as watching a child discover something new as they observe the animals in the lobby.

Beyond EYNC, Chris is quite involved in the Sacramento music and art community. She sings in the Chorus of the Sacramento Philharmonic and Opera and is the alto choral scholar in the Trinity Cathedral Choir. She is also an accomplished watercolorist. She originally focused on flowers, but since coming to EYNC, she has started painting more birds. Her lovely portrait of Orion is an example. To see more of her artwork, go to her web site atalto1mezzo.wixsite.com/christinemiller/sketchbook.

We are truly lucky to have warm and talented people such as Chris welcoming visitors to our Nature Center

Written and Photo by: Mary Lou Flint

Book Now

Purchase Special Events and Camp here!

Camps

Summer Camps - June 17th - August 9th

Summer Camps Now Open

Special Events

Speaker Series: Golden State Snakes: An Introduction to California’s Most Spectacular Serpents
- Monday July 15, 2024
- 6:30pm –8:00pm

Purchase Tickets

Fieldtrips and Tours

Please check out our Education Page or the link below to learn more

Check out our Education Page

Our Team.

Meet the faces behind the fun at Effie Yeaw Nature Center! Our staff is a wild bunch (pun intended) dedicated to bringing you the best nature experiences. Whether they're leading a hike, caring for our animal ambassadors, or sharing their knowledge, they're always ready to make your visit memorable. Say hi, ask a question, or challenge them to a wildlife trivia - they're here to make your day "otterly" awesome!