Learning Among the Oaks: Youth Nature Education on California’s Central Coast

Zarah Wyly

Published May 2026 in International Oaks No. 37: 175–182

Abstract

The year 2025 marks the 20th anniversary of the Learning Among the Oaks Program, a nature education and youth leadership program held in public elementary schools in San Luis Obispo County, California, USA. This program encourages young students to be curious about the landscapes around them and uses oak woodland nature trails as our outdoor classroom. Older students, generally 9-10 years old, may apply for a yearlong junior naturalist program and earn the title Oak Ambassador. These youth Oak Ambassadors take on a leadership role in outdoor activities for K-5th grade students, participate in land conservation activities, and educate the public about oak woodland ecosystems on guided hikes and at public outreach events.

This paper shares the features of the Learning Among the Oaks Program, including the unique aspect of youth leadership in lesson delivery and public education. Due to the high number of English-language learners in our region, our program is bilingual English-Spanish, and we have created a comprehensive K-5th grade curriculum connecting local oak woodland phenomena to Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards. We will share resources and impactful age-calibrated curriculum to support and inspire others. We believe that children who learn to love the oak woodlands grow up to protect these beautiful and biodiverse spaces. We hope this presentation can serve as a connection point and inspiration for youth oak woodland education across the globe.

Keywords

oak woodlands, youth leadership, Oak Ambassadors, conservation

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