Farm and Wildlife Refuge

Butte College Farm & Wildlife Refuge

Our 926-acre campus provides a wonderful outside laboratory for our Ag and Natural Resource classes, as well as other programs the college offers. We definitely teach the hands-on approach.

Farm

Our 85-acre farm produces:

• Hay, wheat and rye, garden, pumpkins, fruit & vegetables
• Vineyard with 6 acres, including 3 varieties red wine grapes 
• Citrus trees
• Goats

Wildlife Refuge

The entire campus is designated as a wildlife refuge. We are fortunate to have a great diversity of habitats:

• Over 2 miles of Clear Creek Riparian
• 320 acres of Blue Oak-Gray Pine Woodland
• 220 acres of grassland
• Over 50 acres wetlands- includes 10 ponds, a marsh and many vernal pools and drainages
• Our farm fields provide food and lodging for many critters also. 

These areas provide habitat for black-tailed deer, beaver, river otters, coyotes, foxes, ring-tailed cats, possum, raccoons, coyotes and an occasional mountain lion and rarely a bear.  Over 150 species of birds have been observed on campus.

Over 220 plant species have been identified on the refuge- 64% native and 36% introduced.

Some of the wildlife refuge projects conducted by our students include:

• Pond and marsh construction/ restoration
• Riparian restoration with goats
• Native plant restoration/ plant studies
• Road construction, fire breaks