February 2026

This Month's Issue:

Free Trees for Oroville Schools

New RARE Program Offering

Oak Way Garden Bazaar - Coming Soon

Join the Waiting List at the Oak Way Community Garden

Climate Mental Health Network - Between the Breaths

Introduction to BEC's New CCAC Fellow, Bryce!

Barber Yard Development Project - Final EIR Review This Month

Free Trees for Oroville Schools

Trees PLEASE (Planting Literacy in Environmental Action and Stewardship Education) is a hands-on environmental education program that brings tree planting directly to school campuses. 

Through this program, students will:

• Learn the fundamentals of planting and caring for trees
• Explore the important role trees play in our community and environment
• Be introduced to potential careers in land management and environmental fields
• Participate directly in planting a tree on their school campus

Currently, BEC is targeting specific Oroville schools that are considered to be lacking shade. The goal is of this program is to increase the urban canopy to mitigate the urban heat island effect, add beauty to the campus and increase the mental and physical health of students.

Are you a teacher in one of the following Oroville schools?

• Thermalito Elementary School District
• Palermo Union Elementary School District
• Oroville City Elementary School District 
• Oroville Union High School District
• Hearthstone School
• Mesa Vista School

If you are an interested teacher at one of the schools listed above, please reach out to action@becnet.org to learn how you can participate in a tree planting on your campus.

The goal is to plant trees in the spring and fall of 2026.

New RARE Program Offering

We are excited to announce that we now offer RARE in a new format: the RARE recycling or composting assembly! The assembly is a great way for us to engage a larger audience in your schools in a different environment than your classroom. If you are interested please email rare@becnet.org to schedule an assembly in your school.

As a reminder, BEC also offers FREE in-classroom presentations, as well as landfill field trips, for TK-12th grade students through our RARE Program. We offer both recycling and composting workshops in Butte County classrooms as well as landfill field trips at the Neal Road Recycling and Waste Facility.

To schedule a workshop, field trip, or assembly, visit our booking link, and send this opportunity to any teacher you know who might want to bring environmental education to their classroom. Please reach out to rare@becnet.org with any questions.

Here’s what teachers are saying about RARE:

“The BEC team was incredibly professional and had a positive energy. The presentation was well put together and you can tell the presenters were familiar with the material.”

“The hands-on component, especially allowing students to see and hold roly-polies and worms, made the topic come alive. They were immediately motivated to take action; many returned from lunch excited to feed our classroom worms and begin composting the same day.”

“Our group was pleasantly surprised by the interesting information that was shared with us during the fieldtrip. The kids especially loved seeing the falcon at the end.”

Oak Way Community Garden

Meet BEC's New CCAC Fellow

Proposed Barber Yard Development

The Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the proposed Barber Yard Development on the 133 acre Barber Yard project in southwest Chico is due this month. The plan proposes 1,250 housing units and 210,000 feet of commercial space on a former brownfield (contaminated) site that would be accessed through the 150 year old Barber Neighborhood. There are many aspects of the project for BEC members to review as the buildout will change Chico forever. Barber neighbors are very concerned about the toxins that have been discovered by the developer's contractor and whether they are being mitigated as well as about the increased traffic that will negatively impact the safety of the Barber neighborhood. 

There are multiple other concerns regarding this housing infill project for BEC members to consider - possible break of the Greenline, climate impacts, increased unfunded city infrastructure and so forth. The complexity and impacts of the project will make it imperative for those who care about Chico's future to give attention to the Final EIR for the Barber Yard Development. Please watch for the EIR as the comment period is only 30 days long.

If you would like to learn more or speak with some of the concerned Barber Neighbors, they are organizing an event on Monday, February 9th from 5 - 9 pm at Mulberry Station, 175 E 20th St. The gathering will have live music performed by the Pub Scouts, Silver Tones, and Los Caballitos de la Canción. If you are seeking more information about the Barber Yard Development and EIR, we suggest you attend the event to gain a sense of the Barber Neighbors’ perspectives while having fun listening to live music and connecting with others in the community.

Butte Environmental Council recognizes the original occupants of what is now referred to as the Butte County area and the descendants who are still living here. They include:

Tyme Maidu Tribe-Berry Creek Reservation

Enterprise Rancheria

Mechoopda Indian Tribe

Mooretown Rancheria 

We acknowledge and are mindful that these first people have a special and sacred relationship with their ancestral lands and the waters that run through these lands, sustaining them for centuries. We strive to learn from their ways and to be considered by the tribes as allies to respect and steward resources in this life-giving place.

Support Butte Environmental Council!

BEC is a grassroots non-profit dedicated to protecting the health of our environment. Our work is made possible by people like you! Your contribution helps us plant trees, clean the creeks, and bring environmental education into the classroom.

BEC is a membership supported organization, we invite all interested parties to become a member today.

Consider becoming a Sustaining Member today for as little as $5/month.