Every school year, children look forward to taking field trips. This year, the Yolo Basin Foundation will be able to provide 10 or more field trips to the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area, thanks to Monsanto in Davis, which nominated the organization for a $20,000 grant.

The nonprofit foundation promotes the appreciation and stewardship of wetlands and wildlife through education and innovative partnerships. Discover the Flyway, an outdoor science education program for K-12 schools, is its principal focus.

The Yolo Basin Foundation will use the grant to educate students and teachers about the wetlands ecosystems that are close to their homes and schools.

“The grant from the Monsanto Fund will make it possible for 10 or more qualified classes to attend a Discover the Flyway field trip at the Yolo Bypass Wildlife area,” said Joy Elson, foundation development coordinator.

Timothy Conner and Marlin Edwards of Monsanto in Davis were excited to play a part in the donation. The company has been supporting the Discover the Flyway program since 2007. The program demonstrates how wetlands habitat conservation, water management and production agriculture can co-exist.

“I feel very positive about Yolo’s mission and the success in education from their efforts,” Conner said in a news release.

Yolo Basin Foundation received the $20,000 grant from the Monsanto Fund, the philanthropic arm of the Monsanto Co., at a presentation at Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area headquarters on July 9.

“Those of us at Yolo Basin Foundation are very grateful for the generous grant from the Monsanto Fund and their support over the past six years,” Elson said. “Thanks to funding such as this, we look forward to another successful Discover the Flyway program and bringing up to 4,000 new students to the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area.”

This year, the Monsanto Fund awarded 100 site grants to nonprofit organizations in 26 states. In California alone, six site grants were awarded that totaled $116,200. The Monsanto Fund continues to provide support to organizations such as Yolo Basin Foundation, to help strengthen communities where farmers and Monsanto employees live and work.

For more information, visit www.monsantofund.org.

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