The Hopland Research and Extension Center

05/27/2026

We are very excited to offer our first ever hide tanning workshop!

Join HREC for a 3-day workshop to create your own sheep hide.
In this small class (limited to eight) we will learn alongside each other through visual demonstrations of each step of the process, hands on practice, team support and a written hide guide. Each participant will go home with a finished sheep hide, and an appreciation for this transformative process!

More info and registration at https://ucanr.edu/rec/hopland-research-and-extension-center/event/hidetan26

05/18/2026

This Saturday, we're hosting another Oak Work Day, and we'd love for you to attend! RSVP to the link for more details 🌳🩵

05/14/2026

Come meet Bob Lane and other researchers and hear more about the work they’ve done at HREC at our Open House this Sunday, May 17th from 10:00am-2:00pm!
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05/13/2026

Come join our 75th Birthday! Free public open house on Sunday May 17th from 10am-2pm: sheepdogs, shearing, nature and wool crafts, meet the scientists, Lalo’s Mexican Food, hiking, 5k fun run and more…

05/11/2026

Learn why Director John Bailey loves working at Hopland REC!

05/08/2026

Over 2,000 K-12 students visit on a field trip each year. We frequently hear the phrase "this was the best field trip ever" as they return to the bus. Bring your family and find out why at our Open House on May 17, it's FREE! 10AM-2PM. Crafts, hikes, nature activities, meet the scientists! https://link.ucanr.edu/hrec75th

05/07/2026

We have so many incredible volunteers at HREC, and today we're highlighting dedicated volunteer Susan Schmirl! Susan helps out with field trips, oak workdays, and events, and brings a lovely energy to our team. A big thank you to all our volunteers at HREC for our 75th anniversary, we couldn't do it all without you 💚🩵

05/07/2026

The wonderful Phoebe Parker-Shames PhD went on to work for the Presidio Trust after completing her PhD field work . It's great to see what she's working on now with restoration efforts at the Presidio dunes and the release of the silvery blue butterfly.

In the late 19th century, San Francisco paved over its coastal dunes for development, taking with it a tiny, iridescent butterfly known as the Xerces Blue. By the early 1940s, it was gone, widely recognized as the first butterfly in North America driven to extinction by human activity.