Humboldt County

The Northwest School for Botanical Studies is situated in Humboldt County in Northern California. Humboldt is renowned for its natural beauty, including giant redwoods, sandy beaches, six major rivers, and the rugged mountains of the coast range. These spectacular habitats are home to a large diversity of plants and animal species, making the region a wonderful place for naturalists and outdoor enthusiasts. The county contains 40 distinct parks, forests, reserves and recreation areas, and offers outdoor activities of all kinds.

Camping, hiking, biking, kayaking, boating, surfing, swimming, bird watching, whale watching, fishing, tide-pooling, and disc golfing are just some of the outdoor opportunities Humboldt is famous for.

Humboldt County is also known as a leader in sustainability. Arcata especially has the reputation of a "green community." The Arcata marsh, an innovative sewer management system, and the city-owned Arcata community forest are a couple reasons the small city is studied around the world. The city's environmental ethic has led to numerous businesses related to appropriate technology, biodiesel, and recycling resources.

When it comes to food, Humboldt's agricultural community includes a wealth of organic and sustainable farms, nurseries, dairies, and ranches, many of which sell their products at the county's farmer's markets. Several Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farms offer subscriptions for a season's worth of their product. There are also a wide assortment of natural organic grocers, vegetarian and vegan restaurants, locally caught seafood, local grass-fed meats, and herbal shops in the Arcata and Eureka area. In addition, there are more than four Breweries within Humboldt County alone, and the region's wineries and vineyards have been gaining prestige in recent years.

Humboldt County is also home to the largest per capita artist community in California including painters, potters, blacksmiths, woodworkers, fiber artists, musicians and more. Numerous community, music, and art festivals take place every year throughout the County.

For those interested in pursuing further education, both Humboldt State University (HSU) and the College of the Redwoods are situated in Humboldt County. Located in Arcata, HSU is the northernmost campus in the California State University (CSU) system. Its academic offerings such as Rangeland Resources and Wildland Soils, Native American Studies, and Oceanography are unique within the CSU system. The College of the Redwoods (CR) is a two-year community college located south of Eureka. CR offers a variety of transfer, vocational, and community-based classes, including an Agriculture Program, Fine Woodworking Program, Nursing and Dental Programs, and Hospitality, Restaurant and Culinary Arts Program.

For more information about Humboldt County, click on this link: http://redwoods.info