Public parks, trails and wildlife preserves are the dominant means by which people connect with nature. This recreational "infrastructure" presents opportunities to understand our natural heritage and how it relates with our built environment. Private assets such as the Nature Conservancy's Cosumnes River Preserve add to the inventory of public recreational and wildlife areas that are part of the region's rural fabric. Fishing opportunities abound, while many rice fields are purposely flooded for duck hunting and other types of fields support pheasant and quail hunting. The Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area and other regional locations provide opportunities for watching hundreds of species of birds and waterfowl. Add to that the hiking, biking, skiing, rafting, horseback riding, and boating opportunities and you find that the region offers a diversity of recreational activities, as well as a robust economy around those activities. Beyond recreation, many of these areas are also educational outlets. Roughly 4,000 students visit the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area annually, and salmon runs on the American River are another popular field trip. These recreational and educational opportunities provide places where children can connect with their natural environment.