Alaska Coastal Ecology Program
Calling all teachers!
Explore this FAQ designed to walk you through everything you need to plan an Alaska Coastal Ecology Program.
Program Overview
Imagine spending the day exploring the intertidal zone with your class, returning to the field station to look at plankton in our microscope lab, and then rounding out the evening with invertebrate themed skits and s'mores before getting a night's rest in heated yurts.
The Alaska Coastal Ecology day or overnight program for grades 4-12 is based out of Peterson Bay Field Station or the UAF-NOAA Kasitsna Bay Lab on the south side of Kachemak Bay. Teaching activities are aligned with the Alaska State Science Standards and best teaching practices for effective science and environmental education.
Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies (CACS) naturalists lead beach and forest field trips and environmental science and education activities related to plant and animal adaptations, ecological interrelationships, and art from nature.
Our Alaska Coastal Ecology programs include access to:
Unmatched intertidal areas are within easy walking distance of both Peterson Bay Field Station and Kasitsna Bay Lab. More than 50 species of intertidal invertebrates are commonly observed during beach field trips during the extreme minus tides that occur each month in Kachemak Bay.
Marine live tanks and aquaria are set up and maintained after the danger of frost is over, to provide a diversity of marine invertebrates for student observation.
A trail system at Peterson Bay Field station provides opportunities for beach and forest hikes. Limited hiking is also available near Kasitsna Bay Lab. Students take part in botany, ethnobotany, and forest ecology studies and activities along forest trails that wind through the northern edge of the coastal forest. The forest currently provides a living laboratory of ecological change.
The footprint of a Native house site and nearby shell midden provide a glimpse of cultural history at Peterson Bay.
A microscope lab at the Peterson Bay Field Station is equipped for in-depth study of marine invertebrates, plants, and lichens. Kasitsna Bay Lab provides an up-close glimpse at the work of marine scientists, and use of a professional wet lab and microscope lab.
Gravel beaches at both facilities are accessible during low tide for outdoor games. Campfires can be built on the campuses of both Peterson Bay Field Station and Kasitsna Bay Lab.
Planning a Coastal Ecology Trip
Field trips for school groups in grades 4-12 are scheduled during April-May and August-September.
Classes spend one to three days at the Peterson Bay Field Station or Kasitsna Bay Lab. CACS naturalists work with teachers and group leaders to plan field trip activities and to accommodate the teacher's learning objectives for the field trip. For details on the program options, logistics, and facilities please download our planning guides below.
Group Sizes
Groups visiting Peterson Bay Field Station may not exceed 35 people. Please do not bring more than 6 chaperones, including the teacher.
Kasitsna Bay Lab has a strict maximum capacity of 28 participants. Please do not bring more than 5 chaperones.
Exceptions to the chaperone limit for behavioral or medical support must have prior approval from the Program Coordinator. Read more on our FAQ page.
Trip Logistics
Teachers or group leaders may download curriculum and supporting materials before the field trip:
Download a pdf version of The Peterson Bay Field Station Teacher's Planning Guide to the Alaska Coastal Ecology Program.
Download a pdf version of The Kasitsna Bay Lab Teacher's Planning Guide for the Alaska Coastal Ecology Program.
View a short description of the activities included in this program.
Click here to find optional classroom activities that can be used before or after your trip.
Boat Transportation
The Peterson Bay Field Station is approximately a 30-minute boat ride from Homer, and the ride to Kasitsna Bay Lab is about an hour long. A stop to observe the Gull Island seabird rookery is included in the field trip to the Peterson Bay Field Station when the birds are present on the island. There is an additional fee of $15 per person to include Gull Island on trips to the Kasitsna Bay Laboratory. Access to the Peterson Bay Field Station is tide dependent. While we try to schedule departure times in the early afternoon, there may be evening or morning departures scheduled to coincide with the high tide.
All boat transportation must be scheduled by CACS staff.
Reservations
Due to the demand for field trips during the limited minus tide periods in April and May, we do not start taking spring reservations until a scheduled time in the preceding fall. You are required to provide a few options during which your group could be available, and we will try our best to place you during your first or second choice times. Please consider including weekend days to take advantage of extreme low tides and consider August or September field trips for easier scheduling. The boat schedule will be confirmed in early spring.
We will begin taking reservations for Spring 2026 on September 11, 2025. See our booking page for more information.
A non-refundable deposit of $300 is due on December 1st.
30% of the estimated cost of the trip is due by February 1st.
You may contact us anytime during the school year to find out if there are still openings.
Program Fees
CACS is a non-profit organization with youth as our primary audience for environmental education. We try very hard to keep our fees reasonable for school groups, however, as the prices of gas, electricity, and overall cost of living fluctuate, we unfortunately must raise our prices to meet them. In an effort to avoid significant jumps, you may instead notice prices increasing incrementally over the next few years. Prices include round trip boat transportation, lodging, staff time, and the inherent costs of running a facility. Prices are per participant and include both adults and students. Fees are waived for one teacher per group.