ABOUT PEEC

PEEC has been in operation since 1976, serving students in Mendocino County and beyond.  It was started by the marine biology department of Sierra College outside of Sacramento, CA.  Their goal was to bring sixth and seventh-grade students to the tide pools of the Mendocino coast for a hands-on experience.  After the first two weeks, it became apparent that just two weeks would not be enough. With many more schools hoping to participate, a nonprofit organization was started.  The program has since expanded to serve approximately 1,100 students and 42 teachers each year.  

Students have traveled from schools in Mendocino, Lake, Sonoma, Placer, Glenn, and El Dorado counties to take part in our residential environmental education program, learning about the local ecosystems while staying at MacKerricher State Park.

PEEC offers 3- to 5-day comparative ecology programs for students in grades 4-8 and local day trips for Fort Bragg students. Once there, the students are placed into learning groups of 10 to 12 students with a trained naturalist. Naturalists use the local tide pools and coastal environment to teach natural history and environmental ethics. 

Over the years, camperships have been used to allow students from low-income areas to participate.  Residents in Mendocino County benefit from these school groups that are outside of our county because of the income they bring to our local businesses.  Fees are paid to our local state parks, the CV Starr Community Center, and local food markets.  In addition, we employ local people as ongoing naturalist staff, cook, and program director. 

Through their experience at PEEC, students become stewards of parklands they have visited and, in turn, become ambassadors for our coastal ecosystems when they return with their families and as adults or future program chaperones and teachers!