This year, Pacific Environmental Education Center (PEEC) not only welcomed nineteen school groups to explore our coast, but also welcomed a new member of the PEEC family. Although I missed the spring season while on maternity leave, I returned this fall and was able to introduce my newborn son to our staff, students, teachers, and, of course, the great outdoors. Watching him reach out to touch tree bark and smile at the leaves rustling in the breeze was a powerful reminder of how deeply we all depend on our connection to the natural world. Moments like these are why we do this work.

In a time when young people are increasingly detached from nature, environmental education isn’t just enrichment—it’s essential. Thanks to your support, we brought hands-on learning to 597 students this year, nearly a 10% increase from 2024!

But there is still so much more we can do. As schools face tighter budgets and families encounter new barriers to outdoor access, we remain committed to ensuring that every student has the chance to learn, explore, and feel a sense of belonging in nature.

On this Giving Tuesday, I invite you to invest in that mission. Your gift today directly supports student scholarships, site improvements, educator training, and the safe, joyful spaces where young people discover that the natural world is theirs to care for.

Thank you for supporting PEEC. Together, we’re growing the next generation of environmental stewards.

There are plenty of ways for you to donate to PEEC for Giving Tuesday! You can now schedule automatic donations monthly or annually, in addition to a one-time donation!

General donations can help us offer scholarships to low-income schools and students, and help keep our program running!

Don't want to donate electronically?

Please mail checks to PEEC at:

PO Box 2376, Fort Bragg, CA, 95437

With both our spring and fall season, we had 19 school trips to PEEC this year! We were able to host students from six different schools in Mendocino County (including Fort Bragg for the third year in a row!), as well as students from six other counties in California. We loved making memories and learning with all of our participants this year, and hope to continue to increase our numbers next year!

Thank you to all the teachers, chaperones, parent drivers, bus drivers, and other school staff for your continued support and choosing to attend PEEC this year!

We couldn't do this without our wonderful staff. They continue to go above-and-beyond, providing environmental education and lifelong memories to all participants.

We will soon be hiring naturalists for spring 2026! Interested or know someone who might be interested in joining our team? Click the button on the left or share this email!

More than 10 years after the emergence of sea star wasting disease, scientists have identified the causative agent as bacterium Vibrio pectenicida. While over twenty species of sea stars are affected by the disease, the sunflower sea star (Pycnopodia helianthoides) populations were hit the hardest. Sunflower sea stars suffered over a 90% loss within its historic range, resulting in their functional extinction in California and Oregon. Identifying the causative agent is a huge breakthrough and will help inform scientists on the recovery of this vital species.