Point Cabrillo Light Station & Preserve

www.pointcabrillo.org

Organization Type:
Non-Profit

Mission:
The mission of the organization is to support and steward the historic Point Cabrillo Light Station and 300-acre headland Preserve as a local, regional, and national treasure by:
•  Offering educational opportunities in history and the environmental sciences for adults and children
•  Protecting and enhancing wildlife habitat
•  Preserving and restoring the historical character of the site
•  Providing public access consistent with resource protection

Contact:
Park Manager
Point Cabrillo Light Station & Preserve
P.O. Box 641
Mendocino, CA 95460
Phone: (707) 937-6123
Fax: (707) 937-6120
info@pointcabrillo.org

Geographical Focus:
Regional

Counties Served:
Mendocino

Activities:
Research, Education, Conservation, Tourism, Recreation, Restoration, Resource Management

Topic:
Wetlands, Cultural History, Rocky Intertidal, Wildlife, Habitat Restoration

Educational Resources:
Curriculum, On-Site Programs, Guided Walks, Field Trips, Nature Trails, Newsletter, Brochures, Exhibits/Displays, Website

Education Programs:
Exhibits on Lighthouse/maritime history and marine science, guided walks in the Preserve, programs for school groups in maritime history and coast ecology:

Education programs at Point Cabrillo provide a dynamic and in-depth exploration of the interrelationship of human history and coast ecology. Our goal is to increase awareness, appreciation and understanding of marine life, coastal ecosystems, and maritime history, and provide the informational and experiential building blocks that enable students to explore and develop their environmental ethics. Conservation and accountability are introduced by looking at the role of individuals in making history and the preservation work underway in the Preserve. Our field trip programs incorporate hands-on activities that allow students to explore the natural world while challenging their creativity and teamworking skills.

Field trips are 3-4 hours in length including a lunch break. Curriculum packages for each topic area include optional pre-trip classroom activities. We also provide a homework assignment for a no-trash lunch for the day of the field trip, an exercise which gives the classroom teacher an opportunity to introduce conservation and preservation issues and the impact our individual actions have on the earth’s resources. Post-trip activities are also provided.

• “My Home, Your Habitat” - Students learn the difference between wild and domestic, and that all living things need a habitat to survive. Food, water, shelter and space are described for tiny barnacles and giant whales, allowing students to deduce the common concept from extreme examples. Facilitated interaction with the specimens in our observation tank and salt-water aquarium, along with puppetry and chalk drawing help the students to visualize life's many adaptations under the waves. Fits the local curriculum frameworks for 1st grade.
• “Whales, Whales, Whales” - Students review the concept of habitat while studying the natural history of the California gray whales during their annual migration. Observation skills are emphasized. Students learn classification of mammals, and how marine mammals exist in their habitat. Human influences and the history of whaling in North America are also discussed, and illustrated through active games. Our life-size gray whale jigsaw puzzle allows the students to visualize and experience the real size of these creatures. During the annual Gray whale migration, we often combine activities from this program with "Exploring Marine Habitats".
• “Exploring Marine Habitats” - Students explore the concept of adaptation through exploration of the diverse habitats at Point Cabrillo. Facilitated hands-on exploration of Point Cabrillo’s intertidal observation tank and aquarium, a land based nature walk, and student directed learning activities engage the students in discovering the adaptations of marine plants and animals, and themselves, to their common living areas. Fits the local curriculum frameworks for 2nd grade.
• “Living on the North Coast” - Human history of the north coast from the Pomo Indians to the present is the topic of this segment. The objective is to teach children how all cultures interact with the land they live on -- they change it, use it, and are changed by it. Activities include a “discovery” walk in the Preserve, making iris twine, and drilling shells with a pump drill. Students play detective with artifacts and photos from the days of the early European settlers, and make up their own stories about life on the coast. They learn about the lightkeepers, why lighthouses were so important to economic growth, and they tour the Point Cabrillo Lighthouse. Fits the local curriculum frameworks for 3rd grade.
• “The Story of the 'Frolic' the Shipwreck that Changed the North Coast Forever" - Or, how California's redwoods and the China trade are connected! Students focus on the story of the “Frolic” shipwreck, a gold-rush era clipper that foundered off Point Cabrillo carrying China trade goods. This pivotal moment in California history illustrates how history is a series of events that are all dependent on each other, and how we make history every day through our choices and actions. Students use compasses to navigate within the Preserve, observe and analyze the weather and sea conditions, visit the wreck site and the Pomo Indian midden where artifacts from the wreck were identified, and reenact the Frolic story. Fits the local curriculum frameworks for 4th grade.
• “Restoring Coastal Ecosystems” - Everything in nature exists in interdependent systems. This program looks at the impact that humans have had on the environment and the decisions we have to make about restoring or maintaining the balance of these systems. Students examine and discuss the ecology of the north coast on land and in the sea. Activities include a food web game; a scavenger hunt using a plant key and a restoration project where students can contribute to the ongoing care of the Preserve. Fits the local curriculum frameworks for 5th grade.

Volunteer Opportunities

Program:
Retail Sales

Program:
Maintenance and Restoration

Program:
Lightkeeper

Program:
Aquarium Maintenance

Internship Opportunities

Disabled Access:
Disabled parking is at the bottom of the hill adjacent to the keeper’s houses and close to the lighthouse.