The living coast discovery center provides hands-on environmental education opportunities at the sweetwater marsh unit of the SAN diego BAY national wildlife refuge

The living coast inspires the community to connect with and care for our coastal environment. Working with U.S. Fish and wildlife service (USFWS) and the socal urban wildlife refuge project, the living coast will connect people from urban areas with nature through two programs: urban refuge nature explorers and sweetwater safari. As a community asset, we will provide equitable access to individuals and schools that would not otherwise have the opportunity to experience the sweetwater marsh and living coast discovery center. In urban refuge nature explorers, students learn how refuges came about and their purpose, understand who lives on refuges, and discover the research that occurs on the SAN diego BAY national wildlife refuge and other refuges nationwide. The living coast will conduct living lab field trips for SAN diego county students (grades 3- 12). In collaboration with USFWS staff, the living coast will provide hands-on, standards-based urban refuge nature explorers programs for 46 classes (up to 1,472 students) from underserved and title 1 schools. Additionally, every field trip class will participate in a habitat restoration project on the refuge. Living coast will also conduct its urban refuge nature explorers school outreach program in classrooms for 12 classes (up to 384 students) from underserved and title 1 schools in SAN diego county. The sweetwater safari program provides an opportunity for guests to explore the refuge trails, use scientific tools, and learn about local plants and wildlife while visiting the living coast discovery center. Groups can select to participate in educator-guided or self-guided tours of the refuge to gain an up-close experience with the sweetwater marsh. With USFWS support, the living coast with offer 40 total educator-guided and self-guided refuge-based programs to give guests the opportunity to explore the refuge, use scientific tools, and experience nature, reaching over 500 people, including both english- and spanish-speaking guests.