PORTScast Calendar

Join our live broadcast from the southside of Cardiff State Beach where we’ll explore the shore together and see what kind of living things call this place home! Through this experience you will learn more about identifying some of our coastal critters, how to be a community scientist, and how California’s Marine Protected Areas help preserve biodiversity.

Join us at Carpinteria State Beach as we explore the animals found in our tidepools and how they survive the highs and lows of living in the tidal zones.

Join Interpreters with CA State Parks and CA Dept of Fish and Wildlife live from Sugar Pine Point State Park as we learn all about the bears of California. In this program we will discover the biology and adaptations of these incredible creatures and learn about the role they play in California’s biodiversity. As we look at the differences between the wildland bears of CA backcountry and mischievous city bears, we will explore what our role is in keeping bears wild.

In this program, students will be introduced to the wonders of the giant sequoia and learn all about their survival secrets! We will walk around part of a giant sequoia grove and discuss the human impacts on these ancient trees and the mixed conifer forest as a whole.

Celebrate California Biodiversity Week and join Park Interpreter Alex on the California coast for an engaging virtual field trip to Crystal Cove State Park’s Marine Protected Area and discover the fascinating Mysteries of the Octopus! Spend part of your morning learning about the adaptations and life cycle of this curious marine invertebrate – with a backdrop of the crashing waves in Crystal Cove State Park’s Marine Protected Area (MPA). What a way to celebrate Biodiversity Week!

Join a State Park Interpreter, Kyle Buchanan, at Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park! Kyle will explore the range of life within the old growth Redwood Forest. Additionally, Kyle will dive deeper into one specific species and discuss ways YOU can supports them. Lastly, Kyle will highlight the ways YOU can support biodiversity within your local communities.

Put on your detective caps and solve an underwater mystery at Asilomar State Beach! We will solve the case of a missing fish by learning about three ocean predator “suspects”: the Giant Pacific Octopus, White Shark, and Orca. Students will explore the adaptations, biology, and different behaviors these animals have that make them amazing ocean predators. We will also learn how marine protected areas help these important animals.

Join California State Park interpreters at Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park and Samuel P. Taylor Redwoods State Park for a Biodiversity Week PORTScast! Although these two interpreters will be over 300 miles apart, they will work together to highlight the role that sword ferns play as an indicator species for climate resilience and forest health. Tune in to learn more!

State Parks in the San Francisco Bay Area are filled with an amazing variety of animal life. Though park visitors may not encounter many critters during their outdoor adventures, we can discover so many things about them in the clues they leave behind. Join State Park Interpreters from Mount Tamalpais SP, Olompali SHP, Samuel P. Taylor SP, and Tomales Bay SP in an exploration of what animal tracks, scat. and pellets can tell us about the animals in our parks, including how to protect them!

Reporting to you live from Angel Island State Park! Discover the weird and wonderful plants and animals that you can find on the largest natural island of the San Francisco Bay. We have some tips on how YOU can protect biodiversity whenever you visit state parks. Some of the species are familiar, some strange, and all weirdly wonderful!

Explore the balance of California’s coastal food chains at Point Dume State Beach. Learn how various species work together to survive the hardships of a changing ocean in our Marine Protected Areas. From climate change to seasonal impacts, lets take a dive and breakdown how these mammals survive to live their best lives!

Who’s hiding in the water? Join Interpreter Nichole at Asilomar State Beach as we uncover the mystery of marine camouflage. Learn about different animals in Monterey Bay that use camouflage as a survival skill.

Come along as we glide over vibrant kelp forests on this fin-tastic kayak adventure in Whalers Cove at Point Lobos State Natural Reserve! Discover the hidden wonders beneath the surface, from playful sea otters and darting fish to the majestic kelp itself, the ocean’s towering undersea forest. As we navigate, we’ll dive into the importance of ocean conservation and how protecting these ecosystems helps keep our blue planet thriving.

This program is led by Indigenous voices and grounded in cultural respect. Stone Lagoon, located within Humboldt Lagoons State Park, is home to the first tribally operated visitor center on California’s North Coast. Through exhibits, stories, and cultural knowledge, you are invited to learn how Yurok People have always lived with this land—through the materials we use, the ways we create, and the teachings we carry forward today.

“What is a gadget? How many gadgets did you use today? How are they different than the gadgets we may have used 150 years ago? Get a glimpse into the life of someone from the past by examining Victorian gadgets that were in use during the time of the Bidwells. Students will be tasked with unraveling the mysterious use of several gadgets. By the end of the program, students might find that they had more in common with the past than they originally thought.

Travel back in time to 1850’s California with Flat Stanley, the children’s book character, to learn how people lived without modern technologies. It’s going to be a fun, interactive experience, and we can’t wait to share it with your class at William B. Ide Adobe State Historic Park.

Join us at Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park as we explore the history of the Coloma Valley before, during and after the Gold Discovery. During our program, we will take a walk through our park and learn how the discovery of gold changed California both culturally and environmentally.

Unlock the mysteries of one of the world’s most fascinating organisms, the octopus! Join Park Interpreter Alex on the California coast for an engaging virtual field trip to Crystal Cove State Park’s Marine Protected Area and discover the fascinating adaptations octopuses use for survival. Students will discover a variety of octopus species while learning about animal defense mechanisms, life cycles, adaptations, human impacts, and how Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are helping these curious and mesmerizing marine invertebrates.

“What is a gadget? How many gadgets did you use today? How are they different than the gadgets we may have used 150 years ago? Get a glimpse into the life of someone from the past by examining Victorian gadgets that were in use during the time of the Bidwells. Students will be tasked with unraveling the mysterious use of several gadgets. By the end of the program, students might find that they had more in common with the past than they originally thought.

Dive deep into the fascinating lives of Northern Elephant Seals from Hearst San Simeon State Park! Watch these animals live from the largest mainland elephant seal rookery in the world while learning about the astounding adaptations that allow them to dive deep, migrate thousands of miles per year, go months without eating, and so much more.

Discover the world of decomposers. Our tiniest superheroes live in and on the dirt and are known as decomposers. These tiny but mighty creatures benefit our environment thanks to their important job, that is breaking down and recycling the organic nutrients and materials found in organic matter.

Travel back in time to 1850’s California with Flat Stanley, the children’s book character, to learn how people lived without modern technologies. It’s going to be a fun, interactive experience, and we can’t wait to share it with your class at William B. Ide Adobe State Historic Park.

All aboard for the Westward Bound School Program. Students step back in time for a virtual tour of the historic Central Pacific Railroad Station and learn about the people who worked and traveled on the Transcontinental Railroad in the 1870s.

Hop on board the Horses to Horsepower Program at the California State Railroad Museum to experience what it was like to build the nation’s first Transcontinental Railroad! Your conductor will virtually escort you to five different stations to Hop onboard to learn about the building of the Transcontinental Railroad and about some of the men and women who made the railroad important to a growing nation and California.

Discover the hidden industries of early California near Livermore and Tracy. Explore the life of a coal miner in some of the first coal mines of CA and explore the life of a factory worker at what is now Carnegie State Vehicular Recreation Area. We will discuss company towns, risk and rewards of starting companies, and discrimination in the workplace. This program is for 3rd grade and above.

Massive wildfires often make the news, but can a smaller fire be a forest friend? Students will be introduced to the complexity of fire, how we have influenced it, and how important it is for the world’s biggest individual tree, the giant sequoia!

All aboard for the Westward Bound School Program. Students step back in time for a virtual tour of the historic Central Pacific Railroad Station and learn about the people who worked and traveled on the Transcontinental Railroad in the 1870s.

In the years following the Civil War, all-African American army regiments (popularly known as Buffalo Soldiers) eventually made their way to California where they would serve in newly established national parks. This program will explore their trails in California, and their contributions to the preservation of national parks in the West. We will also discuss the career of Colonel Allensworth, who built schools throughout the West, and later founded a freedmen’s town for the Buffalo Soldiers.

Join us on a 45-minute virtual field trip to Crystal Cove State Park’s Marine Protected Area (MPA) to learn about tidepool habitats and the incredible adaptations that tidepool animals use to survive harsh environments where land meets the sea! Students explore topics including habitats, tides, adaptations, food chains, and defense mechanisms. Students also learn about Marine Protected Areas and how they help protect these fascinating and fragile tidepool ecosystems.

An exclusive interview with a young gray whale on his first migration up the Pacific Coast. Learn about these marine mammals’ extraordinary annual journey, and how Marine Protected Area’s help them along the way. Get ready to take a deep dive and get the scoop into a really cool whale of life!

Just in time for Halloween, join us to uncover the secrets of some of nature’s most fascinating and mysterious predators—owls! Together, we’ll explore how their strangest features—like giant eyes, asymmetrical ears, and silent flight—are actually powerful adaptations for survival. This spooky-season special is sure to be a hoot for students as we dive into the many owl species that call California’s Central Coast home, live from Hearst San Simeon State Park.

What animals are awake at night, and how are they adapted to survive in the dark? Come solve some riddles with us as we explore some of the fascinating nocturnal animals at Carpinteria State Beach.

Dive into the eerie depths this Halloween at Point Lobos State Natural Reserve as we explore the mysterious creatures that lurk in the ocean’s abyss! From the ghostly glow of bioluminescent fish to the haunting secrets of the deep, we’ll uncover how Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) help safeguard these fragile, otherworldly ecosystems. Join us for a thrilling journey beneath the waves, where conservation meets the unknown, and discover how we can all play a part in protecting our oceans’ spookiest inhabitants!

Unlock the mysteries of one of the world’s most fascinating organisms, the octopus! Join Park Interpreter Alex on the California coast for an engaging virtual field trip to Crystal Cove State Park’s Marine Protected Area and discover the fascinating adaptations octopuses use for survival. Students will discover a variety of octopus species while learning about animal defense mechanisms, life cycles, adaptations, human impacts, and how Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are helping these curious and mesmerizing marine invertebrates.

“What is a gadget? How many gadgets did you use today? How are they different than the gadgets we may have used 150 years ago? Get a glimpse into the life of someone from the past by examining Victorian gadgets that were in use during the time of the Bidwells. Students will be tasked with unraveling the mysterious use of several gadgets. By the end of the program, students might find that they had more in common with the past than they originally thought.

Join us at Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park as we explore the history of the Coloma Valley before, during and after the Gold Discovery. During our program, we will take a walk through our park and learn how the discovery of gold changed California both culturally and environmentally.

Learn how harbor seals are important to our ocean’s ecosystem, from their haul outs and nurseries to their incredible marine adaptations. Join us on November 6 from 9:00 to 10:00 am at Carpinteria State Beach!

It’s monarch season! Come along and virtually explore Pismo State Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove! We’ll learn all about monarch migration, their fascinating life cycle, and how YOU can help them! This program is best suited for 2nd through 7th grade audiences.

Students will virtually visit MacKerricher State Park to explore the similarities and differences between humans and marine mammals, specifically the Harbor Seal! Students will observe and identify what crucial adaptations ensure seal survival in the cold Pacific waters of northern California. While we discuss Harbor Seals, we will talk about the MacKerricher State Marine Conservation Area and how this Marine Protected Area (MPA) ensures the health and safety of these marvelous marine mammals.

Travel back in time to 1850’s California with Flat Stanley, the children’s book character, to learn how people lived without modern technologies. It’s going to be a fun, interactive experience, and we can’t wait to share it with your class at William B. Ide Adobe State Historic Park.

Join us on a 45-minute virtual field trip to Crystal Cove State Park’s Marine Protected Area (MPA) to learn about tidepool habitats and the incredible adaptations that tidepool animals use to survive harsh environments where land meets the sea! Students explore topics including habitats, tides, adaptations, food chains, and defense mechanisms. Students also learn about Marine Protected Areas and how they help protect these fascinating and fragile tidepool ecosystems.

This program is led by Indigenous voices and grounded in cultural respect. Stone Lagoon, located within Humboldt Lagoons State Park, is home to the first tribally operated visitor center on California’s North Coast. Through exhibits, stories, and cultural knowledge, you are invited to learn how Yurok People have always lived with this land—through the materials we use, the ways we create, and the teachings we carry forward today.

In this program, students will be introduced to the wonders of the giant sequoia and learn all about their cool adaptations. We will walk around part of a giant sequoia grove and discuss the human impacts on these ancient trees and the mixed conifer forest as a whole.

Colonel Allen Allensworth was a man of vision- a Minister, Educator, City Planner and leader of the Buffalo Soldiers. In the twilight of his life he began building his dream, the Allensworth Freedom Colony. This program will take a closer look at the architecture and history of this unique African American community in California’s Great Central Valley.

Join us at Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park as we explore the history of the Coloma Valley before, during and after the Gold Discovery. During our program, we will take a walk through our park and learn how the discovery of gold changed California both culturally and environmentally.

Discover the hidden industries of early California near Livermore and Tracy. Explore the life of a coal miner in some of the first coal mines of CA and explore the life of a factory worker at what is now Carnegie State Vehicular Recreation Area. We will discuss company towns, risk and rewards of starting companies, and discrimination in the workplace. This program is for 3rd grade and above.

It’s monarch season! Come along and virtually explore Pismo State Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove! We’ll learn all about monarch migration, their fascinating life cycle, and how YOU can help them! This program is best suited for 2nd through 7th grade audiences.

Dive deep into the fascinating lives of Northern Elephant Seals from Hearst San Simeon State Park! Watch these animals live from the largest mainland elephant seal rookery in the world while learning about the astounding adaptations that allow them to dive deep, migrate thousands of miles per year, go months without eating, and so much more.

Unlock the mysteries of one of the world’s most fascinating organisms, the octopus! Join Park Interpreter Alex on the California coast for an engaging virtual field trip to Crystal Cove State Park’s Marine Protected Area and discover the fascinating adaptations octopuses use for survival. Students will discover a variety of octopus species while learning about animal defense mechanisms, life cycles, adaptations, human impacts, and how Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are helping these curious and mesmerizing marine invertebrates.

Join PORTS virtually for an accessible chair yoga session! Find peace and grounding from the comfort of your classroom or home. An opportunity to learn how to stretch the body and increase your flexibility with mindful movement. All you need is time and a chair to let all your stress drift out to sea.

Join California State Parks Interpreter Kat at MacKerricher State Park in reading the story book “The Snail and the Whale” by Julia Donaldson! Students will meet a snail riding on the tail of a whale through the ocean! One day the snail must save the whale, but she worries she may be too small for the job. Students will discuss how we can be like the snail by using small actions to make a big difference, especially in the lives of ocean animals!

It’s not only giants sequoias that need to survive all seasons at Calaveras Big Trees! Students will be introduced to giant sequoias and other living things that call this place home as well as their adaptations to handle the mountain weather. This program takes place inside our Visitor Center museum.

Join us on a 45-minute virtual field trip to Crystal Cove State Park’s Marine Protected Area (MPA) to learn about tidepool habitats and the incredible adaptations that tidepool animals use to survive harsh environments where land meets the sea! Students explore topics including habitats, tides, adaptations, food chains, and defense mechanisms. Students also learn about Marine Protected Areas and how they help protect these fascinating and fragile tidepool ecosystems.

Join a California State Parks Interpreter from Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park for a program on fire ecology. Learn about the history of fire as a management tool in Northern California, as well as the importance of fire to our unique coastal redwood ecosystem.

Join our live broadcast from the southside of Cardiff State Beach where we’ll explore the shore together and see what kind of living things call this place home! Through this experience you will learn more about identifying some of our coastal critters, how to be a community scientist, and how California’s Marine Protected Areas help preserve biodiversity.

Join us at Carpinteria State Beach as we explore the animals found in our tidepools and how they survive the highs and lows of living in the tidal zones.

Join Interpreters with CA State Parks and CA Dept of Fish and Wildlife live from Sugar Pine Point State Park as we learn all about the bears of California. In this program we will discover the biology and adaptations of these incredible creatures and learn about the role they play in California’s biodiversity. As we look at the differences between the wildland bears of CA backcountry and mischievous city bears, we will explore what our role is in keeping bears wild.

In this program, students will be introduced to the wonders of the giant sequoia and learn all about their survival secrets! We will walk around part of a giant sequoia grove and discuss the human impacts on these ancient trees and the mixed conifer forest as a whole.

Celebrate California Biodiversity Week and join Park Interpreter Alex on the California coast for an engaging virtual field trip to Crystal Cove State Park’s Marine Protected Area and discover the fascinating Mysteries of the Octopus! Spend part of your morning learning about the adaptations and life cycle of this curious marine invertebrate – with a backdrop of the crashing waves in Crystal Cove State Park’s Marine Protected Area (MPA). What a way to celebrate Biodiversity Week!

Join a State Park Interpreter, Kyle Buchanan, at Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park! Kyle will explore the range of life within the old growth Redwood Forest. Additionally, Kyle will dive deeper into one specific species and discuss ways YOU can supports them. Lastly, Kyle will highlight the ways YOU can support biodiversity within your local communities.

Put on your detective caps and solve an underwater mystery at Asilomar State Beach! We will solve the case of a missing fish by learning about three ocean predator “suspects”: the Giant Pacific Octopus, White Shark, and Orca. Students will explore the adaptations, biology, and different behaviors these animals have that make them amazing ocean predators. We will also learn how marine protected areas help these important animals.

Join California State Park interpreters at Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park and Samuel P. Taylor Redwoods State Park for a Biodiversity Week PORTScast! Although these two interpreters will be over 300 miles apart, they will work together to highlight the role that sword ferns play as an indicator species for climate resilience and forest health. Tune in to learn more!

State Parks in the San Francisco Bay Area are filled with an amazing variety of animal life. Though park visitors may not encounter many critters during their outdoor adventures, we can discover so many things about them in the clues they leave behind. Join State Park Interpreters from Mount Tamalpais SP, Olompali SHP, Samuel P. Taylor SP, and Tomales Bay SP in an exploration of what animal tracks, scat. and pellets can tell us about the animals in our parks, including how to protect them!

Reporting to you live from Angel Island State Park! Discover the weird and wonderful plants and animals that you can find on the largest natural island of the San Francisco Bay. We have some tips on how YOU can protect biodiversity whenever you visit state parks. Some of the species are familiar, some strange, and all weirdly wonderful!

Explore the balance of California’s coastal food chains at Point Dume State Beach. Learn how various species work together to survive the hardships of a changing ocean in our Marine Protected Areas. From climate change to seasonal impacts, lets take a dive and breakdown how these mammals survive to live their best lives!

Who’s hiding in the water? Join Interpreter Nichole at Asilomar State Beach as we uncover the mystery of marine camouflage. Learn about different animals in Monterey Bay that use camouflage as a survival skill.

Come along as we glide over vibrant kelp forests on this fin-tastic kayak adventure in Whalers Cove at Point Lobos State Natural Reserve! Discover the hidden wonders beneath the surface, from playful sea otters and darting fish to the majestic kelp itself, the ocean’s towering undersea forest. As we navigate, we’ll dive into the importance of ocean conservation and how protecting these ecosystems helps keep our blue planet thriving.

This program is led by Indigenous voices and grounded in cultural respect. Stone Lagoon, located within Humboldt Lagoons State Park, is home to the first tribally operated visitor center on California’s North Coast. Through exhibits, stories, and cultural knowledge, you are invited to learn how Yurok People have always lived with this land—through the materials we use, the ways we create, and the teachings we carry forward today.

“What is a gadget? How many gadgets did you use today? How are they different than the gadgets we may have used 150 years ago? Get a glimpse into the life of someone from the past by examining Victorian gadgets that were in use during the time of the Bidwells. Students will be tasked with unraveling the mysterious use of several gadgets. By the end of the program, students might find that they had more in common with the past than they originally thought.

Travel back in time to 1850’s California with Flat Stanley, the children’s book character, to learn how people lived without modern technologies. It’s going to be a fun, interactive experience, and we can’t wait to share it with your class at William B. Ide Adobe State Historic Park.

Join us at Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park as we explore the history of the Coloma Valley before, during and after the Gold Discovery. During our program, we will take a walk through our park and learn how the discovery of gold changed California both culturally and environmentally.

Unlock the mysteries of one of the world’s most fascinating organisms, the octopus! Join Park Interpreter Alex on the California coast for an engaging virtual field trip to Crystal Cove State Park’s Marine Protected Area and discover the fascinating adaptations octopuses use for survival. Students will discover a variety of octopus species while learning about animal defense mechanisms, life cycles, adaptations, human impacts, and how Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are helping these curious and mesmerizing marine invertebrates.

“What is a gadget? How many gadgets did you use today? How are they different than the gadgets we may have used 150 years ago? Get a glimpse into the life of someone from the past by examining Victorian gadgets that were in use during the time of the Bidwells. Students will be tasked with unraveling the mysterious use of several gadgets. By the end of the program, students might find that they had more in common with the past than they originally thought.

Dive deep into the fascinating lives of Northern Elephant Seals from Hearst San Simeon State Park! Watch these animals live from the largest mainland elephant seal rookery in the world while learning about the astounding adaptations that allow them to dive deep, migrate thousands of miles per year, go months without eating, and so much more.

Discover the world of decomposers. Our tiniest superheroes live in and on the dirt and are known as decomposers. These tiny but mighty creatures benefit our environment thanks to their important job, that is breaking down and recycling the organic nutrients and materials found in organic matter.

Travel back in time to 1850’s California with Flat Stanley, the children’s book character, to learn how people lived without modern technologies. It’s going to be a fun, interactive experience, and we can’t wait to share it with your class at William B. Ide Adobe State Historic Park.

All aboard for the Westward Bound School Program. Students step back in time for a virtual tour of the historic Central Pacific Railroad Station and learn about the people who worked and traveled on the Transcontinental Railroad in the 1870s.

Hop on board the Horses to Horsepower Program at the California State Railroad Museum to experience what it was like to build the nation’s first Transcontinental Railroad! Your conductor will virtually escort you to five different stations to Hop onboard to learn about the building of the Transcontinental Railroad and about some of the men and women who made the railroad important to a growing nation and California.

Discover the hidden industries of early California near Livermore and Tracy. Explore the life of a coal miner in some of the first coal mines of CA and explore the life of a factory worker at what is now Carnegie State Vehicular Recreation Area. We will discuss company towns, risk and rewards of starting companies, and discrimination in the workplace. This program is for 3rd grade and above.

Massive wildfires often make the news, but can a smaller fire be a forest friend? Students will be introduced to the complexity of fire, how we have influenced it, and how important it is for the world’s biggest individual tree, the giant sequoia!

All aboard for the Westward Bound School Program. Students step back in time for a virtual tour of the historic Central Pacific Railroad Station and learn about the people who worked and traveled on the Transcontinental Railroad in the 1870s.

In the years following the Civil War, all-African American army regiments (popularly known as Buffalo Soldiers) eventually made their way to California where they would serve in newly established national parks. This program will explore their trails in California, and their contributions to the preservation of national parks in the West. We will also discuss the career of Colonel Allensworth, who built schools throughout the West, and later founded a freedmen’s town for the Buffalo Soldiers.

Join us on a 45-minute virtual field trip to Crystal Cove State Park’s Marine Protected Area (MPA) to learn about tidepool habitats and the incredible adaptations that tidepool animals use to survive harsh environments where land meets the sea! Students explore topics including habitats, tides, adaptations, food chains, and defense mechanisms. Students also learn about Marine Protected Areas and how they help protect these fascinating and fragile tidepool ecosystems.

An exclusive interview with a young gray whale on his first migration up the Pacific Coast. Learn about these marine mammals’ extraordinary annual journey, and how Marine Protected Area’s help them along the way. Get ready to take a deep dive and get the scoop into a really cool whale of life!