Families Understanding Nature Backpacks are available for loan for up to a week.  You don’t have to be a family to check out and enjoy the benefits of the backpack!  Inside, nature CDs, children’s books, field guides, tidepool ID charts and Kodiak trail maps will prepare you for a fun adventure.

The Junior Ranger Program was launched in the summer of 2011.  Students can complete a Junior Ranger Activity Booklet to earn their badge and become an official part of the Kodiak Refuge team.  There is a version for 5-8 year olds and one for 9-12 year olds.  Currently you must complete the program in person at the Kodiak Refuge Visitor Center.  In the future we may have a web version.

Looking for something to do with your children? Bring them in to the Visitor Center for a fun and educational scavenger hunt!  We have versions for pre-K on up.  A small prize is awarded upon completion.

The mission of Salmon Camp is to educate Kodiak’s youth about the natural and cultural systems that define Kodiak’s geography and empower learners to investigate their own connections to this special place through hands-on learning, self-reflection and group discovery.

Registration for the camp is done through a lottery in March. After the lottery, any remaining spaces are available on a first come first served basis.

The Kodiak Refuge hires high school students that have housing in the community of Kodiak each summer to work with our educators, biologists, rangers and maintenance staff in the Kodiak Refuge.  Through this experience the students are exposed to a variety of career fields in public lands.  Hiring for the YCC crew usually occurs in April.  Call the Kodiak Refuge Environmental Education Specialist for more information (907) 487-0283. 

This is a volunteer internship program for students in grades 7-12th to participate in Salmon Camp as instructor aides. This program provides opportunities for developing leadership skills as well as a deeper understanding of Kodiak Island. All volunteer interns will work directly with USFWS staff and Salmon Camp instructors.  Successful applicants must be available to work a full week of camp over the summer and have housing in the community of Kodiak. Contact Shelly Lawson for more information (907) 487-0283. 

The FUN program is designed for ages 3-5 and their families. It meets every Wednesday 10:30 a.m.-11:15 a.m. at the Visitor Center. Stories, songs, puppets, and crafts will be utilized for hands-on learning for little nature lovers on specific topics. The FUN program has been in existence since 1995. During winter months there are usually two FUN programs per month but during summer months they are conducted on a weekly basis.

For explorers of all ages and their families. Saturdays from June-August we’ll have outdoor adventures for children of all ages and their families.  We meet at a different place each week.  Contact the Refuge Visitor Center for more details (907) 487-2626.

There are two ways the Kodiak Refuge can be involved with your classroom:  Field trips to the Kodiak Refuge Visitor Center or classroom visits by our staff. To schedule a program for your students, please contact the Kodiak Refuge Education Specialist at (907) 487-0283.  The Refuge also has traveling education kits that can be checked out for use in your classroom.  For more information about school programs and kits, follow the link below