National Park Service

The National Park Service residential environmental education program at Cape Cod National Seashore, known as the NEED program, offers educational groups an opportunity to experience the many natural and historical wonders of Cape Cod on a multi-day basis.

Download the NEED building brochure.
Download the NEED program application.

The NEED building, once a US Coast Guard surf-rescue station, is located on a spectacular vista overlooking the Atlantic Ocean at Coast Guard Beach in Eastham. The NEED building is a heated, year-round facility, which provides overnight accommodations for groups ranging up to 35 participants.

The NEED program is self-supporting -- groups provide their own transportation, food preparation, housekeeping, supervision and instruction. Materials and guidelines for environmental education studies and activities are provided by the National Park Service through specially designed lesson plans and curriculum materials, and periodic teacher/leader workshops. For an extra fee, groups can obtain additional professional naturalist services. However, the program is designed so that groups can conduct all environmental educational activities.

Participating groups pay a modest fee for overnight use of the NEED building, based on the number of nights spent in residence. Bookings are generally made from six to eight months in advance. Some groups elect to stay for two or three days, while others opt to stay for an entire week. Space is available weekdays as well as weekends. Groups are allowed to check in at 2:00 pm on the day of arrival, and can stay at the NEED building until 12:00 pm on the day of departure. New applicants should be aware that due to popularity, only limited space is available during early fall or late spring periods. However, less competition and lower rates exist during the winter months.

Participating groups come from a wide range of areas, some local, others from as far away as Ohio, Colorado and Virginia. Groups with special needs clients (e.g.deaf, blind, mobility impaired), or from inner city environments are encouraged to participate, and are given preference in the selection process.

Staying at the NEED building gives groups a wonderful opportunity to study nature and history first hand. Learning about the environment and important considerations to keep it healthy, are easily accomplished in this setting, regardless of the season.

The NEED Program at Cape Cod National Seashore is housed in a former U.S. Coast Guard station, located at Coast Guard Beach in Eastham. This attractive building is situated only a few hundred feet inland from the famous sandy Outer Beach, and offers accommodations for up to 35 overnight participants.

Sleeping rooms range from several smaller double bedrooms to a large 14 bunk bedroom. The number of beds in each room is fixed due to safety regulation. However, because there is a diversity of large and small rooms, it is generally easy for groups to divide up the sleeping arrangements accordingly. Bathrooms are located on both floors, complete with twin sinks, toilets and shower stalls.Groups generally designate one bathroom for females and the other for males.

The kitchen contains an electric cooking range with multiple burners and two ovens. In addition, there are two microwave units and two large refrigerators with freezers. The kitchen also contains a sink, dishwasher, and storage cabinets. Limited cooking and eating utensils are provided by the National Park Service (therefore groups should consider bringing, or donating, supplemental cooking and eating materials).

The National Park Service provides toilet tissue, brooms and mops. Groups provide their own cleansers, sponges, dish towels, paper napkins and plastic garbage bags. Because staying at the NEED building is an environmental education activity, groups are asked to participate in recycling activities by sorting their garbage and bagging recyclable materials for pickup. Garbage and recycle material pickup is provided by the National Park Service several times a week from the bins adjacent to the building.