Cultural Intertidal and Riverine Education: Using Field Schools to Incorporate Climate Change into Historical Archaeological Research

Intertidal-coastal and shallow riverine cultural sites exist in a liminal space of constant and inevitable change. Their location in the “in-between” exposes them to many changing conditions related to natural seasonal variations, storm events, and impacts of climate change, including increased frequency of storm events and sea-level rise. This interaction with change allows them to act as indicators of climate change. Their location on the threshold also makes them accessible for field schools. The following case studies show the value of a short “make-your-own” field-school pedagogy in identifying and exploring climate-change-related student-driven topics. They further highlight the need to develop monitoring regimes for intertidal sites impacted by climate change.