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Summer 1994 |
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Page 6 |
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Inside |
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Education Programs |
pg. 6 |
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A Sactuary Non-Profit Support Group |
pg. 6 |
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The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary faces the same dilemma as other sanctuaries and national parks. Visitors and users increase in record numbers while management budgets remain limited. One solution is to create a non-profit support group to raise funds, conduct programs and channel volunteers to support the sanctuary's many needs and programs. Non-profit groups have provided support for many of our state and national parks for decades. A successful model is the Golden Gate National Parks Association. In cooperation with the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, this association supports education programs, public access improvements, conservation activities like habitat restoration, and operates the bookstores and docent programs within the park. Since 1981, the association has generated more than $11 million to support park programs. NOAA and the Center for Marine Conservation have embarked on an ambitious joint project to apply this model to the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. The project's goal is to create a non-profit cooperating association to support the sanctuary. Over the next few months, workshops and focus groups will be held to address key questions such as: What education, research, conservation, enforcement, administrative or other activities are needed to support the sanctuary, and how can these activities be funded? How should the non-profit be structured to meet these program and funding needs? It took vision and thousands of grass-roots leaders to create the largest marine sanctuary in the nation. A successful non-profit support group can insure that the vision of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary is fulfilled. For more information about the support group, please call Warner Chabot at the Center for Marine Conservation at (415) 361-6204. |
One of the three major goals of the sanctuary program is promoting awareness, understanding, and stewardship of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary and the marine environment among the general public, users, and the schools. The sanctuary often collaborates with other organizations that share this goal. "Working with other agencies to enhance existing marine educational programs, or implement new programs and services are one of our priority objectives," says Education Coordinator Liz Love. "We want to strengthen, not duplicate, efforts." Some of the planned projects include development of interpretive displays and signs, educational materials such as this newsletter, and programs or services for the schools.
Many sanctuary educational projects are a direct result of priorities established by the sanctuary's Education Working Group. This group of professional marine educators, meets regularly to advise sanctuary staff regarding the development and implementation of programs. One of the group's first efforts led to the production of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Education Resource Guide, a directory of information on Central California marine and coastal education programs. The directory is available from the sanctuary office and is being updated in cooperation with the California Coastal Commission.
Other publications available through the sanctuary office include a variety of informational brochures, posters and charts. For divers, kayakers and boaters, brochures with tips on how to protect the sanctuary have recently been produced in cooperation with the California Sea Grant Program. And by the end of next year, a new book will be published on the natural history of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Produced in cooperation with the Monterey Bay Aquarium, A Guide to the Natural History of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary will provide a wealth of information about the sanctuary's ecology.
Public awareness of the sanctuary will also be enhanced through new interpretive displays. The Monterey Bay Aquarium is helping design interpretive panels that will be installed at many outdoor sites along the coastline. Displays are also being developed for a small information center at the sanctuary office in Monterey and for the Save Our Shores visitor's center in Santa Cruz. Eventually, sanctuary exhibits will be installed at other interpretive centers along the coastline.
Besides displays and publications, sanctuary staff educates the public by meeting with them face to face. As time allows, staff members give presentations to groups requesting a speaker. In addition, staff coordinates or participates in public events such as the Great American Fish Count and the Sanctuary Anniversary Celebration.
Since students and teachers are a primary audience, efforts are under way to evaluate existing marine curricula and to determine teachers' needs to help them more effectively educate their students about the sanctuary. With sanctuary support, a member of the Education Working Group has established a free, on-line educational networking and bulletin board system for teachers and other educators. Through this service the sanctuary can regularly communicate with other on-line educators about sanctuary news and events.
Next year, Sanctuary Resource Centers will be set up at three different educational facilities around the bay where teachers can have access to marine education curricula and sanctuary materials. A traveling outreach program, the "Habitats Van," may be rolling into schools if the sanctuary, State Parks and other environmental organizations can obtain funding to fabricate exhibits for the van. This collaborative program will take interactive exhibits and activities about marine and coastal habitats to schools from Marin County to San Luis Obispo. The Education Working Group has also suggested developing new marine science curriculum for the secondary grade levels.
Education is one of three major goals of the National
Marine Sanctuary Program. If you have ideas for education
programs, or want to get involved, please call Education
Coordinator Liz Love at 647-4255. 
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The sanctuary sponsors a volunteer program through Save Our Shores, a marineconservation organization based in Santa Cruz. The Marine Sanctuary Watch Program trains volunteers about sanctuary environmental concerns, regulations and stewardship. To learn more about this program or to get involved, contact Save Our Shores at (408) 462-5660. |
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1999