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| Secreatary of the Interior Bruce Babbit responds to questions at the Fire & Grit conference.Photo by Michael Blades |
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| Secreatary of the Interior Bruce Babbit responds to questions at the Fire & Grit conference.Photo by Michael Blades |
A s members of the conservation community, the close of the 20th century has given us an opportunity for introspection as we examine the lessons that we have learned and search for new ways to make positive changes in the new millennium. Reef Relief’s education and outreach program has been hard at work trying to enlist the active involvement and support of people locally, regionally and nationally with news of our accomplishments and what still needs to be done to protect coral reef ecosystems.
We have been actively participating in a number of events designed to reach the greatest number of people by stretching our limited resources as far as possible. Volunteers help make our ambitious outreach program possible by donating countless hours manning information tables, constructing exhibits and hauling displays to sometimes strange and remote locations. The work is often rewarding as many of the events that we participate in are exciting, educational and inspirational.
The Orion Society’s “Fire & Grit” conference held this summer at the National
Conservation and Training Center in Shepardstown, West Virginia provided an
excellent opportunity to reach out to thousands of enviromentalists from
throughout country. Representatives from more than 800 conservation
organizations (including Reef Relief) met to discuss the state of the
conservation movement at the start of the new millenium.
The conference included many of the finest contemporary “nature” writers
including Rick Bass, Wendell Berry, Robert Hass, Barry Lopez, Peter
Matthiessen, Bill McKibben, Stephanie Mills, Richard Nelson, Scott Russell
Sanders, Terry Tempest Williams and many others. Many of these writers are
regular contributors to Orion and Orion Afield, the Orion Society’s magazines.
Secretary of the Interior, Bruce Babbitt was also on hand to listen to
the concerns of attendees. I was able to meet briefly with Secretary Babbitt to
stress that coral reef ecosystems be included in any efforts to clean up the
Everglades. The conference was at once depressing and uplifting as the scope of
environmental problems became alarmingly clear. Thankfully there are literally hundreds of
grassroots groups working to help address these issues.
We also participated in a number of other outreach activities which included a variety of Earth Day events and the National Coral Reef Institute conference on coral reef ecosystems which brought together many of the leading coral reef researchers to discuss current scientific research. We will be continuing our outreach program in the coming months and will be participating in the following events, the Florida Association of Science Teachers (FAST) conference in Jacksonville (October 14-16, 1999), the National Watchable Wildlife Conference in Fort Myers (October 18-22, 1999), the first annual Florida Keys Birding and Wildlife festival (October 15-17, 1999) and the Dive Equipment and Marketing Association (DEMA) convention in Las Vegas (January 18-21, 2000). If you are interested in volunteering please contact the Reef Relief office.
Thanks to our recent volunteers including Shakti Assouline, Tim Berry, Benjamin Campbell, J.J. Carbonell, John Cornwell, Heidi & Donnie Golightly, Dan Kurker, John Tinsley and Jody Weber.
Special Thanks to our most recent summer intern, Elizabeth (Liz) Barile. Liz came to Reef Relief as an intern from Melbourne, Florida where she is currently attending the Florida Institute of Technology. She spent the summer organizing Reef Awareness Week. Usually we have two or more interns working on this daunting task, Liz was able to pull together one of our most involved and successful Reef Awareness Weeks single handed. We wish her all the best!
Finally we would like to recognize Alicia Stevenson who has been interning for us assisting Dr. Brian LaPointe and Bill Matzie on Big Pine Key with water quality research and still occasionally finding time to help in the office. Thanks Alicia!
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| Reef Relief intern Liz Barile and Project Coordinator Michael Blades greet members at the Reef Relief annual meeting held at the Pier House during Reef Awareness Week.Photo By Jody Weber. |
T he REEF RELIEF Environmental Center & Store has been very active. During the past school year we sent out over 1,600 Teacher Kits to schools, universities, colleges, and clubs, worldwide. In the late spring Reef Relief sent teacher kits to symposiums and festivals on coral reefs including the Center for Excellence in Learning held at the Edinboro University of Pennsylvania at the Miller Research Center and a coral reef symposium held at the Shedd Museum in Chicago.
We also enjoyed visits from schools and colleges, including visits from Sea Camp, the Flagler County Boy Scouts, groups from the Mel Fisher Museum, as well as students from Key West area schools including Glynn Archer, Sigsbee, Poinciana and Sugarloaf Elementary. We were especially happy to see Michael Harris from King City, Ontario, who each year brings groups of biology students from Canada to visit us. His trips have won Awards for Excellence from Canada’s Prime Minister. All received video demonstration talks, free information materials and were given tours of the Reef Relief Center & Store. This service is available on request to anyone visiting Reef Relief.
The slide show that was developed as part of the We’re All Water Resources Partners… we all live downstream Program (see article) enables us to take our message about coral reef ecosystems, why they must be saved, as well as efforts and technologies that can save them to the general public. During the late spring and early summer, presentations included the We’re All Water Resources Partners Teacher Workshop, The Association of University Women, The Retired Teachers Association, Peace Camp, Artcamp and, as part of the Discover Coral Reefs School Outreach, a series of presentations to over 400 students in the Monroe County Public School System.
All of us at Reef Relief would like to welcome AJ Browder who has been assisting our Store Manager, Mutzee Hiller. You’ll find AJ in the store Thursday through Sunday. AJ has a BA in environmental studies from Warren Wilson College in Asheville, NC. “I prefer to work in a place that is environmentally conscious,” says AJ. “Reef Relief is a hard working organization. It’s good to be a part of it.” So welcome AJ! It’s good to have you join us in our efforts to preserve and protect coral reef ecosystems, world-wide!
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| The slideshow that was developed as part of the We're All Water Resource Partners . . . we all live downstream Program. (see article) enables us to take our message about coral reef ecosystems to the general public. Photograph of Joel Biddle, slide show creator. |
