 |
|
| |
|
|
Reef Relief's goal is S.E.A. for C.P.R.
We focus on rigorous Science
to Educate the public
& Advocate policymakers to achieve
Conservation ,
Protection , and
Restoration of coral reefs.
To implement this new vision, the REEF RELIEF
Board developed objectives and strategies to meet the following goals:
What Reef Relief has
done for Coral Reefs
Reef Relief is a non-profit grassroots membership organization dedicated to "Preserve and Protect Living Coral Reef Ecosystems through local, regional and international efforts."
Reef Relief was founded in Key West, Florida, in 1987 by Craig Quirolo, then a charterboat captain and currently Reef Relief’s Director of Marine and International Projects.
Today, it is one of the world’s leading grassroots, non-profit coral reef membership organizations and has achieved numerous awards and recognitions for its efforts.
Major Achievements During the Past 16 Years:
Key West Reef Mooring Buoy Program: Protected Key West’s coral reefs from the enormous local fleet of charterboats by installing and maintaining 116 mooring buoys at six Key West-area coral reefs for a period of 10 years. This was the largest privately-maintained system in the world and was recently incorporated into the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Reef Mooring Buoy Action Plan.
Clean Water Campaign: Spearheaded a campaign to improve water quality in the Florida Keys. Reef Relief was a major supporter of the effort to create the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary including the first Water Quality Protection Program of any sanctuary, and has worked to upgrade Florida Keys sewage treatment systems to the highest level of treatment currently available, including drafting legislation to designate Key West’s waters as a No Discharge Zone for boater sewage, pass a ban for phosphate detergents, and ban offshore oil development in the Keys. The No Discharge Zone has now been expanded to all state waters of the sanctuary and Reef Relief has led the education and outreach effort with our Pump it. Don't Dump it. campaign.
Jamaica Coral Reef Protection Program: Reef Relief worked with the Negril Coral Reef Preservation Society (NCRPS) to install 35 reef mooring buoys at the reefs of Negril, Jamaica. In subsequent years, Reef Relief returned to train local preservationists to patrol their reefs with the Reef Ranger Program, maintain the buoys, install a swimmer’s lane, launch a Junior Ranger school program, and create the Negril Marine Park, which is currently managed by NCRPS.
Coral Reef Awareness Campaign: Reef Relief maintains the Reef Relief Environmental Education Center in Key West and educates Florida residents and visitors and others around the world on the benefits and methods of protecting the reef ecosystem. A multi-media campaign includes an extensive website at , brochures, special events such as Reef Awareness Week, the Discover Coral Reefs School Program, signage, documentary films, radio public service announcements and participation in global events.
Coral Photo Monitoring Survey: Since 1990, Reef Relief’s founder Craig Quirolo has monitored the reef growth and health of many coral reefs near Key West on a slide and video, and now a digital format that has led to the discovery of several new diseases. This information is shared with the world’s leading coral reef scientists, providing them long term detailed reef health data that is invaluable for their studies of coral disease. This information is incorporated into Reef Relief educational programs to keep the public informed as to the status of coral reefs. The survey has been expanded to coral reefs in Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Mexico, and the Bahamas.
Guanaja, Bay Islands, Honduras Project: Reef Relief in cooperation with the Guanaja Tourism association, installed 36 reef mooring buoys to protect the fragile coral reefs surrounding the island of Guanaja, a popular dive destination off the coast of Honduras. They survived through several major hurricanes and are available for use to eliminate anchor damage by boats. Educational charts educate divers to the reefs.
Coral Nursery Project: Working in conjunction with Harold Hudson of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, Reef Relief has established a Coral Nursery at Western Sambo Reef in the Lower Keys that has salvaged storm damaged corals, secured them to the ocean bottom and elevated so that they may survive. They were recently used to restore a boat grounding site.
The Bahamas Project: Reef Relief’s coral reef conservation efforts began in the Bahamas in 1998. Today it includes operation of the Captain Roland Roberts House Environmental Center, educational programs, maintaining 18 reef mooring buoys at Green Turtle Cay reefs, and monitoring the coral reefs to identify emerging trends on a digital format. Reef Relief established a Coral Nursery at Noname Cay to salvage storm-damaged corals, especially endangered Acropora palmata that grows only in the Caribbean. They are elevated and secured to the ocean bottom to insure their survival from sedimentation and movement in subsequent storms. Future plans include marine mapping to survey the extent of coral disease throughout the Abacos, strategies to improve water quality including implementation of advanced wastewater treatment, improved solid waste handling, and supporting the creation of marine protected areas.
The Cuba Project: Since 1998, Reef Relief has worked with Cuban scientists to survey the health of the Cuban coral reefs. While the Cuban embargo has impeded practical solutions like buoys, Reef Relief’s support of environmental education efforts, its field surveys of coral reefs, its collaboration with Cuban scientists, and participation in scientific symposia have strengthened Cuban conservation efforts.
Major Achievements in the Past Year:
* Opened the Captain Roland Roberts House Environmental Center as a public educational facility on coral reefs in Green Turtle Cay, Bahamas. This newly-restored classic 1840 Bahamas house features a video/classroom, children’s activity room, resource library, and facilities for our reef mooring buoy, coral survey and nursery programs and can host visiting researchers in this fast growing area of the Bahamas.
* Helped implement the newly-expanded Keys-wide No Discharge Zone for boater sewage. As part of a multi-agency group, Reef Relief launched a Keys-wide education and outreach campaign to provide boaters with information on this new water quality initiative.
* Discover Coral Reefs School Program provided to every 4th grade public school student in the Keys–about 800 students. Another 900 other students and 500 adults received special presentations throughout the year, and thousands listened to radio reef tips on 13 Keys stations or attended special events where Reef Relief set up displays and information or visited our environmental center in Key West.
* Images from the 10 year Coral Photo Monitoring Survey are being archived online so that researchers and students around the world can access them. Craig Quirolo first observed white pox disease on Key West-area coral reefs in 1996. Scientists at the University of Georgia have found the disease is caused by a common bacteria, linking loss of elkhorn coral to human and animal wastes.
* Our Everglades petition drive has resulted in thousands of signatures being presented to key lawmakers asking that nitrogen as well as phosphorus pollution be removed as part of the Everglades clean-up. We all live downstream! Clean water now for our downstream coral reefs.
* The Key West Marine Park is established and provides buoyed swim areas in three no motor zones to protect swimmers from boats, along with two vessel lanes for boaters to access the ocean shoreline.
* Reef Relief helped improve water quality in the Florida Keys with a proposal to require all cruise ships berthing in Key West to pump out their sewage; by supporting improved stormwater treatment throughout the city, by defending the Clean Water Act in testimony before a Congressional subcommittee considering legislation to weaken No Discharge Zone laws and in other efforts throughout the year.
* A Florida coral reef license plate has been approved, spearheaded by Mote Marine Lab, in cooperation with Reef Relief. Thanks to all who signed the petitions. Proceeds from the specialty plate sales will benefit coral reef protection efforts in Florida.
* Reef Relief worked to reform sport lobster days and participated in fisheries management issues throughout the year, providing a spokesman for increasing protection for our fragile coral reefs.
* Reef Relief’s on-line community of E-activists has grown and thousands
of sea fans support efforts to protect coral reefs around the world by getting
involved through action alerts. The website has increased awareness of coral
reefs and how to protect them for people from all walks of life.
* Development director Theresa Foley and veteran non-profit executive Alex Pacheco
have joined the Reef Relief team to help insure the long term financial health
of Reef Relief. Our membership now exceeds 3,500 individuals who are making
a difference for coral reefs!
* Reef Relief’s Gift Store has expanded its
children’s section with great success. Excited parents, grandparents and
children love all the reef-friendly books, stickers, games, puzzles and plush
animals. Our online store offers shoppers ecofriendly options that help save
coral reefs since all proceeds benefit Reef Relief.
Reef Relief Five Year Plan:
The following plan was adopted at the Annual Board of Directors "Advance" held in Key West, Florida, this past July, 2002:
I. Goals/Objectives:
Reef Relief will meet its mission statement of protecting coral reefs through grassroots community-based efforts that focus on (1) direct action marine projects of coral reef restoration, surveys, monitoring, and research; (2) environmental education for targeted audiences that include children, residents and businesses; policy guidance to act as a watchdog for coral reefs; and (3) international efforts that support and strengthen the creation and implementation of community based efforts to protect coral reefs around the globe.
II. Strategies for meeting these goals:
Reef Relief will implement programs in the following three areas to meet its goal of protecting coral reefs: marine projects, environmental education, policy guidance and international projects.
III. Capacity Building
Reef Relief will establish adequate funding for our programs by establishing a budget each year that establishes proposed income and expenses for each program and by raising funds to meet that budget through grants, contributions and memberships, special events, and in-kind donations of goods and services.
* The budget that was approved for this fiscal year 7/1/02-6/30/03 is $674,529, less than last year, but still quite a challenge.
A Finance Committee was formed to help strengthen Reef Relief's financial matters. Peter Rosasco, Tom Nitti, Bob Soos and Paul Koisch volunteered to participate.
Reef Relief will build a
staff that is capable of meeting program demands in an efficient manner. The
staff will be adequately trained, properly compensated, and expected to meet
reasonable workloads. Generally it was agreed that the staff is stretched too
thin and doing too much. It was further agreed that a webmaster must be hired
to keep the website current and to enlist new members. It was also noted that
salaries should be raised to be comparable to other similar non-profit efforts,
once the financial stability of the organization strengthens.
There was a strong consensus that we continue the grassroots approach that has characterized Reef Relief during the past 15 years. After much discussion, the following priorities were adopted for the coming year:
Creation of the Key West Marine Park
In cooperation with the City of
Key West, Reef Relief will create a municipal underwater park with shoreline
access to a swimming area for a dive/snorkel experience in an area that excludes
motorized watercraft on the ocean side of the island of Key West from White
Street Pier to Duval Street. The city jurisdictional boundaries out to
450' will be established as a no-take zone to increase marine life populations
in these near shore waters. Buoys will mark the area. Up to two
access lanes will provide egress for existing water sports operators. The park
will become part of the Reef Relief's ongoing Coral Photo Monitoring Survey
and educational materials will be produced utilizing the results of the survey.
Initial surveys of the area indicate a wide variety of living corals and other
sea life, a fact largely undiscovered by most residents. For the past year,
Keys beaches have posted health advisories reflecting high fecal coliform counts
due to sewage leakages.
The City of Key West has adopted an aggressive program to upgrade sewage treatment and adopted a No Discharge Zone for boater sewage. Water quality around the island should improve. Reef Relief founder Craig Quirolo will provide a baseline study of the benthic communities both before and after creation of the park. We hope to document a return to a healthier, vital underwater habitat in the near-shore waters of Key West. We have already received the support of the mayor, the Key West Chamber of Commerce and the Innkeepers Association. Next, Craig will prepare a full color presentation on the project to be shown to interested parties, including the city commission, at which time we will seek a resolution of support. We are also applying for grants to secure funding for the project.
Coral Reef Conservation Program
This multi-media awareness
campaign delivers basic information on coral reefs and why and how they should
be protected to a diverse audience. This year, the Discover Coral
Reefs School Program will be expanded to all 4th grade students in the
Florida Keys. The program begins with the Reef Relief Teacher Kit, a video/talk
at the Reef Relief Environmental Center and review of our Coral Reef Guide for
kids of all ages.
Next students experience a narrated
tour of the reef aboard a glass bottom boat. Our educators then give a
slide show entitled We All Live Downstream, the students review our booklet
entitled South Florida's Water Wonderland, and have a classroom discussion of
what we can each do. Programs for adults include our annual Reef Awareness
Week in July, online events, production and distribution of Reef Line-the official
newsletter of Reef Relief, and www.reefrelief.org,
the Reef Relief website, in addition to specific publications, papers, brochures,
posters, etc that address special issues. Our educators will participate
in numerous regional educator conferences and make literally dozens of presentations
to special groups throughout Florida, produce radio and television public service
announcements, and offer the College Internship Program to two qualified candidates
per year. All activities are based out of the Reef Relief Environmental
Center & Gift Shop, one of the only public facilities in the world dedicated
to protecting coral reefs. It features continuous videos, educational materials
and a small gift shop. Second floor offices for Reef Relief staff and
volunteers are donated by the City of Key West.
The Clean Water Campaign
works to improve water quality throughout Florida. Reef
Relief will support local efforts to plan and implement sewage infrastructure
for the Florida Keys, (especially Key Largo and Islamorada), encourage state
and federal funding for such improvements, and help guide state and federal
policymaking regarding the treatment of sewage in South Florida. The goal is
to improve water quality for coastal areas adjacent to coral reefs by upgrading
the way sewage is treated, including the need for nutrient-removal and reuse.
Reef Relief's Paul Johnson and DeeVon Quirolo will work directly with policymakers,
citizens, and media. This grassroots effort will enlist the Reef Relief Grassroots
Activists Network of volunteers, our e-alert list of interested parties,
and the support of
environmental coalitions.
Reef Relief's
International Projects
trains communities and
has launched coral reef protection programs in Jamaica, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Mexico,
Guanaja Bay Islands Honduras, and the Bahamas. In the coming year, in
cooperation with Friends of the Environment of Hope Town and the Bahamas National
Trust, we will help communities in the Abacos, Bahamas to strengthen two marine
protected areas-the Pelican Land & Sea Park and the Fowl Cay Preserve, with
additional reef mooring buoy installations, monitor the recently-established
coral nursery at No Name Cay, install demarcation buoys around the two parks
and provide educational materials that include charts of the buoys, park regulations,
and reef etiquette. Reef Relief will return to Guanaja, Bay Islands, Honduras
to work with the Guanaja
Tourism Association to restore the reef mooring buoy program there that has
been damaged by recent storms. We have obtained a donated boat engine and are
seeking a boat donation to provide to them in order to empower local divers
there to establish a regular maintenance program.
This broad agenda for the coming year will be supported through membership contributions,
grants and fundraising events. These plans are well thought out, they build
on past successes, and will result in measurable added protection for coral
reefs in South Florida, the Bahamas and around the world.
Programs to support
these goals
will based on existing
efforts including the Coral Reef Conservation
Program, the
Photo Monitoring Survey,
the Environmental
Center &
Gift Shop, International Projects,
and fundraising efforts.
REEF RELIEF was founded in 1986 by charter boat skipper, Craig Quirolo, the current Director of Marine Projects. REEF RELIEF is a non-profit corporation, directed by a Board of Directors, a Citizen Advisory Board and a Scientific Advisory Board.
State
of The Reef Address, 2000.
click
here
By Craig Quirolo
Scientific Research and Monitoring: REEF RELIEF provides technical assistance many visiting scientists studying corals and water quality at Key West-area coral reefs.
This relatively easy-to-use, low-tech system to monitor coral reef growth, algal growth, and diseases afflicting corals gives extremely sophisticated and accurate results. The importance of this system can not be stated strongly enough. Craig discovered yellow band disease and has shared his data with several scientists studying coral diseases. Cores from corals infected with the disease have been sent to Dr. Debbie Santivay at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Gulf Breeze Laboratory to determine just what the disease is. On April 11, 1996, Craig was able to alert the scientific community of a browning of purple sea fans in reef areas just off Key West. Again, he provided video footage and data to experts, including Dr. Drew Harvell of Cornell University and Dr. Kio Kim of University of Buffalo, who are studying sea fans. They have discovered a fungus, aspergillus, attacking the sea fans. Usually this fungus is associated with soil, not salt water environments. In 1997, Craig first observed white plague type II, a fast growing coral disease that attacks the base of major coral heads and consumes all living tissue. He has also noted that white pox disease is attacking several different types of corals, including star corals (dicoena) earlier identified at Key Largo National Marine Sanctuary. This proliferation of diseases is not good, but at least scientists who usually only monitor coral reefs on a quarterly basis, are receiving regular episodic updates from REEF RELIEF.
REEF RELIEF IS A GRASSROOTS WATCH DOG THAT MONITORS FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL POLICIES AND PROGRAMS IMPACTING THE CORAL REEF. "REEF RELIEF endorses cooperative federal, state and local efforts to protect Florida's underwater environment. We are actively involved with community and government agencies and provide recommendations and information on public policy and oversight of threats to the reef".
In Florida Bay and in the newly established Everglades clean-up, we urge that both "clean-ups" be based on pure water. We urge -- at in-flow and out-flow areas where water is introduced by government agencies -- that all water be stripped of pollutants until it is nutrient free. The technologies is available. REEF RELIEF will applaud -- and encourage -- a cleaning program, based on clean water, for the Everglades, Florida Bay and North America's Living Coral Reef. Such a program will guarantee the future of these natural wonders for generations to come. For further information, or if you would like to help us in this mission, please write or call us.
"Nothing is isolated in this world. Everything is linked. Problems facing our coral reef, affect other coral reefs. Everything is part of the same puzzle. Not to recognize this is to limit true knowledge".
REEF RELIEF representatives participate in international forums and provide information and training to grassroots organizations and government agencies involved in protecting coral reefs world-wide.
Bahamas Projects:
Captain Roland Roberts House Environmental
Center.
(click here)
The Captain Roberts House is a public facility and
headquarters for Reef Relief's marine projects in
the Bahamas.
Green Turtle Cay Reef Mooring Buoy Project.
(click here)
Reef Relief has installed reef mooring buoys and
created a coral nursery near Green Turtle Cay.
Green Turtle Cay Reef Mooring Buoy Chart.
(click here)
For more information or to become a part
of the project:
contact Reef Relief.
Junior Junkanoo Float for Green
Turtle Cay, Bahamas, champions the Coral Reef.
 |
Mandy
Roberts and others of Green Turtle Cay created this float for entry in the
Marsh Harbour Junior Junkanoo competition on December 15th, 2003. What a great way to celebrate the coral reefs of the Bahamas! |
Jamaica Reef Mooring
Buoy Project
In November, 1991, REEF RELIEF members participated in a cooperative
venture with the Negril Coral Reef Foundation to install 35 reef mooring buoys
to protect the reefs of Negril, Jamaica.
A workshop on protecting Jamaica's coral reefs was held and included presentations from coral reef expert Dr. Thomas Goreau, fisheries expert Karl Aiken, eco-tourist authority Herb Hiller and others. In 1992, REEF RELIEF returned to help host a workshop on water quality issues that provided public input into the creation of a central sewage treatment plant for Negril. In 1993, REEF RELIEF returned to help train members of the Negril Coral Reef Preservation Society to implement a patrol of their coral reefs. In 1994, REEF RELIEF founder, Craig Quirolo with volunteer engineer, Dave Cannella, conducted a preliminary survey of the actual length of Negril's famed 7 mile beach and planned the installation of a swimmer's lane of buoys to protect swimmers from boaters and jet skis. On August of that same year, Craig and Dave returned and taught local divers the art of mooring buoy installation and maintenance.
Currently the newly trained divers maintain the buoys and implement a patrol of the waterfront, modeled after REEF RELIEF's Reef Ranger Program.
It was estimated that 160 buoys, 100 augers and 60 U-Clips would be necessary to complete the project. In the end, 90 augers and 70 U-Clips were used. Craig designed a new U-Clip, a single hole U-Bolt, specifically for this project to be used in areas of hard bottom. The U-Clip design will be adopted for future use in reef mooring buoy installations, as it is less expensive and stronger than the traditional eye-bolt that has been in use for years. Dave Canella also devised a new method of setting the augers into the sand which proved a tremendous success.
The Negril Project created the longest and most comprehensive swimming lane in the Caribbean, insuring the safety of the swimmers in the area. It was also one of the first steps of a zoned management system for the Negril Marine Park. At the ribbon cutting ceremony November 2, 1995, attended by many high ranking Jamaican officials, Craig Quirolo and REEF RELIEF were honored for our efforts and presented with two awards.
The complete history and all information on the Negril mooring Buoy project are available in a report called " Protecting Jamaica's Coral Reef: Final Report of the Negril Reef Mooring Buoy Workshop and Installation" (see Printed Educational Materials). Since then, REEF RELIEF's Craig Quirolo has returned to Negril once again to help train Rangers to survey the shorelines of Bluefields, Ocho Rios and the South Coast of Jamaica so that similar reef mooring buoy and swimmer's lane projects can be implemented for these areas. In 1995 Quirolo returned to complete the swimmer's lane project for Negril.
See the Winter, 1998 Reef Line article on the Jamaica Project .
REEF RELIEF'S Efforts To Help Establish Grassroots Coral Reef Organizations, World-Wide
Grassroots organizations are an effective means to protect local environments, to educate,
and to monitor programs established by governments and big business. They are a way to voice
local concerns, so that different ways of life, traditional knowledge, and resources do not
get lost.
REEF RELIEF is happy to information share. In 1996, we helped Coralations, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving Puerto Rico's coral reefs, get started by helping to organize a workshop in Puerto Rico on coral reef protection. Our educational materials are used (with proper credit going to REEF RELIEF for their use) as guidelines for their educational materials. We share with Coralations and many other community-based groups, our knowledge about our different activities (environmental education, grassroots organizing, reef mooring buoy programs, etc.), so they can take advantage of what we have done right, and avoid certain pitfalls they are sure to encounter along the way.
In this spirit, information sharing with community efforts from all over the world who desire to protect their coral reefs, are underway.
Photo Monitoring Coral Reefs and Information Sharing
Thanks to the photo monitoring system developed by REEF RELIEF'S founder and director of
marine projects, Craig Quirolo, islands and countries with limited budgets now have access
to a system they can afford that will enable them to monitor their reefs. The knowledge
gained from this system is invaluable. From data provided, the overall health of a reef
can be diagnosed. Trends can be projected, priorities can be set, and critical areas can
be targeted for protection. Just as important, information sharing with other areas can be
facilitated. This monitoring system is being offered to other areas in the Caribbean and
Pacific.
The headquarters for REEF RELIEF is the Reef Relief Environmental Center & Gift Shop
in Key West, located on a busy charter boat dock in Historic Old Town at 201 William
Street. The center features educational displays and information, continuous video, a
resource library, facilities for volunteers and staff, and coral reef gift shop.
It is also headquarters for all REEF RELIEF operations and is open daily from 9 am to 5 pm.
The REEF RELIEF Center & Gift Shop is our opportunity to meet and talk with you. So come in and hang out as long as you like when you visit Key West, and tell your friends about us. The Environmental Center is staffed by REEF RELIEF's educational coordinator, Joel Biddle, and REEF RELIEF'S Gift Shop manager, Gerry Blount. Start-up costs were partially funded by a grant from the Elizabeth Ordway Dunn Foundation. Half of the rent for the location is donated by the City of Key West.
Reef Relief is guided and directed by a dedicated board of directors who are assisted by a small staff. (Hyper links on individual's full names will send direct email. Please direct all general inquiries here.)
Marci L. Rose, Esq. , President — Marci received her Juris Doctor from Capital University where she concentrated in environmental law. She was admitted to the Florida Bar in 1972 and is the Chairman of Clean Florida Keys.
Captain Victoria Impallomeni, Board Member Emeritus — A true Key West native and former President of Reef Relief's Board of Directors, Victoria is a marine biologist who has been a wilderness guide in Key West for the past twenty five years.
Dorothy Lee Witwer, Vice-President — Dorothy Lee and her husband George have been enjoying Key West since 1988 and have been voting residents for the past four years. Their family business is publishing small newspapers in Northeastern Indiana. Lee's commitment to Reef Relief stems from realizing that coral reefs are barometers of water quality. "It is necessary to improve water quality all over the globe or life as we know it will not continue. We are beginning in our own backyard with Reef Relief's activities. I consider this work to be for the benefit of my grandchildren.
Bob Soos, Secretary/Treasurer — Bob is a leader among Key West civic organizations and is manager of U.S. One Radio and Conch FM Radio stations in the Florida Keys. His consistent media support of Reef Relief has strengthened our Keys-wide educational outreach during the past fifteen years.
Paul Johnson , Paul represents Reef Relief in marine and governmental affairs from his home near Tallahassee, FLs. His Broad expierence and considerable expertise is applied to help guide and implement policy development for Reef Relief. Paul holds a Master of Science Degree from University of Alabama, served in the Florida Governor's Office of Environmental Affairs from 1984-1992 and has been a Reef Relief board member since 1998.
Howard Fulton — Howard is the South Florida regional director for American Express from his office in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Howard has led Reef Relief's corporate program.
Becky Roper Matkov — Becky Matkov is executive director of the Dade Heritage Trust in Miami, Florida. Her knowledge and involvment in environmental and historical preservation in South Florida is matched only by her tireless dedication to such protection.
Wendy Weir — Wendy is an award-winning author with her brother, Bob Weir, of two environmental children's books plus her own book, In the Spirit. Wendy co-founded and was executive director of Coral Forest that joined forces with Reef Relief in 1998 at which time she joined the Reef Relief board. Wendy is active in coral reef education and conservation. She has a background in banking and clinical hypnotherapy and is director of administration for a high tech start-up, MBX Interactive. She lives in Marin County, California.
Bob Weir — Bob is an award-winning author and voice for the preservation of coral reefs, rainforests, and temperate old growth forests. He is also an award-winning author, with his sister, Wendy Weir, of two environmental children's books. For 30 years, Bob was the rhythm guitarist of the legendary rock band, the Grateful Dead, and now records and tours with his own band, Ratdog. He lives in Marin County, California.
Wayne Fox — Concerned conservationist and Key West charter boat captain who operates a circa 1800 replica of a Chesapeake Bay skipjack for educational tours of the backcountry.
David Helvarg — David is a long-time journalist and author of Blue Frontier - Saving America's Living Seas and War Against the Greens. He recently founded and is president of the Blue Frontier Campaign in Washington DC. to organize a "seaweed rebellion" of grassroots organizations to help encourage the federal government to establish an ocean policy that protects our territorial seas and insures their health and vitality.
LInda Jennings Odum — Linda loved growing up on the St. Johns River outside Jacksonville. "When you spend your life on the water, you notice thinks...you begin to get concerned about your "backyard".....you worry about the future." Her environmentalism includes serving on the board of the Better World Society of Atlanta founded by Ted Turner. She owns Water Lily, a Hunter Passage 42 sailboat. Linda is a long-time Reef Relief member and recently, has been a Buoy Buddy for our Bahamas projects. Any time LInda can spare from her real estate investment business, you will fin her in Green Turtle Cay, Bahamas.
Alex Pacheco — Alex has worked in the non-profit community for over 20 years, helping raise millions for charity, and has been helping Reef Relief for over a year now in the area of individual giving and building our membership base.
Mike Wilson — Mike helped spearthead the effort to create the Key West Marine Park project that Reef Relief is launching this year. He is concerned about the safety and protection of the shoreline in Key West. "I've always had a great love for the ocean and I'd like to see it remain healthy." Mike has lived in K
Citizen Advisory Board Members
Matt Babich ,
Old Town Resorts
William Kemp ,
Kemp & Green, CPA
Elliott Baron ,
Mangia Mangia & Café Karumba
Clyde Hensley ,
Traveler’s Palm Guesthouse
Buco Pantelis ,
Waterfront Market
David Harrison Wright
, Designer, artist
George Witwer ,
Key West Resident
Mimi Stafford ,
Key West Resident
Jackie McCorkle ,
Key West Resident
Peter Anderson,
The Conch Repulic
Kaly
Thacker,
founder, Negril Coral Reef Preservation Society
Kitty Clements
, Retired,
master gardener
Janine Gleaeser,
Architect, Bill Horn & Associates
Tom Nitti,
Stock broker, Edward Jones Investments
Pam Neuendorf, Marketing director, Keys
Federal Credit Union
Peter Rosasco, Certified Public Accountant
Jeff Ware, Divemaster, underwater videographer.
Dr. Brian LaPointe, Brian has been involved in research on water quality in the Florida Keys for nearly twenty years. He is on the research staff of the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution and operates a laboratory on Big Pine Key. A specialist in eutrophication and algal impacts on coral reefs, Brian is recognized around the world for his expertise.
Harold Hudson,
Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.
Restoration Biologist - We call him the "Reef Doctor."
Dr.
James Porter, University of Georgia, Dept. of Ecology.
Coral reef scientist USEPA Water Quality Protection Program FKNMS.
Dr. Karen Porter. University of Georgia, same as Dr. James Porter.
Dr.
Drew Harvell, Cornell University, Sect. Of Ecology.
We are working with Drew, studying <Aspergillosis> on sea fans.
Dr. Bill Alevizon, Fisheries expert and Marine Biologist.
Craig Quirolo — Founder, Director of Marine Projects.
DeeVon Quirolo — Executive Director.
Michael Blades — Project Coordinator.
Joel Biddle — Educational Coordinator.
Plus a great many fantastic interns and volunteers!
