Past, Present, Future
Sea to Shining Sea Newsletter - April 2017
Join the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries in this issue as we travel through time. We take a look at some of the amazing things you have helped us achieve over the last year, and share with you our plans for the future. As we look ahead, community involvement, preservation, compatible recreational use, and youth engagement will continue to play a vital role in maintaining the sanctuary system.
Kayakers enjoy the salt and sun in the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. Paddling is just one of the many ways that you can enjoy your sanctuary. Credit: Bo Petty/NOAA
Eight Amazing Things that Happened across your National Marine Sanctuary System
As we look forward to celebrating our 45th anniversary this year, we’re reflecting on recent events. The staff and volunteers throughout the National Marine Sanctuary System have been very busy. From education programs and scientific investigations to tourism and recreation, incredible things have happened. We invite you to take a look at just a few of the major events in our national marine sanctuaries and national marine monuments.
See what happened...
Seabirds and marine turtles are examples of the diverse species that rely on national marine sanctuaries. Credit: Mark Sullivan/NOAA
Our Vision for America’s Treasured Ocean Places
NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries is soliciting public input through April 30th, 2017 on a draft strategy to direct national and local efforts in the protection of America’s underwater parks. The strategy is designed to set a five-year course for managing nationally and internationally significant areas in the ocean and Great Lakes through comprehensive and community-based approaches. Click below to read about the new five-year plan (draft) and tell us your thoughts!
Read the plan...
Kindergartners learn about the Arroyo Burro watershed that drains into the Pacific Ocean and Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. Engaged students become environmental stewards. Credit: Claire Fackler/NOAA
Ocean Guardian Schools: Action-Based Environmental Education
A healthy ocean starts with all of us, and through the Ocean Guardian School Program students are making a big difference for the ocean. Ocean Guardian Schools carry out year-long projects that encourage students in grades K-12 to explore their local ecology, their impact, and forge a personal sense of environmental stewardship. Applications for the 2017-18 school year are being accepted until May 1, 2017!
Read more...
Native Hawaiians maintain their ancestral connection to the sea by making the same style of canoes that allowed their ancestors to travel between islands. Credit: Stories from the Blue/NOAA
Stories from the Blue: Kimokeo Kapahulehua
"Call nā po‘e ka lani, nā po‘e moana, nā po‘e ka hōnua -- the people of the heavens, the people of the ocean, and the people of the land, we're all just one big family in how we work together in preserving everything," says Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary volunteer Kimokeo Kapahulehua.
Watch the video...