6 Eco Warriors Share Their Favorite Ocean Conservation Wins for World Oceans Day

1. Kind Charity: Point Reyes National Seashore Association, Point Reyes, California 

Mission: Point Reyes National Seashore Association (PRNSA) partners with the National Park Service to create opportunities for all people to experience, enhance, and preserve Point Reyes National Seashore for present and future generations.

Proudest Ocean Conservation Win: Giacomini Wetlands Restoration Project

- Isaac Taylor, Education, and Outreach Analyst, Point Reyes National Seashore Association.

“In 2018, PRNSA celebrated the 10-year anniversary of its historic Giacomini Wetlands Restoration Project. 560 acres of former ranchland was finally restored to a coastal wetland in 2008, after years of collaborative planning and fundraising with our NPS partners. Water quality has improved significantly, while native species like eelgrass and the tidewater goby have reemerged and flourished. Waterbird populations expanded rapidly, with numbers increasing approximately 400% in the first five years. In 2010, bald eagles began nesting on nearby Inverness Ridge, and since 2016, the state “threatened” California black rail has been observed in the newly formed salt marsh habitat. With only 5% of California’s coastal wetlands intact, this environmental success story continues to serve as a model for coastal restoration.”

2. Kind Charity: Pacific Marine Mammal Center, Laguna Beach, California 

Mission: The Pacific Marine Mammal Center’s mission is to rescue, rehabilitate, and release marine mammals back into the wild, inspiring ocean stewardship through research, education, and collaboration.

Proudest Ocean Conservation Win: Animal Rescue Team

- Wendy Leeds and Krysta Higuchi, Events & PR Coordinator for Pacific Marine Mammal Center. Photo credit from Jeff Cornelius. All who were on the April 8th rescue team.

“The Pacific Marine Mammal Center rescues, rehabilitates, and releases marine mammals that strand from illness or injury and inspires ocean stewardship through research, education, and collaboration. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a lot of worries and brought on many challenges, however, our essential animal care operations have remained. On April 8th we got a call for an animal in need of rescue with a life-threatening entanglement injury. Our rescue team quickly jumped into action and was able to bring the animal back to our center for care. The injury required surgery and our team was able to successfully remove the entanglement and begin the process of healing her deep wounds. Her success story is truly an example of an entire community coming together. From the members of the public who reported her, lifeguards who assisted in her rescue and our vet, animal care team and volunteers who continue to help not only animals like her but all that come through our doors. We are thrilled to say she is going fantastic almost 2 months later and will soon be ready to be released back to the wild.”

3. Kind Charity: Manta Trust, Global (based in England)

Mission: Manta Trust’s goal is a sustainable future for the oceans, where manta rays and their relatives thrive in healthy, diverse marine ecosystems.

Proudest Ocean Conservation Win: Advocation for Manta Rays 

- Isabel Ender, Head of Conservation Strategy at Manta Trust

“Manta rays and their devil ray cousins (collectively mobulids) are under increasing threats from targeted and bycatch fisheries around the world. I was incredibly proud to be a part of the Manta Trust team which, through collaboration with other researchers and NGOs, contributed critical data and successfully lobbied for the inclusion of, firstly mantas, but later all mobulid species, under Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). CITES listing grants manta rays and their relatives much greater protection by strictly regulating any international trade of products sourced from their body parts, which is a massive step forward helping to conserve their natural populations.”

5. Kind Charity: Marine Mammal Care Center, San Pedro, California 

Mission: The mission of Marine Mammal Care Center LA is to rehabilitate marine mammals that have been stranded on beaches from Zuma Beach to Seal Beach in Los Angeles County due to illness, injury, or malnutrition.

Proudest Ocean Conservation Win: Animal Rehabilitation Program

Information provided by Amber Becerra, President of The Marine Mammal Care Center. 

“The Marine Mammal Care Center Los Angeles has provided 24/7/365 medical care to more than 8,000 injured or sick seals and sea lions in LA County. COVID-19 has been a challenging time for the world, and we are no exception. While others are working from home, we are still saving the sea puppies and taking in other rescues' animals as well! One of the most meaningful moments was when we were able to rescue, rehabilitate, and release a sea lion pup that was found trying to cross a major freeway. Here is a picture of her in the highway patrol car that picked her up, and here a picture of her during her release with 2 of her pup friends! This is just one example of the work that we do to save our oceans and the creatures who live in it.”

6. Kind Charity: The Everglades Foundation

Mission: The Everglades Foundation leads efforts in the protection and restoration of the Everglades, a 1 million-acre wetland ecosystem on the tip of Southern Florida.

Proudest Ocean Conservation Win: The Everglades Online Literacy Program

- Owen Baillie, Director of Corporate Partnerships & Foundation Giving at The Everglades Foundation.

“The Foundation has launched a trove of distance learning resources and tools specifically designed for educators and families working in an online learning environment. The resources are available at www.evergladesliteracy.org under the tab “Resources.” The response from the educators we work with has been very positive. There’s a tremendous appetite right now for innovative online learning tools.