Conservation Programs

Our philosophy on becoming a steward of ocean science incorporates four important steps. The final step is to conserve our marine resources. We want to provide people with opportunities to get involved in conservation.

Marine Debris Initative

In an effort to conserve our coastlines and beaches SOS has begun a Marine Debris Initiative. On an annual basis we ask volunteers to help with trash collections along local beaches in the DC Metro area. When leading educational trips in the Mid-Atlantic we try to incorporate a beach cleanup into the experience. Students collect the washed up trash and take tallies of the types of trash found and discuss how these items will affect the marine life. This experience helps people become more mindful of the environmental choices they make. For example, the playful release of a ballon is no longer viewed as fun when found washed up on a beach or worse still, among the rib cage of a dead animal.

Coral Reef Initiative

No other marine environment boasts a higher diversity or concentration of marine life than coral reefs. They are arguably the most important habitat on our planet with over 500 million people relying on them for their livelihood. Coral reefs are home to almost every phylum with the most diverse fish communities than any environment on Earth.

In an effort to conserve coral reefs and in turn, the abundance of marine life depending on their existence, SOS is in the planning stages of an educational and conservation program. This year Dr. Drew Ferrier led a group of students to San Salvador, Bahamas, to carry out a series of rapid reef assessments, a component of our upcoming program. This form of coral reef monitoring, if carried out with the correct training, can provide a lot of information regarding the health of the reef. Students get to experience first hand the problems facing coral reefs and expereinces like these form the basis to change.