We’re excited to introduce our Spring 2019 Marine Conservation Interns. These individuals will support the REEF team in mission-oriented tasks and daily office operations, as well as play an integral role in the many education and outreach programs that take place throughout the spring semester. They will also have opportunities to scuba dive, conduct fish surveys, and volunteer with environmental organizations in South Florida and the Florida Keys. This semester’s interns bring diverse skills and interests to REEF. They include:
Fishinars are REEF's brand of fun, live, interactive webinars and anyone who wants to know more about ocean life is welcome to join in. Tune in this month for a four-part course on Pacific Northwest Invertebrates and Algae, co-taught by REEF staff members Janna Nichols and Ellie Place. This comprehensive course will teach you how to identify the 60+ invertebrates and algae that are monitored in the REEF Pacific Northwest Survey Region (Alaska, Washington, Oregon and British Columbia). It will be a great resource for beginners and an opportunity for advanced surveyors to review.
I wanted to share with you the excitement I felt attending the Reef Futures 2018: A Global Coral Restoration and Interventions Science Symposium in December. Excitement was evident throughout the talks, and the visions were grand for this global conference. We heard about the Great Barrier Reef Marine Authority’s audacious effort to address coral bleaching due to climate change, including consideration of such possibilities as coral shading, a 5um biodegradable film over the corals that could reduce sunlight by 30%, cloud seeding, and pumping colder water from the deep.
Escape the winter cold by planning a dive trip to the tropics! When you travel with REEF, you take a dive vacation that counts, and we still have a few spaces left on our upcoming Field Survey Trip to the beautiful Caribbean island of Nevis, on March 9-16, 2019. Led by Janna Nichols, this trip will include daily fish identification classes to help you boost your Caribbean fish id knowledge. Nevis is separated from its sister island, St. Kitts, by a two-mile stretch of water known as the Narrows, home to lots of interesting marine life.
The 2019 REEF calendar is now available! REEF surveyors and ocean enthusiasts alike will appreciate this collection of stunning full-color marine life photographs, all taken by our members. The calendar is a special tribute our citizen science volunteers. Each month highlights an individual who has made a significant impact on marine conservation through the Volunteer Fish Survey Project. The calendar is also a great way to keep up with REEF events throughout the year, such as Field Survey Trips, Fishinars, and REEF Fest.
Over nearly three decades, REEF has welcomed more than 100 individuals to REEF Headquarters to spend a semester immersed in the marine conservation field. This month, we highlight past intern Jessica Levy. Read on to hear about Jessica's time at REEF, and how her internship helped her get where she is now.
When were you an intern?
Summer 2012 (May to August)
REEF volunteers are the heart of our organization. We are so appreciative of everyone who dedicates time, support, and resources to help us fulfill our marine conservation mission. We are very proud to announce Laurie Brooks as our 2018 Volunteer of the Year!
Join REEF for the first two Fishinars of 2019! Fishinars are REEF's brand of fun, live, interactive webinars and anyone who wants to know more about ocean life is welcome to join in. Tune in this month to learn how to find and identify seahorses and pipefish in the Tropical Western Atlantic with Carlos & Allison Estape, as well as a special session presented by one of our previous Marine Conservation Interns, Ronnie Noonan, about how underwater ecosystems are changing, and what this means for fish populations.