2023 Annual Report: A year of dedicated island protection
2023 was a year of deepening and growing our work on islands across the globe. Backed by our invaluable donors and supporters, Seacology’s staff, board, and field representatives made great headway working with island communities to create a more connected, caring, and sustainable world.
Here are some of the 2023 highlights we’re most proud of. For more, take a look at the full report.
At a Glance
23 new projects begun in 2023
26 field representatives overseeing projects on the ground
406 total Seacology projects
658,892 acres of terrestrial island habitat protected
800,303 acres of marine island habitat protected
More than $4 million raised from generous donors and foundations to support island conservation
Nationwide Conservation
In 2023, we expanded our ambitious initiatives supporting conservation projects that span entire countries. These include our partnership to protect and promote the Dominican Republic’s mangroves, known locally as Campaña ManglarES; as well as Marae Moana, the huge marine reserve in the Cook Islands encompassing the country’s entire exclusive economic zone.
Mangrove Museum Reopened
This first-of-its-kind museum was built as part of our nationwide program to preserve Sri Lanka’s coastal wetlands, but was forced to close during the pandemic and the severe financial crisis that followed. Our fundraising campaign let the museum make repairs and reopen on July 26, 2023—World Mangrove Day. The museum is once again the leading repository of knowledge about Sri Lanka’s vital coastal wetlands, and is a popular destination for students, tourists, and scientists.
Expeditions
Our acclaimed travel program ramped up in a big way in 2023. Five Seacology Expeditions took supporters to see firsthand the impact of our work by visiting Seacology project sites in Fiji, Malaysian Borneo, Bonaire, and the Dominican Republic.
Seacology Prize
In October, we welcomed Dr. Jonah Ratsimbazafy, one of Madagascar’s leading primatologists, to the United States to accept the Seacology Prize. At the award ceremony, the brilliant environmentalist shared the story of how he discovered his life’s work of saving lemurs, and how helping local people escape poverty is essential to this goal.