September 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic has been a mixed bag for islands. While their geographical isolation has helped many island nations keep infection rates low, travel restrictions and other economic consequences of the pandemic have devastated the economies of island communities that depend on international tourism. Under these circumstances, Seacology’s support for local ecotourism projects has taken […]
September 2020
Botanists identified a new species of palm tree on the Caribbean island of Bonaire last year – but without urgent action, it could be extinct within just a few years. Seacology is aiming to prevent that. Any species – plant or animal – that evolves on an isolated island is especially vulnerable to extinction. If […]
August 2020
Driving north from Mombasa on Kenya’s main coastal highway, the dense city traffic gives way to rolling hills, expansive farms, baobab trees, and the occasional roadside produce stand or open-air market. At the popular seaside destination of Malindi, the winding road features stunning views of the Indian Ocean. But a few miles further north, something […]
August 2020
As Cyclone Fani headed toward the east coast of India last year, we anxiously watched the news reports. This severe storm was headed straight toward the state of Odisha–site of a new Seacology project. Fani was the strongest cyclone to hit Odisha in 20 years, with periods of winds as high as those in a […]
August 2020
Surrounded by clean, cold waters and snow-capped mountains, Koldita is one of many small islands in the Chiloé Archipelago, off central Chile. The area is home to Mapuche-Huilliche people, whose culture developed over centuries on these islands. The indigenous residents have long been stewards of both the marine and island ecosystems, and have relied on […]
August 2020
The Dominican Republic is home to some 64,000 acres of mangrove forests, which protect coastal communities from violent storms and ensure healthy fisheries. Legally, most of these wetlands are protected, but the reality is very different. Inadequate enforcement, unsustainable development, and overfishing have caused a devastating decline in mangrove cover. Our project will work from […]
July 2020
For new Seacology board member Sonia Toledo, Seacology’s focus on islands is personal. Toledo grew up in Puerto Rico before moving to the mainland US for college. She now lives in New York but maintains a close connection to her home island. She also brings valuable expertise in infrastructure financing and sustainable development to Seacology’s […]
July 2020
We’re excited to announce that Seacology and our Sri Lankan partner organization, Sudeesa, have been named recipients of a 2020 National Energy Globe Award! This annual prize is awarded to a single environmental project in each participating country. In Sri Lanka, our nationwide mangrove conservation project was chosen for its innovative, sustainable, grassroots approach to […]
July 2020
Australia’s Aboriginal people are one of the world’s oldest civilizations, if not the oldest, stretching back tens of thousands of years. A new Seacology project is supporting Aboriginal stewardship of the ecosystems of Big Dog Island, which has continued uninterrupted for an estimated 10,000 years. Big Dog Island is one of more than 300 islands […]
July 2020
Author and dive instructor Vera Kruithof’s new book, Be a Wave Maker, profiles 24 exemplary individuals working to protect the world’s oceans and all of the life within them. Among these leaders is Patricia Lamelas, our 2018 Seacology Prize winner from the Dominican Republic! “Patricia empowers her community with a sense of responsibility towards the […]