NOAA Awards Monterey Bay Area Environmental Education Grants
September 2, 2008
NOAA has announced the award of 13 education grants totaling nearly $658,000 to Monterey Bay area schools and non-profit groups. The grants, part of NOAA’s Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) program, will support environmental education projects focused on NOAA’s Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, which is located off the central California coast.
Funding was awarded to school districts and nonprofit organizations, many benefiting underprivileged students. Programs will take place in San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, Monterey, San Benito, and San Luis Obispo counties and focus on two areas: meaningful watershed educational experiences for students; and professional development for educators. Several projects received funding up to $60,000.
Among the 13 grantees are:
- Beach Garden Project (Seaside, Salinas, Hollister, Monterey): Students and teachers will learn restoration skills at public parks around Monterey Bay. Hands-on activities include seed collection, propagation of seedlings, outplanting and monitoring of the restored areas.
- Monterey High School (Monterey): In collaboration with the city of Monterey and Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary staff, students will select creek sites around urban Monterey for pollution runoff mitigation, restoration and monitoring.
- San Mateo County Resource Conservation District (San Mateo County): Community members of San Mateo County will become citizen volunteers to collect water quality data in six creeks within two protected areas of the central San Mateo coast. The results will identify impacts from urban, agricultural and equestrian sources.
“The Monterey Bay area is a Mecca for ocean science and education,” said Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Superintendent Paul Michel. “The numerous institutions and resources, such as the Monterey Bay sanctuary, provide a unique venue for learning. These grants provide an opportunity for students to see, touch and learn about our nation’s underwater treasures and the watersheds that lead to them.”
The NOAA B-WET Program was established in 2002 to enhance environmental stewardship among students, teachers and communities through education. Recognizing that an educated community is the key to understanding and sustaining the nation’s ocean and coastal environments, NOAA has developed B-WET programs across the United States.
NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries seeks to increase the public awareness of America’s marine resources and maritime heritage by conducting scientific research, monitoring, exploration and educational programs. Today, the sanctuary program manages 13 national marine sanctuaries and one marine national monument that together encompass more than 150,000 square miles of America’s ocean and Great Lakes natural and cultural resources.
NOAA understands and predicts changes in the Earth's environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and conserves and manages our coastal and marine resources.