Seacology

Wow! Dozens of residents recently participated in three coastline cleanup days for our project on Exposición, Inglesera, and Pacar Islands in Honduras. Together with our project partner Coddeffagolf, the community collected over two tons of garbage from the beaches and sent it to a municipal facility for proper disposal.

“Blue carbon” ecosystems—coastal and oceanic habitats that can transfer carbon from the atmosphere to the ocean—significantly mitigate the effects of climate change. Check out this interactive guide to blue carbon ecosystems:

Blue Carbon in Marine Protected Areas A Guide to Understanding and Increasing Protection of Blue Carbon

August 9 marks the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, which aims to raise awareness of the needs of indigenous populations. Seacology has always put respect for indigenous island communities at the heart of our conservation work—and studies have shown that protecting Indigenous land and culture produces healthier ecosystems.

Indigenous lands hold the world’s healthiest forests – but only when their rights are protected The world’s healthiest tropical forests are located in protected Indigenous areas (PIAs), according to a new study. “After accounting for location biases […], protected-Indigenous areas had the highest protective effect on forest integrity and the lowest land-use intensity relative to Indigeno...

Islands are home to many unique plants and animals found nowhere else in the world. Unfortunately, this means these species are particularly vulnerable to habitat loss, hunting, and other threats.

Curious about how Seacology helps endangered animals? Learn more about some of the island species our projects have helped protect:

Meet some of the rare island animals we're working to protect - Seacology Many of the world’s most endangered species are found only on islands. Read about 10 of these island species and how we’re protecting them.

Take a look at the winners of this year's Mangrove Photography Awards, hosted by the Mangrove Action Project (MAP). These beautiful and often haunting photos highlight many important ways mangroves impact ecosystems and communities.

Mangrove Photography Awards: Portrait of storm victim wins prize The Mangrove Photography Awards entries capture unique ecosystems above and below the waterline.

We're thrilled to help build hope and support important projects and events like this one!

You’re invited to join Seacology for a kayaking adventure in Alameda! 🛶

We’re teaming up with Sea Trek Kayak and SUP Center to bring you a memorable day of kayaking, sightseeing, and getting to know your fellow conservation enthusiasts. Enjoy the calm water and natural beauty of Crown State Memorial Beach in this ~2.5 hour guided kayak tour, great for both first-time and experienced paddlers.

Our 21+ excursion will meet at the Ballena Isle Marina in Alameda at 11:00 AM on Saturday, August 24. The cost of this event is $85 per person for the kayak rental and tour, and will go to Sea Trek, not Seacology. We welcome you to invite any friends or family members who might like to attend!

Space is limited, so reserve your spot today! We look forward to adventuring with you.

Seacology Adventure — Alameda kayaking outing - Seacology Join Seacology on August 24 for a fun, scenic kayak tour of San Francisco Bay.

Happy ! Join us in celebrating and spreading the word about the importance of mangroves. These miraculous coastal forests protect shorelines from storms and erosion, provide shelter for small fish and other marine life, and capture enormous amounts of carbon from the atmosphere.

There’s a lot to love about these trees and the critical role they play, especially in island ecosystems. Over 100 Seacology projects specifically focus on mangroves, and many others benefit them indirectly.

Happy World Mangrove Day! - Seacology On July 26, conservationists around the world celebrate mangroves, which protect shorelines, support marine life, and fight climate change.

What exactly is , and how can it help environmental conservation efforts? 🌎 Learn more about how it works, and how Seacology practices ecotourism:

Ecotourism and why it matters - Seacology You’ve probably heard the term “ecotourism.” . But what exactly does it mean, and what are its implications for the environment?

A new study shows how the metabolic rates of warm-blooded island species make it more difficult for them to adapt to environmental changes.

Why Animals Living on Islands Are at Greater Risk of Extinction Warm-blooded island species tend to evolve a slower metabolic rate compared with their mainland counterparts, making it harder for them to bounce back when under stress

We're proud to have played a role in these ongoing conservation efforts!

Big thanks to CIBC Caribbean for supporting our work in Curaçao! The bank’s gift of $25,000 will go toward coral restoration and sea turtle protection, led by our partners Reef Renewal Curaçao and Sea Turtle Conservation Curacao.

Bank says farewell with USD$25,000 gift to marine project CIBC FirstCaribbean Bank

Our 13 new projects will partner with island communities around the world, including two new countries we’ve never worked in before: New Zealand and Turkey!

Learn more about about each of these exciting new partnerships here: https://www.seacology.org/2024/06/seacology-begins-work-in-70th-country/

2023 was a year of deepening and growing our work on islands across the globe. 🌎 Here are some of the 2023 highlights we’re most proud of!

For more, take a look at the full report at https://www.seacology.org/about/annual-reports/

It’s World Reef Awareness Day! 🌊 🪸

Unfortunately, our planet’s reefs face many threats, including increasing ocean temperatures, acidity, and pollution. A new disease that rapidly kills coral has been sweeping through reefs in the Caribbean, primarily affecting stony, reef-building corals.

We’re working with Reef Renewal Curaçao to build a new coral nursery to help combat this disease, which hit Curaçao in 2023 and is expected to kill 25% of the already depleted reefs on the island. This project is trying different techniques to determine the best ways to cultivate and outplant massive and boulder corals, in hopes of benefiting coral conservationists worldwide.

Members of Seacology recently observed the progress of the nursery, and learned about the innovative techniques used to propagate and restore different types of corals. Photos courtesy of Field Representative Lynn Costenaro and Future Vision Imaging.

Check out these "Leadership in Action" podcast interviews with The Barry & Marie Lipman Family Prize 2024 winners! Host Dr. Anne Greenhalgh interviews the leaders of the three winning organizations, including Seacology's Executive Director Duane Silverstein.

Press & Media Press & Media Seacology Wins $250,000 Lipman Family Prize Seacology has been named the winner of the 2024 Barry & Marie Lipman Family Prize. Chosen from approximately 130 applicants around the globe, Seacology protects threatened island ecosystems all over the world by working directly with communit...

Happy World Otter Day! 🦦

On Chorão Island in Goa, India, Seacology is supporting the efforts of local NGO Wild Otters Research to protect mangrove forests and vulnerable species that inhabit the island, including the smooth-coated otter. These otters sometimes hunt for fish in the island’s large communal fishing ponds, which unfortunately makes them a target for local people who also rely on the fish. The otters are also threatened by hunters and are captured for the exotic pet trade.

Our partners are working with the local community to change attitudes about the smooth-coated otter, and restore a balance between the needs of Chorão’s people and wildlife by promoting ecotourism.

We're so happy to help make a difference!

We've changed our username on Instagram! To better reflect the broad scope of the work we do and all of the content we share with our community, we've changed our Instagram username from to

If you already follow us on Instagram, our new name should pop up automatically when you tag or search for us there. If you don't yet follow us on Instagram, now's a great time to do so! https://www.instagram.com/seacology_org/

Photo by Jamie Haughton on Unsplash

May 22 is International Day for Biological Diversity. Seacology focuses exclusively on islands for several reasons, but perhaps most importantly because islands are among the world's greatest centers of biodiversity. Islands take up only five percent of Earth’s land, but are home to an estimated 20 percent of the world’s bird, reptile, and plant species. New ones are still regularly discovered.

Unfortunately, island species are disproportionately threatened with extinction. Almost 40 percent of critically endangered animals live on islands.

By working with more than 400 island communities around the world, Seacology's win-win approach to conservation has helped to protect many vulnerable island habitats, and all the unique life they contain.

Why Islands? - Seacology The extinction crisis that threatens our planet is most acute on islands, where most animal extinctions in the past 500 years have occurred. Because islands are isolated, many new species evolve on them—and those species are extraordinarily vulnerable.

On Saturday, Seacology friends, supporters, and staff joined the wonderful team at Sea Trek Kayak and SUP Center for a day of kayaking and learning about San Francisco Bay’s marine ecosystems and history. Read more about our inaugural local excursion! https://www.seacology.org/2024/05/seacologys-first-local-kayaking-trip-is-a-success/

While so much of our work takes place far from the US, it was very grounding to connect with the communities and ecosystems in our own backyard. We hope to lead more events like this in the future, to help our local ecosystem of Seacology friends and supporters thrive. 🦭

Discover how Seacology is empowering Curaçao’s communities and protecting vital ecosystems through innovative conservation initiatives! 🌿🌊

https://www.divecuracao.info/curacao-diving-news/seacology-island-mission-in-curacao/

Sea Turtle Conservation Curacao Dive Curacao Reef Renewal Curaçao Curacao Sea Aquarium WWF Dutch Caribbean

The Seacology Island Mission of Preserving Curaçao for the Future Seacology is committed to advancing conservation in Curaçao and is providing generous support for key island initiatives.

Last chance to sign up for our kayaking adventure in Sausalito, CA, this weekend! We only have a few spots left.

We’re partnering with Sea Trek to bring you a day of enjoying the beautiful bay and getting to know your fellow conservation enthusiasts. Our 21+ excursion will meet at 11:00 AM this Saturday, May 18, for a ~2-hour kayak tour and optional late lunch. Hope to see you on the water!

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We did it! 🥳 We’ve reached our fundraising goal of $24,000 to protect the Sri Lankan leopard and the forests of the Central Highlands!

Big, heartfelt gratitude to everyone who donated and spread the word. Thanks to you, we’ll be able to fund the maintenance of wildlife corridors and the creation of conservation programs for local communities in Sri Lanka.

Huge thanks to for implementing this project; to our generous board members for their contributions; and to Nu Skin's Mission To Be A Force For Good for their matching gift. If you’d like to contribute to this project, our fundraising campaign will still be active for a few days. Any additional funds raised will go directly toward WWCT’s work protecting the Central Highlands. seacology.org/leopards

Last year, we raised over $60,000 during our Earth Day fundraising campaign to enable the Lanka Mangrove Museum to reopen. This year, the museum is thriving! They celebrated Earth Day 2024 with a recycled paper-making program for their “Together With Mangroves” Children and Youth Environmental Society.

Leela Padmini Batuwitage, our field representative for Sri Lanka, reported that the kids involved in the program were motivated to admire and uphold nature in their daily lives. They also learned the value of teamwork, ensuring that everyone had a chance to be involved, and taking pride in what they created.

Our Earth Day campaign this year is currently raising money for another project in Sri Lanka: creating local environmental education programs and reforesting the Central Highlands. A gift of even just $5 or $10 will help us implement projects that will continue to benefit the communities and ecosystems of this beautiful island for years to come. Learn more and donate at www.seacology.org/leopards

Thanks to all of our wonderful supporters, we’re already a third of the way to our fundraising goal! ✨ Help us reach our goal of $24,000 to maintain 17 miles of wildlife corridors and create 15 new conservation programs for local communities in Sri Lanka.

Plus, Nu Skin's Mission To Be A Force For Good is currently matching up to $5,000 of all donations to this campaign! If you choose to donate, your gift will be effectively doubled by Nu Skin’s match. Every little bit helps, so please support and share our campaign today! seacology.org/leopards

How are you celebrating our beautiful world this Earth Day? 🌎 Beginning today, you can help save the Sri Lankan leopard by supporting our crowdfunding campaign! 🐆

Sri Lanka’s Central Highlands is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to many unique and endangered species—including the Sri Lankan leopard, which has fewer than 1,000 of its kind surviving in the wild. Every gift to our campaign, large or small, will go directly to preserving this special ecosystem and its inhabitants. Your contribution will enable our partners WWCT to maintain 17 miles of wildlife corridors and create 15 new conservation programs for local communities.

Please donate to our campaign, and share the link to help us meet our goal of $24,000 to fully fund this project! seacology.org/leopards

Help Build a Generation of Forest Guardians and Save the Sri Lankan Leopard! Beginning this Earth Day, you can help protect the forests of Sri Lanka's Central Highlands, home to the Sri Lankan leopard and other endangered species.

We are so excited to share that our nonprofit has been named the grand prize winner of the 2024 Lipman Family Prize! Awarded by the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, the prize includes a generous award to support our innovative work protecting the threatened ecosystems and cultures of islands around the world.

Tonight, our 13th annual Lipman Family Prize award ceremony was a testament to the incredible impact of our 2024 winners: Food for Education, Seacology, and Simprints. Surrounded by familiar faces and new connections, we were immersed in a world of inspiration. A special shoutout to Seacology for being the 2024 Grand Prize Winner! Below is Duane Silverstein, Executive Director of Seacology, graciously accepting the honor from Barry Lipman. Here's to celebrating their remarkable achievements and the bright futures ahead!