August 20, 2001
Contact: Tim Stephens (831) 459-2495; stephens@cats.ucsc.edu

Fall lecture series on marine research and conservation hosted by UCSC's Seymour Marine Discovery Center and Save Our Shores

SANTA CRUZ, CA--Tuesday evenings in September, the Seymour Marine Discovery Center and Save Our Shores (SOS) will cohost an exciting lecture series titled "Ebb and Flow: Tales of Marine Research and Conservation." The series focuses on the natural synergy between scientific findings and environmental protection, highlighting the exchange between scientists, resource managers, and communities in protecting our marine environment.

The lectures will take place on September 11, 18, and 25 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Seymour Center at Long Marine Lab. Admission is $5 for members of the Seymour Center or SOS, and $6 for the general public. Tickets for the series are $12 for members and $16 for the general public. Tickets are available at the Seymour Center admissions desk and at the SOS main office at the Santa Cruz Yacht Harbor. Call (831) 459-3800 for ticket information.

Each evening will feature two presentations by speakers such as Wallace J. Nichols, director of the Wildcoast international conservation team, and Donald Croll, assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at UC Santa Cruz and cofounder of Island Conservation. The speakers are all people who work with one foot in the world of scientific research and the other in the world of conservation and environmental activism, said Lisa Borok, visitor programs manager at the Seymour Center.

The following list provides details of each evening's presentations.

September 11

Sea Turtle Tales: Conservation and research in Baja California
Wallace J. Nichols, Director, Wildcoast international conservation team

Wildcoast works to preserve the endangered marine species and coastal wildlands of the Californias. The group is working to implement a sea turtle recovery program for Baja California, and is using satellite tracking to study sea turtle migrations. Nichols is also coauthor of a children's book about sea turtles (Chelonia), and the presentations this evening will be suitable for school-age children.

Returning Home: Bringing the common murre back to Devil's Slide Rock
Mike Parker, Wildlife Biologist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Parker helps direct three agencies working to restore a breeding colony of common murres that was wiped out by an oil spill near San Francisco in 1986. The spill killed 9,000 seabirds, of which 6,000 were common murres.

September 18

Conservation of Seabirds: Islands and introduced species
Don Croll, Codirector, Island Conservation; Assistant Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, UCSC

Croll conducts research on the ecology of whales, seabirds, and other marine animals, and studies the effects of introduced species on ecosystems. In 1995, he and Bernie Tershy, an assistant research biologist at UCSC, founded Island Conservation, a science-driven conservation organization that works with local people and agencies to protect seabirds and other native species on islands.

Pacific Salmon and the Endangered Species Act
Peter Adams, Salmon Analysis Branch Chief, National Marine Fisheries Service Santa Cruz Laboratory

In the past four years, nearly all of the Pacific Coast of the continental United States has been covered by salmon listings under the Endangered Species Act. According to Adams, the effort to protect endangered Pacific salmon species will be the largest environmental conservation effort ever attempted, potentially affecting everyone living in the western states.

September 25

Tales from the Beach: A collaborative effort in seabird and marine mammal conservation in Monterey Bay
Scott Benson, Volunteer Coordinator, Beachcombers Project

Benson is a graduate student at Moss Landing Marine Laboratories and coordinates the Beachcombers Project for the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. This volunteer group monitors local beaches and collects data to assess trends in beachcast marine birds and mammals. Benson received a Sanctuary Award for his work with the group.

Coastal and marine conservation in the Nature Conservancy
Mike Beck, Director, Coastal Waters Program, The Nature Conservancy

As director of the Coastal Waters Program, Beck is working to expand the Nature Conservancy's efforts to protect marine ecosystems worldwide. He is based at UCSC's Center for Ocean Health through a cooperative agreement between the campus's Institute of Marine Sciences and the Nature Conservancy.

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