WILDCOAST’s Floating Laboratories are Helping to Conserve our Marine Protected Areas

This summer and fall, WILDCOAST is carrying out an exciting project to engage San Diego County students in the conservation of the region’s marine protected areas, or MPAs. Through our Floating Laboratory project, students from the Sycuan Teen Center, La Jolla Band of Luiseño Indians, San Ysidro Girl Scout Troop 5912 and Imperial Beach Junior Lifeguards are conducting real scientific research on the water to help guide MPA management decisions and enhance their ability to protect coastal and marine resources.

“It has been great to see the students get excited to apply what they are learning in science classes to the real world and at the same time be part of the monitoring and conservation of their MPA,” said Diane Castaneda, WILDCOAST’s Communications Coordinator. “Citizen Science projects like these not only help out researchers collecting data, but it builds the capacity of young people to become active marine stewards.”  

WILDCOAST would like to thank the Sycuan Teen Center, La Jolla Band of Luiseño Indians, San Ysidro Girl Scout Troop 5912 and Imperial Beach Junior Lifeguards for participating in the project. We would also like to thank Seaforth Landing and Crystal Cove Alliance for making the project possible. Most of all we want to thank the California Coastal Commission and their Whale Tail Grants Program, and San Diego Gas & Electric for supporting our Floating Laboratory project in 2016!