22nd Annual Waterman's Weekend Beneficiaries
The SIMA Environmental Fund aims to continue the fundraising legacy and raise $400,000 at the 2011 Waterman's Weekend. All proceeds will be distributed in the form of SIMA Environmental Fund grants to one new and 19 returning beneficiary groups. The 20 ocean-environmental organizations will dedicate those funds to programs that will address water quality and ocean pollution issues; defend beaches and surf breaks from development; or provide public education about ocean conservation.
Each organization was chosen by the SIMA Environmental Fund Board of Directors based on their commitment of funds to specific projects that will protect and preserve oceans, beaches and/or surf breaks. In selecting the 2011 SIMA Environmental Fund grant recipients, the SIMA Environmental Fund Board of Directors requested that applicants submit a proposal detailing how the funds would be used to improve the ocean ecology or surf locations. Each organization's proposal included a description of the specific program that the grant would be directed to, including the expected environmental impact.
Following is a list of the 2011 SIMA Environmental Fund grant recipients along with a description of the program(s) to which the organizations will be directing their grants:
Surfrider Foundation
The SIMA Grant will enable efforts to save, improve and protect surf locations, protect the quality of water in the surf zone, ocean environmental education, as well as a specific portion of the grant dedicated to the fight to save Trestles.
Ocean Institute
Grant will support the Watershed Education Program designed for students for hands-on education about the environmental impact of their behaviors.
WiLDCOAST
Dedicated funds will support the Wildlands Conservation Program that conserves threatened surfing areas on the Baja California Peninsula through public and private land conservations.
Heal the Bay
Funds will support the health and safety research of more than 500 beaches and watersheds from Oregon to the border of Mexico for Heal the Bay’s Beach Report Card program for one full year.
Orange County CoastKeeper
Grant will support efforts to reduce the health threats caused by urban runoff pollution in Orange County, Calif., through advocacy, enforcement, education, promotion of low impact development standards, and water monitoring efforts.
Surfing Education Association
Dedicated funds will be used to protect surfing sites and public accessibility at Waikiki Beach, the North Shore and other surfing areas on Oahu.
Alaska Wilderness League
Dedicated funds will assist with advocating for a comprehensive federal, science-based planning process and to pursue actions to protect Arctic marine ecosystems and subsistence resources from further harm from industrial activities, including oil and gas development and shipping.
Seymour Marine Discovery Center
Funds will be used towards their school programs, including discovery labs, reserved group tours and self-guided exhibit explorations. These programs educate the public about the role marine science plays in understanding and conserving the world's oceans.
Algalita Marine Research Foundation
Funds will be used towards their Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Project, where high school students are taught how to use data from AMRF’s research in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre. The funds will also support their Watershed Wonders School Assembly Program that teaches middle-school students how plastic debris gets into watersheds.
Save the Waves Coalition
Funds will assist their World Surfing Reserves program to proactively designate and help preserve special, outstanding waves and surf zones around the world. Funds will also assist with their Chile Program that is designed to reduce industrial pollution in several coastal areas with world-class surf.
Reef Check
Funds will be used for the continued expansion of the Reef Check California (RCCA) program and its goal to improve marine management in California through education, training and community engagement.
KAHEA: The Hawaiian-Environmental Alliance
The Hawaiian-Environmental Alliance: Funds will be used to build a coalition of environmental activists through an interactive online community, arming ocean users with a “bill of rights” card, and an Action Alert Network.
SINADES: Natural Systems and Development Civil Association
Funds will be used for their Young Environmental Ambassadors program, which empowers a group of local youth to conserve and protect the community's most important resources - the beaches and surf breaks of Todos Santos and Pescadero, B.C. S., Mexico.
Santa Barbara Channelkeeper
Funds will assist their Advocacy and Enforcement Program which will focus on reducing disposable shopping bag use; regulating pollution from agriculture; reducing algae on the Ventura River; and reducing sewage spills in Santa Barbara.
North Shore Community Land Trust (NSCLT)
Funds will be used to permanently protect Pupukea Paumalu and the local waters, community stewardship of public beach access, and other efforts to preserve Oahu’s North Shore.
Assateague Coastal Trust, Inc.
Dedicated funds will assist with watershed patrols, water quality monitoring and the Chesapeake Agricultural Practices Campaign. The funds will also benefit Coast Kids, a family-focused environmental education program, and Grow Berlin Green, a campaign to establish ACT’s hometown of Berlin, MD as a model community for environmental protection.
Santa Monica Baykeeper
Dedicated funds will assist their DrainWatch Water Quality Monitoring Program which will identify the dominant sources of pollution in Santa Monica Bay through end of pipe monitoring and empowering volunteers to collect testing samples.
Ocean Defenders Alliance
Funds will go to expanding their marine debris and underwater clean-up campaign’s range of operations in Southern California.
Paso Pacifico
Funds will be dedicated to engaging the local Nicaraguan surfing community in protecting their marine and coastal environment through educating peers about emerging threats of coastal development and conservation issues, as well as coastal clean-ups.
Cook Inletkeeper
Funds will be used for the protection of the Cook Inlet watershed and analysis needed to support litigation to reduce discharges from Alaska’s largest sewage treatment plant.