Greater Farallones Association

Habitat conservation: working with the sanctuaries, gfa restores ocean ecosystems and builds resilience to climate change. Focus areas include kelp forest restoration, whale conservation, and addressing sea-level rise impacts on coastal habitats. Gfa also leads collaborative efforts to better manage sediment on California beaches to protect humans and wildlife.

Education and outreach: gfa engages thousands of youth and adults each year, connecting communities and students from to their local ocean environment. Gfa supports the sanctuaries visitor center, caring for animals in saltwater aquaria and providing inspiring field trips along the coast. Gfa delivers inquiry-based lessons that inspire wonder and spark an interest in science, nature, and ocean stewardship. A key focus in determining student audiences is reaching underserved students and encouraging a racially diverse next generation of marine stewards.

Ecosystem monitoring: in partnership with sanctuaries, gfa monitors the health of coastal and ocean ecosystems. Through the 30-year-old beach watch program, highly trained volunteers monitor wildlife populations along 200 miles of beaches monthly. In addition, gfa engages high school students in scientific fieldwork in intertidal areas. Gfa also assists the sanctuaries in monitoring marine wildlife and ocean conditions through deep-sea research. Data gathered and analyzed by gfa staff help resource managers make the best science-based decisions to protect the sanctuaries.