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January 2011 E-Current
 E-Current
January 2011 |
In this Issue: Photo Contest Winner • *Last* Photo Tip Column • CORAL Field Summit • UN Resolution on Coral Reefs |
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Feature Location: Indonesia
Recycled Paper Project
 In partnership with a number of local organizations and businesses, CORAL helped to start a paper recycling program at schools in the coastal community of Amed, Bali. This isn't your typical recycling program, though. Kids at the school actually use scrap paper collected from marine recreation partners to create beautiful new recycled paper as part of their arts and crafts program. Funds raised from selling the paper go toward the development of a garbage management system at their schools, which will help to protect the health and beauty of nearby coral reefs.
Learn more about our projects in Indonesia »
 Help the Reefs Quick Tip
Educating yourself and others about coral reefs, the threats they face, and the solutions we can pursue is one of the most important actions you can take to protect these critical marine ecosystems. Check out our updated online resources section to get connected with tools for educators, managers, and anyone interested in learning more.
More on our site »
Rising Greenhouse Gases Profoundly Impact Microscopic Marine Life
Source: The University of California, Merced
El Niño Killing Young Coral Reef Fish, Biologists Find
Source: MSNBC
Belize Banishes Destructive Trawling
Source: The Huffington Post
Climate Goal May Spell End for Some Coral Reefs
Source: The Associated Press
Conditioning Reefs for the Future
Source: The University of Queensland
More News...
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Happy New Year from all of us at the Coral Reef Alliance! We're excited to move into 2011, a year that is ripe with possibilities and ready for progress. This edition of E-Current highlights some of the reasons I feel particularly positive about the year to come.
First of all, a full week of strategic planning at our field summit in Mexico has our entire international programs staff feeling even more energized and centered on the path to making our goals a reality. And we're not wasting any time in moving forward, especially as the unimpressive results of the nearby United Nations COP16 climate negotiations in Cancun underscore how essential CORAL's innovative community-based solutions are. We do have some encouraging news to report from global decision-makers, though, as the UN General Assembly's Economic and Financial Committee recently adopted a resolution on coral reef protection.
To top it off, the inspiring photography we're showcasing this month serves as an important reminder not only of the incredible creatures and places we are working to protect, but also of the talented people who are coming together to help.
I look forward to sharing our progress with you throughout the year!
Interim Executive Director
Conservation Programs Director
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Photo Contest Winner Announced!
Congratulations to William Goodwin from Birmingham, Alabama, who is now a second-time winner of the E-Current Photo Contest. Capturing this incredible shot of a peppermint shrimp (Lysmata wurdemanni) seeking refuge in a vase sponge (Callyspongia vaginalis) required him to hang upside-down above the sponge while holding his breath and the detached strobe, carefully avoiding any noise or contact that would scare the shrimp or disturb the environment. Click below to download William's photo as your desktop wallpaper and learn more about the photo contest.Download the photo » |
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*Last* Photo Tip Column: The Big Picture
We have been so lucky to benefit from two years of sage advice from our underwater photo guru, Jeff Yonover. While Jeff will continue his involvement with CORAL, this photo column will be his last. After giving so much, Jeff has lots of great ideas for how you can also give back by using your underwater photographs to further conservation efforts. Read the column » |
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CORAL Field Summit Meeting in Mexico
CORAL's program staff from around the globe met in our project site in Mexico for an incredibly productive week of strategic planning and team building. International colleagues had the chance to share recent challenges and successes from their sites with each other, gaining new tools to enhance their Coral Reef Sustainable Destination (CRSD) objectives. Read the story » |
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UN Adopts Resolutions on Coral Reefs and Marine Biodiversity
The United Nations General Assembly's Economic and Financial Committee recently adopted a resolution urging countries to take all necessary steps to protect coral reefs, including taking immediate and concerted global, regional, and local action to respond to the challenges of climate change and ocean acidification. Although the resolution is short on any commitments to action, it is a step in the right direction. Read the story by CORAL's Rick MacPherson » |
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* Photo Credits and Notes:
Banner Photo: Spine-cheeked anemonefish (Premnas biaculeatus), Solomon Islands
Photographer: Nancy Sefton
Large Center Photo: Peppermint shrimp (Lysmata wurdemanni) in a vase sponge (Callyspongia vaginalis), Cayman Brac
Photographer: William Goodwin
Left Side Photo: Recycled paper made by school children in Bali
Photographer: CORAL staff
Thumbnail photo credits: 1) William Goodwin; 2) Jeff Yonover; 3) CORAL staff; 4) Steve Turek
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