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SAVE THE EARTH FOUNDATION'S FUNDING HELPS GET THE DAVIDSON SEAMOUNT PROTECTED

The Davidson Seamount has recently been added to the boundaries of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. There will now be protection for ancient, spectacular corals as well as newly discovered rare species ( NOAA has identified 13 species new to science so far). The recent research that Save The Earth funded has identified a key regional role that the Davidson Seamount serves to the Central California ecosystem, and has provided for a strong site characterization that is the basis of a management plan NOAA is developing for Davidson Seamount. Save The Earth's sponsorship has helped generate sound science and national excitement to protect this area.

When President Bush announced that Davidson Seamount would be protected under the Sanctuaries Act, and again when the designation was final, the national media seized upon this topic that engenders excitement with the public. Save The Earth clearly recognizes the need for engaging national and international audiences in important environmental issues. There are more than 30,000 seamounts in the global oceans, a fraction of one percent have been explored, and some seamounts have already been obliterated of coral communities by destructive harvesting. As the only seamount in the National Marine Sanctuary program, Davidson will serve as a research and education focus on this unique habitat type. Only through exciting research that can be interpreted to the public can we effectively influence public policy and human behavior.