The Living Oceans Foundation Global Reef Expedition kicks off 2015 in Palau, visiting many of the country’s reefs including the Rock Islands Southern Lagoon, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The purpose of the research here is to obtain detailed information about the health and state of the reefs through various survey and data collection methods. The science team will also compare marine protected areas with non-protected areas to evaluate marine management strategies. The result will be a detailed scientific report for local communities, agencies, and relevant stakeholders in the region to help with ongoing management and conservation of Palau’s coral reefs.
Meet IFAN: Helping Bring Navigate with Care to the Next Generation
If you’ve ever seen a lighthouse flashing from the shore or a brightly colored buoy bobbing in the water, you’ve seen Aids to Navigation at work.
Aids to Navigation, often called AtoNs, help mariners navigate safely. They can mark channels, warn of hazards, help vessels determine their position, and provide other information people need to make safe decisions on the water. Around the world, these systems help guide everything from small recreational boats to large commercial or container ships.
But safe navigation isn’t only about protecting vessels and the people aboard them. The choices mariners make can also affect the animals and ecosystems beneath and around them.
That connection between maritime safety and ocean conservation is at the heart of this year’s Science Without Borders® Challenge—and of our partnership with this year’s theme sponsor, the International Foundation for Aids to Navigation (IFAN).
