Greater Farallones Association

GREATER FARALLONES ASSOCIATION IS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT PARTNERS WITH NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION'S OFFICE OF NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARIES TO CONSERVE THE WILDLIFE AND HABITATS OF THE GREATER FARALLONES NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY.

HABITAT CONSERVATION: WORKING WITH THE GFNMS, GFA RESTORES COASTAL AND MARINE HABITATS, CONSERVES VULNERABLE WILDLIFE AND ECOSYSTEMS AND ASSISTS COASTAL COMMUNITIES IN PREPARING FOR CLIMATE CHANGE. FOR EXAMPLE, GFA IS COORDINATING EFFORTS IN CALIFORNIA TO MAP AND RESTORE BULL KELP POPULATIONS ALONG 200 MILES OF COASTLINE. GFA ALSO SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCES BOAT AND AIRCRAFT DISTURBANCES TO ENDANGERED WHALES AND KEY SEABIRD COLONIES. PROMOTING NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS, GFA REHABILITATES ECOLOGICALLY IMPORTANT WETLANDS AND REDUCES CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS ON WILDLIFE AND PEOPLE, WHILE HELPING TO SUSTAIN A VIBRANT AND DIVERSE ECOSYSTEM.

ECOSYSTEM MONITORING: GFA MONITORS THE HEALTH OF WILDLIFE ECOSYSTEMS IN THE COASTAL AND MARINE HABITATS OF THE SANCTUARY. WORKING WITH THE GFNMS, GFA COORDINATES SKILLED VOLUNTEERS IN MONITORING MORE THAN 200 MILES OF BEACHES MONTHLY FOR CHANGES IN WILDLIFE POPULATIONS. GFA HAS INCLUDED IN ITS FINANCIAL STATEMENTS THE ENORMOUS VALUE OF VOLUNTEER LABOR THAT SUPPORTS THE 25-YEAR-OLD BEACH WATCH PROGRAM, DEMONSTRATING THE GREAT LEVERAGING POWER OF DONATIONS TO GFA. IN ADDITION, THROUGH THE PROGRAM LONG-TERM MONITORING PROGRAM AND EXPERIENTIAL TRAINING FOR STUDENTS, GFA ENGAGES HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN SCIENTIFIC FIELDWORK IN INTERTIDAL AREAS. GFA ALSO ASSISTS THE GFNMS IN MONITORING MARINE WILDLIFE DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE, ZOOPLANKTON PREY AVAILABILITY AND OCEANOGRAPHIC CONDITIONS. DATA GATHERED AND ANALYZED BY GFA STAFF HELP FEDERAL AND STATE RESOURCE MANAGERS MAKE THE BEST SCIENCE-BASED DECISIONS TO PROTECT THE SANCTUARY.

EDUCATION AND OUTREACH: GFA ENGAGES OVER 14,000 ADULTS AND YOUTH A YEAR FROM THE NINE COUNTIES OF THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA AND CONNECTS THEM TO THEIR LOCAL OCEAN ENVIRONMENT. WORKING WITH THE GFNMS, GFA CONDUCTS COASTAL FIELD TRIPS AND SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAMS. THE INQUIRY-BASED LESSONS INSPIRE CURIOSITY AND WONDER, HELP STUDENTS DISCOVER THE OCEAN AND SPARK AN INTEREST IN SCIENCE, NATURE AND A STEWARDSHIP ETHIC. GFA BEGAN PROVIDING VIRTUAL MARINE SCIENCE CLASSES TO MANY STUDENTS LEARNING REMOTELY DUE TO COVID-19. THE ONLINE COMMUNICATIONS REACH THE BROADER PUBLIC AS WELL, SERVING MORE THAN 40,000 PEOPLE A YEAR WITH INSPIRING INFORMATION ABOUT THE SANCTUARY'S WILDLIFE AND ECOSYSTEMS.

JUSTICE EQUITY DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION AND SANCTUARY SUPPORT SERVICES.