Immersive Marine Science: LiMPETS Brings Youth to North Coast Sanctuary Shores

LiMPETS is wrapping up another year of reaching North Coast schools! With support from the NOAA California Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) program, the California State Coastal Conservancy, Disney Conservation Fund, and The Packard Foundation, Greater Farallones Association and Greater Farallones and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuaries provided 122 students from Mendocino, Sonoma, and Marin Title 1 high schools immersive marine science experiences on our Sanctuary north coast shores. 

Through LiMPETS, middle and high schoolers across the state contribute to real-world data, helping to document the presence of 27 taxa important to coastal ecosystems. This year, the North Coast LiMPETS project was focused on kelp, with students learning about the kelp forest ecosystem, the collapse of bull kelp forest, and how their contributions during field trips to the Greater Farallones Sonoma kelp restoration sites help our restoration work. Students learn about the ecosystem, wildlife, national marine sanctuaries, California marine protected areas, and more.

Thanks to the amazing teachers and students from Point Arena High School, Pacific Community Charter, Tomales High School, and Roseland University Prep who participated this year for helping protect the coast through science!

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Photos: Students learning and helping to collect scientific data on intertidal species at Gerstle Cove State Marine Reserve. Credit: PAUHS Teacher. (Click to enlarge.)