Santa Barbara Channel Keeper

Education - the organization inspires local students to understand and appreciate their local environment through a combination of interactive classroom lessons and outdoor educational experiences. In 2024, we provided lessons and/or experiences to 1,200 local students through our environmental science education program. We hosted our 21st annual student art show on the theme of "what the channel means to me." we supported southern california based researchers examining the impact of harmful algal blooms by collecting plankton and biotoxin samples in the channel

Community engagement - the organization motivates and mobilizes community volunteers to take specific actions that protect local creeks, beaches, coastal waters, and the channel islands. We trained 61 prospective volunteers to participate in shore-based surveys of three local, coastal marine protected areas, to supplement our 17 staff-conducted boat-based surveys. Volunteers conducted 694 shore based surveys. We carried out our watershed brigade program with 446 volunteers. They removed more than 16,000 pounds of trash and marine debris in clean-up events. We worked with local fishermen to remove 30 derelict lobster traps from beaches stretching from shoreline park to goleta beach. We coordinated two clean ups at the channel islands, resulting in the removal of more than 7,800 pounds of trash.