The Ocean

Marine Recreation Community Workshop Online Toolkit

Photo: Right whale

Photograph by Brian Skerry, National Geographic

The National Geographic's Ocean Education Program aims to engage and collaborate with the marine recreation community with a shared goal of raising public awareness about ocean conservation and inspiring people to help protect the vital natural resources that the ocean provides. National Geographic, with the support of Oracle, created workshops for the ocean recreation community to share current marine science and conservation science and discuss how the ocean recreation community can educate, motivate, and inspire the public to be stewards of the ocean in order to ensure the future of ocean recreation. This toolkit page will aid educators and ocean organizations in planning and delivering their own workshop for the marine recreation community.

 

National Geographic Education Programs created and hosted one-day workshops for members of the marine recreation community, including wildlife watching operators, sport fishermen, scuba professionals, lifeguards, surf instructors, kayak guides, park rangers, and ocean educators. The workshops were held in Miami, Florida; Monterey Bay, California; San Diego, California; and Galveston, Texas. This planning guide offers tips and program suggestions for other organizations to create their own workshop for the marine recreation community.

Planning Guide (PDF)

 

Recruiting members of the marine recreation community to attend the workshop is key! We sent invitations via e-mail and Facebook, and visited the organizations face to face to share the program. Take a look at our sample invitation, and you can fill in your own event's information in the blank invitation template.

Sample Invitation – San Diego, CA, and Galveston, TX (PDF)
Blank Invitation Template (PDF)

 

At our in-person workshops, a variety of experts spoke on local conservation issues, ocean species, and ocean science, and we ended the day with a communication strategies session. The samples here will help you organize your own lineup of speakers and topics, as well as clearly define the workshop goals and objectives.

Sample Cover Letter – San Diego, CA (PDF)
Sample Agenda – San Diego, CA, and Galveston, TX (PDF)
Sample Expert Speaker Bios – San Diego, CA and Galveston, TX (PDF)

 

A successful workshop leverages local community members, including local experts and scientists from universities, government agencies, and ocean organizations. These links and handouts offer scientists techniques and strategies for communicating to the public, and offer tips on effective PowerPoint usage.

Education & Public Outreach: A Guide for Scientists Web site and PDF
COMPASS Handout (PDF)

 

The program facilitator organizes the workshop and handles group discussion and dynamics. These handouts will help you plan and communicate effectively with fellow staff and participants.

Facilitation Guide (PDF)
Facilitator Moves (PDF)
PowerPoint Etiquette (PDF)

 

Your workshop will feature regional content created by the host staff (you) and the experts you recruit. We created two PowerPoints, with scripts, to help you develop your presentations based on the two main science themes that the National Geographic Ocean Initiative promotes—increasing global Marine Protective Areas and promoting sustainable seafood. Also, each workshop ends with helping attendees identify what they have learned that day and craft their own ocean conservation message to share with the public. This PowerPoint will help you lead that important discussion.

Marine Protected Areas (PDF)
Marine Protected Areas with script (PDF)
Sustainable Seafood (PDF)
Sustainable Seafood with script (PDF)
Communicating Ocean Conservation: Making Our Messages Meaningful (PDF)
Communicating Ocean Conservation: Making Our Messages Meaningful with script (PDF)

 

Media can grab your audience’s attention while communicating important information. These two videos were part of our workshop introduction and conclusion. “Why the Ocean Matters” explains why we should care about the ocean and what it provides us in our daily life. “How to Care for the Ocean” can conclude the workshop with a reminder about the part we play in ocean conservation and what we each can do to promote ocean health.

Videos: “Why the Ocean Matters” and “How to Care for the Ocean”

 

The primary purpose of the workshop is to encourage the marine recreation providers in attendance to promote conservation activities among the public they engage. Many organizations provide handouts to help teach the public about their role in ocean conservation. This handout can be used by the marine recreation community to distribute to the public or as a discussion piece.

Handout – 10 Things You Can Do to Save the Ocean (PDF)

 

These links provide resources in responsible wildlife viewing, best practices, and responsible scuba diving, as well as ways to learn more about ocean conservation. All of these websites contain downloadable handouts with tips and programs for recreation providers, and ocean information and new media for the general public.

Dolphin Smart Program
Ocean Etiquette Guidelines
Blue Star Program
Whale Watching Guidelines
Snorkeling and Diving Best Practices
Thank You Ocean
One World One Ocean

 

Many organizations have their own online toolkits for educating the general public and recreation providers. Project AWARE focuses on scuba divers and snorkelers and offers resources on sharks, coral reefs, and responsible diving. The Environmental Protection Agency has an extensive online toolkit on water quality with examples of nationwide campaigns and other resources on how to keep our waterways clean.

Project Aware Toolkit
EPA Water Pollution Outreach Toolbox

 

National Geographic has a variety of instructional resources about the ocean, from seafood guides to articles and lesson plans. Here are a few sites to share with workshop participants who want to learn more.

Interactive: Impact of Seafood
Ocean Education Program

 

Program created by National Geographic Education Programs
Logo: National Geographic Education

 

Program funding provided by Oracle
Logo: Oracle

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