News and Updates
This section features stories that highlight how remarkable yet fragile the ocean is. It also speaks to the connection between humans and the ocean and our responsibility to protect it.
Stories, unless otherwise noted, are written by Pam Ferris-Olson, PhD. Pam has studied ocean creatures, worked in communication, and, as founder of Women Mind the Water, focuses on the relationship between humans and water. Her Wo(men) Mind the Water Artivist Series explores the work of artivists (artists +activists) and their impact in influencing change.
Seagrass: Large Enough to See from Space but for How Long?
Seagrass meadows are critical marine habitat because they are the foundation of a highly productive marine food web. Their degradation results in increased coastal erosion, wave action, and ocean acidification as well as declines in commercially important fish and shellfish species, water quality, and carbon storage contributing to further effects of global warming. Seagrass meadows are being lost at a rate of around 7% annually, equivalent to two football fields every hour.