Our second research mission of 2015 took the Global Reef Expedition to the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT), a small island chain in the Indian Ocean and home to some of the most remote, and pristine, coral reefs on Earth – 95% of which have yet to be explored. Our work here consists of coral reef surveys and high resolution mapping of reefs in the Chagos archipelago, all of which are part of the Chagos Marine Reserve, the largest no-take marine protected area on earth. Representatives from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), Nova Southeastern University, and the Chagos Conservation Trust will join our core science team on this mission.
Ten Years of B.A.M.: Rooted in Partnership, Growing in Purpose
Ten years ago, the Bahamas Awareness of Mangroves (B.A.M.) program began with a simple but meaningful commitment: to connect Bahamian students with the mangrove ecosystems that shape and protect their island home.
Since 2015, B.A.M. has been implemented in partnership with Friends of the Environment, whose dedication to environmental stewardship in Abaco has made this program possible year after year. Together, we have worked alongside Patrick J. Bethel High School and Forest Heights Academy to bring hands-on mangrove science into classrooms and out into the field.
What makes ten years remarkable is not just longevity — it is consistency…
