The First Friday webinar for September focused on the exciting opportunity for aquariums and zoos to help advance the global movement for “30×30,” a call to protect thirty percent of our land and ocean by 2030. For those who may have missed the webinar, with guest speakers Greg Zimmerman from the Wyss Campaign for Nature and Amy Kenney from the National Ocean Protection Coalition, a recording can be found on the Campaigns page.

The webinar highlighted both the opportunity for zoos and aquariums, as well as some of the assets and resources that are now becoming available.

• An introductory overview, produced by The Ocean Project, working collaboratively with the Aquarium Conservation Partnership and AZA, provides the basics for zoos and aquariums, and is a great place to start.
• Fact sheets specific to the land and ocean issues, are a great next step.
• NatureAmerica.org is the online home for the 30×30 movement in the United States, and offers an additional set of resources.
• And, as we are The Ocean Project, we would be remiss not to flag the excellent set of additional ocean specific resources that are being developed by the National Ocean Protection Coalition, including the following:
  • NOPC’s 30×30 Toolkit for the Ocean, which includes messaging, sample social, unbranded photos and graphics, and much more for the broader ocean conservation community.  (Please note this is a living document and additional assets will be forthcoming!) 
  • General Fact Sheet on 30×30
  • Fact Sheet on the Science Behind MPAs and 30×30 

The ocean needs you!  Many aquariums and zoos already are engaged, but is yours?   

Please contact Douglas Meyer at dmeyer @ theoceanproject.org to confirm your aquarium or zoo’s support for 30×30 and designate a point of contact to whom we can send opportunities to engage as they emerge. Note that Douglas is also working collaboratively not only with the national coalition, but with AZA, as well as the Aquarium Conservation Partnership (ACP), and can help direct you to the approaches, tools and resources that fit with your particular interests and maximize your overall impact…but only if you sign up now!

Photo courtesy of the New England Aquarium