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Dear Friends of Ricketts Reserve,
It's been a few months since we wrote to bring you up to date on our
efforts to protect marine life off Cannery Row. It's been a busy time
for your Steering Group, but a relatively quiet time in the political
process. This is the first of what we plan to make a more regular series
of emailed newsletters.
RECENT PROGRESS
Together, we've accomplished a lot this year. You can read about those
accomplishments, and
also review the history
of the Ricketts effort.
NEW WEBSITE
While preparing for the many meetings during the next year and half,
the Friends of Ricketts has been focusing on getting the word out to
as many people as possible. Most people think that significant marine
life protection already exists. It doesn't! Less than .2% of California
waters have no-take protection. So we've set up an informational website
that anyone with a computer can access at www.rickettsreserve.org
T-SHIRT FUNDRAISER
In order to raise money and make our cause more visible we've produced
T-Shirts, which are given as gifts to anyone who makes a monetary contribution
of $20 or more. The shirts are light green, and you can see
the design on the website.
PRESENTATIONS HUGE SUCCESS - NEED ONE NEAR
YOU?
A few of our members have been making presentations to a wide array
of groups, including Dive Clubs, Retail Stores, Kayakers, local businesses,
service clubs, and more. Slide shows documenting our underwater riches,
and their steady decline, have motivated hundreds of people to become
new friends of Ricketts Reserve. If you know of a group that would like
to receive a presentation on Ricketts Reserve or Marine Life Protection
along the Central California coast, please send us
an email.
NEW COALITION FORMS WITH FRIENDS’ HELP
Members of The Friends of the Edward F. Ricketts Marine Reserve steering
group have been instrumental in the formation of the Coalition of Organizations
for Ocean Life, or C.O.O.L. COOL represents the coming-together of the
most prominent and influential marine conservation organizations that
are active on our coast. This collaboration allows all the groups involved
to share information, work more efficiently, and multiply their influence
on regulatory agencies like DFG.
PRESS KITS AVAILABLE SOON - ORDER YOUR COPY
We're preparing a press kit/membership kit. If you'd like to get the
word out by distributing those to people you know, email the address
above.
GUIDED PARK TOUR - COMING SOON
In the next few months we'll be organizing a Ricketts Reserve awareness
event, including a rally and a guided walking tour along the shore of
the reserve. If you'd like to help with the event, please send
us an email.
WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW
Any of three things: Volunteer, Contribute, or write an action letter.
Since your volunteer work and contributions will ultimately motivate
others to write letters, we hope everyone will at least fire off
a letter.
1) VOLUNTEER
We need organizers for Coming Events, including the reserve shore
walk.
We need people who will keep up our contacts with businesses, including
keeping kayak and dive instructors aware of the Reserve and supplied
with membership materials for their students.
We need people to staff sign-up tables at numerous events.
We could use people with Public Relations and computer expertise,
and much more.
2) MONETARY CONTRIBUTIONS - RECEIVE A T-SHIRT GIFT
Donations help us produce and distribute printed information, construct
slide shows, defray travel costs, and more. Everyone working on this
effort is 100% volunteer, so every penny of your gift goes straight
to furthering our goals. If you'd like to make a contribution,please
send us an email or make out a check to The
Friends of the Edward F. Ricketts Marine Reserve and mail it to address
below. Be sure to let us know what size T-Shirt you'd like: S, M,
L, XL or XXL. Note that because we're actively involved in political
decisions, gifts are not tax deducible.
3) SEND A LETTER TO GRAY DAVIS
Finally, we hope everyone will write the Fish & Game Commission
and especially Governor Davis on a closely related current issue.
A lengthy political process to establish Marine Reserves in the Channel
Islands is at its critical stage. This process pre-dates MLPA, but
is seen as a test for how the state will respond when MLPA comes up
for final action. State and Federal officials actually reached agreement
to recommend a plan that would establish substantial reserves, but
several smaller options are promoted by anti-conservation interests.
Environmental groups would like to see more, but endorse the "preferred
alternative" as a fair compromise. It is important to move the
Channel Islands process toward meaningful conservation now. The written
comment period closes on November 22, so please send those letters
this week!
CUT AND PASTE THIS SAMPLE LETTER
Your own words set down on paper are the most effective. If time constraints
require that you use a form letter, or you want material to start with,
see our sample letter.
Key points to cover in your letter are:
The preferred alternative is the minimum compromise that will protect
the wilderness of the Channel Islands, its abundance of marine life,
and its unique underwater habitats, while allowing sustainable public
and commercial uses of these waters. The smaller alternatives will
not adequately protect the long-term health of the Channel Islands.
The Commission should act without delay, as the preferred alternative
represents a compromise forged over two years of exhaustive negotiation
and scientific analysis.
Mail your letter to:
Governor Gray Davis
State Capitol
Sacramento, CA 95814
and to
Director Robert Hight
Calif. Fish & Game Commission
1416 Ninth Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
If you can, please also email
the text of your letter to us as well. It helps us measure how well
we're doing!
Best Wishes, and many thanks for your on-going support,
The steering group of The Friends of the Edward F. Ricketts Marine Reserve
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