CHAPTER GENERAL INTEREST MEETING

Thursday October 5, 2006 7:00 PM
Watershed Resource Center
Arroyo Burro County Beach Park

PLEASE NOTE: Election of chapter executive committee members will be held and all current chapter members are invited to participate!

Special Guest: Ken Owen and Greg Helms

Surfrider Foundation Santa Barbara Chapter is excited to host guest speakers, Ken Owen and Greg Helms, at our Chapter General Meeting October 5 at 7:00 PM at the Watershed Resource Center at Arroyo Burro County Park. Their mutimedia presentation will focus on our unique and stunning Channel Islands and efforts to restore fragile landscapes and protect marine ecosystems.
 
Ken Owens works with Channel Islands Restoration, a California Nonprofit Organization that restores habitat in sensitive and unique natural areas in the Channel Islands National Park and adjacent mainland.  The organization helps protect rare and endangered native plant and animal species by restoring the natural habitat they depend on for survival.  They also help educate a variety of groups about the value of native habitat and how to protect it.  

Greg Helms is a 20-yr Santa Barbaran, veteran environmentalist and semi-regular at area surf breaks.  He works with the Ocean Conservancy  focusing on the Channel Islands and mainland coast of the Channel.  Helms' goal is to set aside marine protected areas in high quality areas of kelp forested reefs, where sea life will flourish and restore the larger fish our grandfathers enjoyed within these areas and beyond. Helms is calling on ocean enthusiasts to support completing the Islands' marine protected area network by extending protection to the deeper waters.  Helms will detail the dramatic transformation now underway in how we deal with ocean issues -- turning away from maximizing what we take from Mother Ocean towards restoring the intact ecosystems that -- if we let them, will feed, fascinate and sustain us.  In this process, surfers have been leaders.  
 
Our general meetings are a place to hear from remarkable speakers on interesting or hot topics in a comfortable setting. Please join us to find out what other issues and challenges face our coast and ocean and what Surfrider is doing to help. Meet like-minded individuals, contribute to the discussion, or just listen and learn. Refreshments provided.