Seacology

Sitio Lapat in Apayao, the Philippines is home to an Isnag community who practices "lapat," an indigenous resource management system that protects specific natural resources, like rivers and forests. These customary laws are handed down through generations and preserve local beliefs that land is sacred and must be protected. Green Empowerment and Seacology are supporting our Philippine partner #SIBAT as they collaborate with the community of Sitio Lapat to build their very own micro-hydro system that provides clean, reliable electricity to their village. How can renewable energy projects protect and integrate traditional conservation practices? 🌱💡 Learn more in Seacology’s blog: https://lnkd.in/gFH83_p3

Last week I marked a decade of working for Seacology. This has been both the longest tenure I've had with an organization—though the time has really flown by—and easily the most rewarding. By helping share the stories of the communities we partner with and the environmental protections these partnerships produce, I've learned a ton about the unique challenges faced on islands in a world of climate disruption, resource depletion, and unprecedented economic shocks. I've yet to conquer my tendency to write run-on sentences though. Personally the greatest highlight of my role has been having the opportunity to visit some of the places where we have projects, meeting people who benefit from them, and seeing for myself what we're working from a distance to preserve. I probably otherwise never would have made it to most of these countries, and each one has been endlessly fascinating. As a small organization we continue to operate relatively under the radar, but it's fair to say we have an outsized impact, and our resources and recognition have been increasing. We recently surpassed 400 projects, we just began work in our 70th country, and we're in the early stages of planning our next major initiative. We've won a few prestigious awards and are getting noticed more and more. I'm excited to play a role in this ongoing growth and to see where it leads next.

Our 13 new projects will partner with island communities around the world, including two new countries we’ve never worked in before: New Zealand and Turkey! Learn more about about each of these exciting new partnerships here: https://lnkd.in/gbfJpjTZ

On this year’s #WorldOceanDay, we’re celebrating one of our long-running and most successful projects in Fafanlap Village, Indonesia. With our partner Misool Foundation, we provided the funds for a new kindergarten in exchange for the villagers creating and patrolling a no-take marine preserve. Today, the kindergarten serves double the number of original students, and the marine reserve is one of only a few places in the world where fish counts are dramatically increasing. Watch our newest video to learn more! https://lnkd.in/es3JGBav

2023 was a year of deepening and growing our work on islands across the globe. 🌎 Here are some of the 2023 highlights we’re most proud of! For more, take a look at the full report at https://lnkd.in/g4T8MQX

I am very happy to report that we have completed the 5kw Micro Hydo at Puneng Trusan. the project was completed through Gotong Royong community working together with our team. Thanks to Seacology for funding this project. another village in Island of Borneo electrified while protecting the forest of the watershed area. #RenewableEnergy #MiniGrids

Check out this radio interview for Leadership in Action on SiriusXM Business Radio, powered by The Wharton School, featuring Duane Silverstein, Executive Director of 2024 #lipmanprize Grand Prize Winner Seacology and hosted by Dr. Anne M. Greenhalgh, Deputy Director, McNulty Leadership Program. Learn more about Duane's journey to leading Seacology, building out an effective and passionate Board of Directors, and employing unique fundraising strategies. Listen to their enriching conversation here: https://lnkd.in/eq-Vkqav

May 22 is International Day for Biological Diversity. Seacology focuses exclusively on islands for several reasons, but perhaps most importantly because islands are among the world's greatest centers of biodiversity. Islands take up only five percent of Earth’s land, but are home to an estimated 20 percent of the world’s bird, reptile, and plant species. New ones are still regularly discovered. Unfortunately, island species are disproportionately threatened with extinction. Almost 40 percent of critically endangered animals live on islands. By working with more than 400 island communities around the world, Seacology's win-win approach to conservation has helped to protect many vulnerable island habitats, and all the unique life they contain. #islands #whyislands #biodiversity #BiodiversityDay

Powering up Progress: Micro Hydro Project unfolding in Puneng Trusan, Sarawak, Malaysia! ⚡️ People from different communities coming together to support one another paves the way for shared success. Puneng Trusan was inspired by the success story of Long Tanid, a neighboring community that implemented their own Micro Hydro System with the support of Green Empowerment, #TONIBUNG, and funding from Seacology. To help Puneng Trusan's progress, #TONIBUNG invited Mr. Ginus, a community leader from Buayan, where a successful micro hydro project operates, to train community members on transmission line installation. Stay tuned for further updates! #Malaysia #MicroHydro #Renewable #SustainableSolutions Thank you, Seacology, for making this project possible!

Read this article from Dive Curaçao to discover how Seacology is empowering Curaçao’s communities and protecting vital ecosystems through innovative conservation initiatives! https://lnkd.in/gtcBhC2i