Ich Lab member June Shrestha was selected as a 2018 COAST summer intern with the NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries in Monterey Bay. June will be working side-by-side with sanctuary regional managers on a new project, “Connections between National Forests and National Marine Sanctuaries”. The purpose of this project is to explore and describe the connections between national forests and national marine sanctuaries of California to advance land-sea conservation by better understanding the interconnectedness between terrestrial and marine ecosystems.
About the Host: Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS), a branch of NOAA, is responsible for managing 14 special marine protected areas designated by the federal government. The West Coast Region (WCR) manages 15,333 mi2 of marine protected areas around Channel Islands, Cordell Bank, Greater Farallones, Monterey Bay and Olympic Coast. The WCR coordinates programs and initiatives that affect resources within and beyond the boundaries of the five west coast national marine sanctuaries to ensure natural and cultural resources are protected while allowing uses that are sustainable.