STARS Home / Program Information / Tools / Pod Info

Student Online Account: Sign In


View STARS Student Reports and Important Reef Research Information


THE NATURE CONSERVANCY... The leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people.

REEF: "REEF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION FOUNDATION"... National Organization of Divers and Marine Enthusiasts Committed to Ocean Conservation.


Who is The Nature Conservancy?

Since 1951, The Nature Conservancy has been using science and partnerships to protect Earth's most important natural places — for you and future generations. Once considered a limitless and inexhaustible resource, oceans are in jeopardy. The demands of a growing population are damaging marine ecosystems and depleting ocean and coastal resources. New and innovative approaches are needed now to maintain and restore the biological wealth of the world's oceans and coasts.

What The Nature Conservancy Is Doing - The Nature Conservancy is turning the tide of coastal degradation and shaping a future of healthy oceans. With the leadership of our Global Marine Initiative, we work with partners around the world to find lasting solutions that benefit marine life, local communities and coastal economies by:

  • Building resilience into protected areas
  • Applying market-based strategies
  • Protecting and restoring oceans and coasts
  • Setting priorities with science
  • Developing new tools to manage threats
Conserving ocean and coastal ecosystems will improve water quality, protect diverse marine habitat and benefit economies and livelihoods of coastal communities for generations. Through science, market-based strategies, restoration and resilient habitat protection, The Nature Conservancy finds innovative, lasting solutions for marine conservation.

For more information go to: The Nature Conservancy Web Site


What is the REEF Volunteer Survey Project?

REEF's mission, to educate and enlist divers in the conservation of marine habitats, is accomplished primarily through the Volunteer SurveyProject. The Project was developed in 1990 with support from The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and guidance by the Southeast Fisheries Science Center of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). The project allows volunteer SCUBA divers and snorkelers to collect and report information on marine fish populations as well as selected invertebrate and algae species along the West Coast of the US and Canada. The data are collected using a fun and easy standardized method, and are housed in a publicly-accessible database on REEF's Website. These data are used by a variety of resource agencies and researchers.

Our STARS students are in the ocean on a regular basis conducting near shore snorkel surveys at various locations along the Kona Coast, from Honaunau to the south, up to Spencer Beach to the north, and occasionally at other locations around our island - with particular interest and focus on the "Marine Conservation District" off Puako. The data they collect is used first for our private educational purposes, as students compare and contrast the variety of species and their density from one location to another, as well as changes in trends that may occur at specific locations as they look at data collected over time. However, our data is also forwarded to both The Nature Conservancy and the REEF organization for processing, archiving, and sharing with other students, teachers, and researchers worldwide.

For more information go to: The REEF Volunteer Survey Site