PUTTING THE ART IN ARTIFICIAL REEFS - OCEAN RESCUE ALLIANCE AND YOU!
With Shelby Thomas
Artistically Crafted Artificial Reefs – The why behind the projects, the design of the modules,
the environmental impacts, ways people can get involved, and the underwater photography opportunities within our existing Palm Beach site.
Shelby Thomas, M.S.
Chief Executive Officer & Director of Research
1000 Mermaids Artificial Reef Project (501c3) &
Ocean Rescue Alliance
Co-founder and CEO of the Ocean Rescue Alliance, a marine conservation and restoration nonprofit organization, that implements innovative techniques to restore marine environments. She is an expert in marine restoration and conservation, receiving her master’s in Marine Ecology and currently completing her PhD in Marine Biology with the University of Florida. She is an environmentalist and marine conservation advocate who hopes to inspire others to protect our environments. She has worked with various restoration projects including coral, seagrass, oyster, sea-urchin, and scallop restoration.
She is passionate about preserving our natural ecosystems and creating a foundation for their appreciation. Her nonprofit combines art to aid in communicating science to the public in impactful ways. The Ocean Rescue Alliance artificial reefs create complex habitat space, enable species specific restoration and serve as ecotourism destinations that combines art and culture to connect the communities they serve. She now has worked with over 25 different restoration projects and continues to conduct research in this field. Through her research and outreach, she plans to assist in conserving, restoring, and better managing our ecosystems. She would like to make a lasting impact, conserving our environments while also improving peoples lives around the world.