2012 was a great year for WiLDCOAST, an international conservation team that conserves coastal and marine ecosystems. With offices in Imperial Beach, Ensenada, Los Cabos and Oaxaca, the fast-moving and strategic coastal conservation team made a big difference this year in protecting some of the most iconic and biologically significant coastal and marine sites along the Pacific coast of North America. Since 2000, WiLDCOAST has helped to preserve more than 3.2 million acres of coastal and marine ecosystems including 340 miles of beaches in Mexico protected through conservation concessions and acquisitions.
Some of our accomplishments include the following:
- Preserved 2,970 acres of 9.3 miles of Baja California pristine coastline through private acquisitions.
- Challenged the abysmal response of PEMEX to respond to and clean up an oil spill in Salina Cruz, Oaxaca, that impacted more than 120 miles of beaches including the world-class right point breaks of southern Oaxaca and some of the world’s most important sea turtle nesting beaches.
- Pushed the Mexican Attorney General to file legal claims again PEMEX for impacts to coastal ecosystems and wildlife from the oil spill.
- Helped to manage and conserve more than 15,000 acres of marine ecosystems protected as MPAs in San Diego County.
- Worked with 3,050 volunteers to clean up 154,546 lbs of ocean-bound trash in the U.S. and Mexico.
- Protected sea turtle nesting beaches in southern Mexico where more than 20 million sea turtles hatched and 650,000 sea turtles laid eggs.
- Reached more than 430 million people with 928 media pieces through campaigns.
- Successfully convinced Mexican President Felipe Calderon to halt the proposed Cabo Cortes mega-project on Baja’s East Cape that would have built a new city larger than Cancun next to Cabo Pulmo National Marine Park, the world’s most robust marine reserve.
- Carried out 228 public outreach events attended by more than 16,000 people.
- Worked with community residents in Los Cabos, Magdalena Bay and Ensenada to create vibrant coast and ocean conservation art murals.
- Established a new conservation network in Mexico, Red Costasalvaje to help bring together and train community leaders and residents to carry out coastal protection efforts on their own.
- Supported the ongoing management of three WiLDCOAST chapters in Baja California Surf, Mexico.
- Worked with PBS to produce an episode of the series, Saving the Ocean, on sustainable fishing and whale watching in Punta Abreojos and San Ignacio Lagoon, Mexico.
- Received the NBC-Universal 21st Century Solutions Award for our efforts to restore and preserve the Tijuana Estuary and Tijuana River Mouth MPA.
Thanks to all of our donors, members, staff and partners and our friends at SIMA, 2012 was a groundbreaking year for conservation and WiLDCOAST. We look forward to working with all of you and all of our amazing network of coastal conservation leaders in the U.S. and Mexico to continue preserving our coastal and marine heritage.
