Sanctuary Stewards foster thriving and sustainable ecosystems in the Monterey Bay and surrounding habitats through equitable environmental action! Individuals absolutely make a difference.

By Michael Hohl

As a Sanctuary Steward volunteer with Save Our Shores, I’ve had the privilege of engaging in a variety of meaningful activities, from learning more about our local ecosystem, to leading beach cleanups, to representing Save Our Shores and encouraging action at outreach events like Monterey’s “Whalefest” and even a local concert!

Stewardship is about doing your part for the health and future of our natural world. Coastal ecosystems, in particular, are vital to the overall health of our planet. They support a diverse range of wildlife, protect shorelines from erosion, and provide recreational spaces for people to connect with nature. Without active stewardship, these ecosystems are at risk from human activity, such as littering, overfishing, and habitat destruction.

When I lead beach cleanups as a Sanctuary Steward, I’m heartened to see so many people take the time and effort to contribute to a clean environment, whether they’re SOS regulars, locals just walking by who stop to participate, tourists, an organization, or a family making an outing of the beach cleanup. While some beach cleanup participants feel that the trash they’ve collected isn’t much, as a group, it always adds up to far more than expected—which is what it’s all about! While being a Sanctuary Steward is partly about removing trash from our beaches, it’s really about fostering respect for the ocean and its inhabitants, inspiring others to take action, and working together for something larger than ourselves because, collectively, we can make a significant difference.

Volunteering as a representative of Save Our Shores can be a lot of fun if you enjoy getting out into the community, interacting with others, and teaching people about what they can do to help. I’m proud to have played a role in supporting legislation to protect our local marine ecosystem not only by writing to municipal representatives myself but by encouraging others to do the same when I tabled as a representative of Save Our Shores.

If you care about the mission of Save Our Shores and you enjoy interacting with members of the community, I highly recommend becoming a Sanctuary Steward!

Fill out the Steward Interest Form to learn more and register for the 2025 training.