OUR PROGRAMS

From classroom education to photography competitions and single-use plastic bans to walking the docks across Central California, we strive to reach a variety of audiences within the Monterey Bay and neighboring areas to promote lasting conservation efforts for your beloved ocean. Explore our three pillars and the programs that fit within each area to find out how we foster a thriving Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. 

Educational Programs

Save Our Shores is teaching the next generation of ocean stewards. We offer in-class programming paired with a beach field trip aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).

Adopt-A-Levee

Each year dedicated groups adopt a portion of the San Lorenzo River in the City of Santa Cruz and do three cleanups throughout a year. 

Advocacy

We are continuously working with local politicians and government entities to create policy that prevents trash and other debris from polluting our oceans and degrading our Sanctuary.  

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Beach Cleanups

Save Our Shores offers public, private, and educational cleanups along the Monterey Bay and several of its waterways.

Adopt-A-Beach

Dedicated local businesses and organizations join forces with Save Our Shores to host at least three cleanups at a beloved beach within a year. Interested in adopting a beach? Please email us at volunteer@saveourshores.org.

Educational Programs

Save Our Shores is teaching the next generation of ocean stewards. We offer in-class programming paired with a beach field trip aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).

Sanctuary Stewards

These dedicated community members take their volunteerism with Save Our Shores to the next level by leading beach cleanups, outreach events, and helping with classroom education. 

Paddle Cleanups

Join Save Our Shores on the water for one of our monthly paddle cleanups in Elkhorn Slough, Pajaro River, or Salinas River.

Dock Walkers 

This program provides one-on-one outreach in local harbors to help boaters appropriately discard of used oil, share best clean boating practices, and waste products. 

Waves and Wildlife

Our annual photo contest and exhibit engages photographers and community members alike in capturing and experiencing the beauty of marine protected areas in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. 
Healthy Habitats Circle Solid Save Our Shores

MPA Mondays

MPA Mondays is a push across all social media platforms to raise the general public’s awareness and appreciation of marine protected areas (MPAs) across California’s Central Coast.  

Climate Change Info Hub

We’re creating an interactive, bilingual, digital resource on how climate change is impacting the Monterey Bay. By engaging communities, we’ll empower people to make small everyday behavior changes. 

Speaker Series

We’re leveraging our popular Sanctuary Speaker Series to feature more experts and topics on how our Monterey Bay is responding to climate change. 

Advocacy

We’re protesting any boundary changes to our California Sanctuaries and the opening of our coast to new offshore oil and gas exploration leases in response to the Trump Administration’s anti-environmental policy proposals.

Responsible Aquaculture

Responsible aquaculture can create jobs while also providing food, cleaning up polluted waterways, and producing biofuels and organic fertilizers. 

Photo by Patrick Webster