Heal the Ocean's New Website: www.healtheocean.org
“What is the West End Master Plan?” asks a Santa Barbara City employee. “Where do I find the Questa Study?” says another. “What is the Questa Study?” asks another.
Does anyone know where I can find the Goleta Potable Reuse Study? The Braemar conceptual sewer plan? Santa Ynez Community Plan?
In recent years, Heal the Ocean has been approached numerous times for help in finding these pieces of information. As many city, county, and state officials have retired, taking their institutional knowledge with them, we have recognized how critical it is to preserve their work and knowledge for future use. As a result, Heal the Ocean has created a new website with a digital research library of these and other documents – important works that need to be preserved and accessed by all.
Over a year ago, we began working on an update to our website. Our goal was to create a website that not only showcased Heal the Ocean’s work, but also to archive important research materials and studies by the City, County, and State. We envisioned gathering these documents into one place, a digital research library where these documents can be accessed forever. This work was done during the pandemic lockdown by HTO’s own Outreach Associate Wendy Pelayo and Operations/Policy Associate Alison Thompson
Wendy Pelayo
Alison Thompson
Using our Key Word/Search Function in the research library, you can find the numerous studies HTO funded or participated in ourselves – the first DNA Testing of creek waters in the County (Rincon), Virus testing with USC, a Montecito outfall current study we did with funding from a Prop 50 grant. There are 3 California outfall inventories on our site, too, the last one an important document by HTO’s former policy analyst James Hawkins. We will be adding to the research library as we go along, into the future.
Along with our research library, you’ll find much of Heal the Ocean’s own activities over the past 20-plus years. From the history of our organization to volunteer opportunities and community programs. We’ve included our Newsletters (including the earliest ones), event pictures, fundraisers and get-togethers attended by You, our great supporters. You will also find daily surf forecasts and water quality test results.
Of course, new websites are made and re-made to advertise what an organization does, to interest you in the work. We have this here, too, of course. But the HTO research library we offer as a gift to all – it will always be here so that this vital information will never be lost. This website is not just about us, it’s about all of us.
Please poke around, go down memory lane with the old-time photos, look up the research, and bits of news you might have forgotten about. Above all, please enjoy!
Love and thanks from all of us,
Heal the Ocean