03.02.2016 – THE BAHAMAS The Bahamas Environment Educational Foundation (BREEF) today announced a $50,000 grant from Louis Bacon’s Moore Bahamas Foundation to support the protection of the fragile coral reefs of The Bahamas and maintain ongoing marine education programs for more than 700 local students a year.

For the third year, funding from The Moore Bahamas Foundation will support BREEF’s research and field studies coordinator, providing vital marine experiences and hands-on environmental knowledge to students.

“BREEF exposes students to the wonders of marine life and we are proud to support their commitment to education and the environment,” said Mr. Bacon, a conservation philanthropist whose contributions have supported environmental education and the preservation of marine environments around the world.

Last year’s donation allowed BREEF to appoint Chantal Curtis to the post of Environmental Educator. With a background in forensic science and teaching, Ms. Curtis has increased the number of students on field trips by 26 percent over the previous year, making it the greatest outreach since BREEF was founded in 1993 by the late Sir Nicholas Nuttall.

Chantal Curtis with BREEF students

Chantal Curtis with BREEF students

“Much of what we do is made possible through the generous donations of The Moore Bahamas Foundation,” said Casuarina McKinney-Lambert, BREEF Executive Director. “We are extremely grateful for Mr. Bacon’s support without which we would not be able to reach nearly as many Bahamian youth. These grants help us inspire hundreds of young marine environmental stewards who will grow up to preserve and protect the waters of The Bahamas.”

In 2015, the grant helped BREEF to further marine education for 720 students through classroom presentations and field trips to locations such as Jaws Beach in Clifton Bay, the BREEF Coral Reef Sculpture Garden, Bonefish National Pond and along the rocky shore of Delaporte. BREEF also hosted the first Youth Environment Leadership Summit for student leaders, educators and community partners. The summit focused on the importance of caring for the environment as well as opportunities for employment in the environmental sector. The grant also supported sea turtle education, critically important for protecting the population since sea turtle capture was banned by legislation in 2009, and enabled BREEF to partner with Stonybrook University of New York in a shark tagging expedition, the results of which were presented to over 300 local students. The grant also facilitated the creation of a training manual for staff, interns and volunteers, enabling all members of BREEF’s team to effectively promote marine conservation in their communities.

BREEF Shark Tagging Expedition with Stonybrook

About BREEF
BREEF is a non-government, not-for-profit, Bahamian foundation concerned with educating Bahamian people about the value of and need for conserving the marine environment. BREEF promotes conservation practices that sustain the way of life in The Bahamas through educational and outreach programmes guided by sound scientific information. They utilize a proactive, solutions-based approach to address marine conservation challenges while acknowledging their complex environmental, cultural and economic inter-relationships. BREEF works closely with government agencies such as Ministry of the Environment, Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources, Ministry of Education, Science & Technology, Ministry of Tourism and with non-government organizations such as The Bahamas National Trust, The Nature Conservancy, Friends of The Environment, The Cape Eleuthera Island School and One Eleuthera Foundation.

About Louis Bacon
Louis Bacon is a conservation philanthropist and founder of The Moore Charitable Foundation, Inc. As the president of MCF and chairman of its affiliate foundations, Mr. Bacon has spent more than two decades conserving threatened habitat, protecting open spaces, and safeguarding clean water through the support of more than 200 local, national, and international organizations. He was also instrumental in the founding of the Waterkeeper Alliance, an international organization of over 260 Waterkeeper organizations working across six continents to protect rivers, lakes, and coastal waterways.

About The Moore Bahamas Foundation
The Moore Bahamas Foundation, the Bahamas affiliate of The Moore Charitable Foundation founded by Louis Bacon in 1992, seeks to promote environmental education in the diverse ecosystems of The Bahamas. The Moore Bahamas Foundation (MBF) supports environmental education to encourage protection of the fragile marine environment that constitutes 90% of the island nation. MBF supports marine education programs that prove successful in building awareness, particularly among students, about the importance of preserving precious marine and land resources. MBF also supports health, conservation and marine research ef