After eleven weeks in Hawaii I am back East, trying to keep cool and reflecting on an amazing summer. I feel so fortunate to have worked alongside people who are so passionate about the ocean and so determined to incite positive change.

Who could not fall in love with this view?

In wrapping up and finalizing my economic justification I spent my last week synthesizing lessons learned for fully realizing the economic value of seascapes. In order for the economic benefits of seascapes to be both fully realized and directed towards local communities/business, there are key considerations that need to be accounted for. While the Brid’s Head and Sulu-Sulawesi Seascapes are full of success stories they are also full of important lessons that need to be considered when engaging in multi-sectoral, large-scale marine management. These lessons provide great insights for establishing and developing new seascapes as well as the continued management and scaling up of existing seascapes. In writing up lessons learned and outlining key considerations for moving forward my first year at MIIS proved SO helpful. Adaptive management (thank you Professor Langholz!), Ostrom’s principles for managing common pool resources (thank you Professor Zarsky!), value and incorporate traditional management techniques (thank you Professor McGinnis!), consider the multiplier effects of each industry (thank you Professor DePaolis!) and of course everything economics (thank you professor Scorse! – “not properly valuing nature IS a dangerous business.”)

After an amazing whirlwind of summer, I’m looking forward to being back in beautiful Monterey, getting back to classes and re-adapting to cold water diving!

See you soon Monterey!