The Urban Divers Estuary Conservancy

RESTORATION, CONSERVATION, PROTECTION, PUBLIC EDUCATION FOR THE NATURAL RESOURCES OF THE NY/NJ HARBOR ESTUARY

Scientific Divers, Environmental Educators, Waterway Stewards, Citizen Monitors

Founded in 1998, The Urban Divers is a non-profit grassroots environmental organization comprised of volunteer scientific divers, waterway stewards and citizen monitors committed to active participation in the public education, restoration, conservation, and protection of rivers, oceans, and marine wildlife, with a special focus on restoration of the NY/NJ Harbor Estuary.

Through youth and adult environmental recreation and education programs, clean water action events, conservation support, stewardship opportunities, eco-cruise series, and various interactive multimedia arts and science presentations, UDEC provides community members, teachers, students, civic leaders, local businesses, as well as the local press an opportunity to get on the water to appreciate the natural resources of and challenges to the unique urban estuary. Programs provide the basic science and the ecological vision to assist community members in becoming better informed and active participants. The aim is to empower the individual to participate in the public policy decision making process that affects these local and regional natural resources.

Examples of prior programs include the Specimen Collection and Recovery Project with the American Museum of Natural History (Sept. 2002), Live Beneath the Estuary video feeds (2003), the Submerge Art and Environment Festival (2004), and The Annual Gowanus Earth Day Flotilla Clean-Up.

The Urban Divers Estuary Conservency offers members volunteer stewardship, and internship opportunities. Divers and Non-Divers are welcome. To find out how you can get involved as a volunteer or intern or to become a member, please visit www.Urbandivers.org or email: theurbandivers@yahoo.com or call 718-802-9874, or 718-901-3331

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