Journey to Palau with The IOCC for the Trip of a Lifetime

Island Conservation and UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography are thrilled to announce an immersive impact experience across the islands and oceans of the Palau Archipelago, Micronesia, in partnership with Journeys with Purpose. During exploration of technicolor coral reefs, lagoons and forest trails, guests will learn about Island Conservation and Scripps Oceanography’s joint initiative with Re:wild, the Island-Ocean Connection Challenge, and the invaluable connection between marine and terrestrial ecosystems. 

DISCOVER PALAU

Explore the extraordinary under-sea and on-land wonders of the island nation of Palau in the company of experienced local guides and Island Conservation & Scripps experts. A pioneer in marine conservation, Palau’s conservation story is one of traditional indigenous knowledge uniting with science to protect and restore its unique biodiversity whilst honoring the nation’s rich cultural heritage. 

MEET YOUR HOSTS

From Left to Right: Penny Becker, Terrestrial Host and Stuart Sandin, Marine Host

Penny Becker, PhD, is Island Conservation’s Vice President of Conservation. Throughout her career, her extensive research has included areas such as the recovery of at-risk wildlife species and conserving biodiversity, with experience including coastal community initiatives, fisher re-establishment, and building cooperation across diverse people for natural resource challenges. Penny will be your terrestrial journey host. 

Stuart Sandin is a community ecologist and the Director of the Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego. Specializing in the ecology of coral reefs and working to find effective solutions for the management and restoration of this threatened ecosystem, Stuart will be your marine journey host.

MEET THE EXPERTS

From Left to Right: Ann Singeo, Ebiil Society, Joyce Beouch, Island Conservation Palau Board Chair and Former Protected Areas Network, Dr. Patrick Collin, Koror State Science Advisor, Wayne Andrew, OneReef

Ann Singeo is the Executive Director of Ebiil Society, an organization aimed at improving environmental protection through an integrated approach of combining traditional ecology and biodiversity knowledge with Western science.

Rooted in Indigenous knowledge, the Ebiil Society seeks to inspire the protection and proper management of the environment, with current projects including terrestrial management/reforestation, turtle monitoring, marine debris monitoring and education, and summer camps that teach indigenous knowledge about the environment, culture, and traditions.

Joyce Beouch has extensive experience working with local communities to implement conservation projects, having worked with Palau Conservation Society where she coordinated the Belau Watershed Alliance, a legacy that is providing ongoing benefits to the community and natural heritage of Palau. As part of her role as Island Conservation Program Manager, Joyce works with the local communities in Palau to help restore the islands’ ecosystems.

Dr. Patrick Collin: After attaining his M.S. (1970) and Ph.D.(1973) in Marine Sciences at the University of Miami Rosensteil School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences working on the biology of western Atlantic reef fishes, and an extensive career in research, Pat co-founded the Coral Reef Research Foundation (CRRF) in 1991. The CRRF is a non-profit corporation which won the highly-prized U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI) marine collections program contract.

Pat’s work now continues in Palau, focused on reef fish spawning aggregations, detailed coastal oceanography, species diversity and aerial photo ecology of marine and terrestrial environments.

Wayne Andrew is the former Hatohobei State Delegate from Palau’s National Congress, the 8th Olbiil Era Kelulau (8th OEK), and is currently the Chairman of the Helen Reef Board. He is an expert in resource management planning and has worked throughout Micronesia assisting partners and communities with management plans.

Wayne serves as a Regional Mentor for Pacific Islands Managed and Protected Areas Community and is a Board Member of numerous organizations including the Hatohobei Organization for People and Environment (HOPE) and Palau International Coral Reef Center in Palau (PICRC). He serves as OneReef’s Senior Director and helps bridge the organization with leaders and key partners in Micronesia, as well as inspires and organizes communities to take action in protecting their coral reef resources.

JOIN US AND LEARN MORE

To view the itinerary, learn more about the trip, and sign up to stay informed, visit our trip overview website here.