Introducing the Marine Conservation and Education Center

AUTHOR: Ali Rubin

We are incredibly excited to share the news about our Marine Conservation and Education Center (MCEC) opening in Ojochal, Costa Rica. The building and many materials used to create the MCEC are recycled and repurposed to stay aligned with our values of sustainability. We cannot ignore that our planet is in a pivotal moment in history.

The following ten years will determine the outcome of the next 10,000, and Innoceana is dedicated to doing everything we can to make this next decade go down in history as the decade when we saved the world. The MCEC will be a perfect unity of science and community.

Innoceana believes the only way to succeed is to involve the community in our work and educate those around us about the issues and how we plan to solve them.

To involve the community, the MCEC will:

Employ a local artist to paint the marine-inspired mural on the exterior of the building
Cover the inside hallway with marine-related paintings or photographs from local artists
Collaborate with conservation NGOs in the area, offering our space and services, to achieve our common goal
Create a space for school children to come and learn about marine conservation, which is incredibly important because today's children are our hope for tomorrow. At our MCEC, we will show children the wonders of the marine world by using tools like virtual reality headsets to join us on a conservation dive and expose them to audio-visual books that teach them about different marine animals and the threats they are facing today.
Sponsor two local young adults by teaching and guiding them through the journey to becoming a PADI Divemaster specialized in marine conservation. We believe marine science should be accessible to all interested, instead of being a privilege only a few get to experience.

The MCEC will also offer ways for the general public, even those just passing by, to get involved by becoming citizen scientists. Unlike any other tour operator, the MCEC will offer experiences with a purpose.

For example, instead of going on a whale watching tour, we will provide something elevated; a whale monitoring tour with hydrophones and drones to track both the sounds and identification of whales in the area. We hope this exposure sparks curiosity and love for the ocean that will stay with our guests long after they leave us.

Are you interested in our mission? Visit mcecinnoceana.org for more information!