From the Inbox: Conservation International e-News

	Submerse yourself in CI’s brand-new Ocean Experience Over 70% of our Earth is ocean. Explore the unseen wonders of this vast, submerged world through our new online experience. Dive among its coral reefs. Wind your way through its mangrove forests. Swim freely in its open waters. Marvel at its vibrant coasts. You’ll see some of the threats our oceans are facing — including pollution, oil drilling, overfishing and climate change — along with the innovative solutions CI is working on to protect marine ecosystems. You’ll also meet unique ocean wildlife and communities of people who — like us — depend upon the oceans for survival. People need the oceans — for a stable climate, food, oxygen and lifesaving medicines. Now the oceans need us. Dive in.
	© CI/photo by Sterling Zumbrunn The Holy Grail of Coral Reefs It’s barely a blip on most maps, but in marine conservation circles, the secluded island of Misool in Raja Ampat, Indonesia, is the Holy Grail of coral reef biodiversity. Gorgeous green sea turtles, walking sharks, butterflyfish and pygmy seahorses are just a few of the stunning marine creatures navigating through miles of corals. With more than 1,320 different reef fish and 540 hard corals, the waters here are home to more species than any other tropical reef system on the planet. Last month, CI hosted a seascapes workshop in this near-mythic destination – inviting marine biologists, species scientists, business leaders and specialists from CI offices in 10 different countries. While getting there is no easy feat – for most, it’s a full 2 1/2-day journey – when you learn what’s in the water, you’ll understand why it’s well worth it. Get all the details on this seascapes workshop from the CI marine team. A NOTE ON SEASCAPES: Enormous marine areas that extend beyond national boundaries, seascapes are a key part of CI’s ambitious plan for promoting global ocean conservation and stewardship. Raja Ampat is part of the Bird’s Head Seascape. Go here to learn more.
	© Olivier Langrand Confronting the Gulf Oil Spill The Gulf Oil spill is a tragedy — a stark reminder that our planet’s ocean and shorelines are extremely vulnerable. And it underscores the inherent challenges in taking oil, gas, minerals, fish and other commodities from the ocean for human use. There are sound reasons we rely on the ocean for these resources — fisheries are the primary protein source for more than 1 billion people worldwide, and energy alternatives are not yet available at the global scale. But too often, poor industrial practices and inadequate regulations allow devastating damage to our naturally abundant seas. Catastrophic events like the Deepwater Horizon spill attract massive attention to some of the acute dangers our oceans are facing. However, we must remember that the oceans are also under continuous assault from chronic (and equally devastating) long-term threats — including unsustainable fishing, habitat destruction, pollution, ocean acidification and climate change. While CI does not work directly in the Gulf region, we are monitoring the situation closely. We believe that as a society, we need to put in place solutions that halt the ongoing damage to our oceans, improve ocean health, and ensure people can continue to benefit from the abundant and essential goods and services the ocean provides. To that end, CI's Marine Program Master Plan is focusing on a set of global solutions to help us restore a prosperous ocean. The Gulf oil spill has demonstrated the urgent need to accelerate our efforts to put these solutions in place. Click here to read CI’s full statement on the Gulf.