The Honda Marine Science Foundation (HMSF) awards $300,000 in grants annually to coastal restoration research projects that help boost climate crisis resilience in ocean and intertidal areas.
Among other restorative work, HMSF supports “living shoreline” projects that implement natural approaches to protecting coastal habitats and communities while promoting harmonious interaction between humans and the ocean. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), a living shoreline is a protected and stabilized shoreline that comprises natural materials such as plants, sand, or rock. In contrast to “hard” shoreline stabilization methods like concrete seawalls, which impede the growth of plants and animals, living shorelines grow over time.
The Honda Marine Science Foundation partners with organizations that share its vision for improving and preserving coastal areas for future generations. As part of Honda’s longstanding relationship with the Aquarium of the Pacific, Honda Marine Science Foundation sponsors forums to brainstorm solutions to the most pressing and complex problems facing the ocean and environment.
In 2018, Honda Marine Science Foundation sponsored the National Summit on Coastal and Estuarine Restoration and Management in Long Beach, California, which is hosted by Restore America’s Estuaries and the Coastal States Organization.
The foundation also provided scholarships to students interested in coastal and estuarine science, providing them with the opportunity to attend the summit. Further, HMSF supports Friends of Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, the nonprofit that provides funding and resources to help the city-run Aquarium meet its mission “to be a trusted resource that inspires exploration, respect and conservation of Southern California marine life.”
Established in 2016, The Honda Marine Science Foundation is an initiative to help restore marine ecosystems and facilitate climate change resilience. The foundation supports efforts that improve and preserve coastal areas for future generations. Inspired by the Japanese philosophy of sato-umi – the convergence of land and sea where human and marine life can harmoniously coexist – HMSF is dedicated to addressing the impact of climate change on our oceans and intertidal areas. The foundation’s board includes marine science researchers and leaders from public and non-governmental organizations who are committed to ocean conservation and restoration.
Featured photo of coast in Hawaii via Adobe Stock.
For information about how to apply for a Honda Marine Science Foundation grant, email hmsf@ahm.honda.com.