Restore America’s Estuaries Kicks off National Estuaries Week with Mehgan Heaney-Grier

September 17-24, 2016 marks National Estuaries Week, the nation’s largest annual celebration of America’s coasts and estuaries. This year, Restore America’s Estuaries is pleased to introduce Mehgan Heaney-Grier as a proud supporter of National Estuaries Week.

Mehgan Heaney-Grier started making waves in 1996 when she set the first U.S. freediving record and more recently as a television personality on the Discovery channel series, Treasure Quest: Snake Island. What many may not know, is that Mehgan is also a lifelong conservationist with a degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, whose career has been dedicated to the exploration and science of ocean and coastal ecosystems.

“My career has taken me all over the world, from the Florida Keys to the Mediterranean, face-to-face with alligators and swimming with sharks,” said Mehgan. “Throughout my travels, I have seen the most beautiful places, teeming with life and diversity, and I have also seen the many challenges that coastal ecosystems face. Preserving the beauty and integrity of these habitats for future generations is what drives my work and what excites me most about National Estuaries Week.”

“Healthy, thriving ecosystems are pivotal to the enjoyment and productivity of our nation’s coasts, ” said Jeff Benoit, President and CEO of Restore America’s Estuaries. “During National Estuaries Week, we work to inspire people through education, restoration, and recreation events throughout the country. Mehgan’s unbounded passion for protecting and restoring the coastal ecosystems she so loves is the embodiment of what National Estuaries Week is all about.”

Mehgan is featured in a new video discussing National Estuaries Week and the actions that individuals can take to make a positive impact on estuaries. The video can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VffNvdeYxcY.

National Estuaries Week, now in its 28th year, is an annual celebration of the nation’s coasts and estuaries and the multitude of benefits that they provide. Dozens of organizations throughout the country, including member organizations of Restore America’s Estuaries, National Estuary Program sites, and National Estuarine Research Reserves, among others, host education, recreation, and restoration events connect communities with their local waterways. In 2015, more than 16,000 National Estuaries Week volunteers contributed 88,378 hours to enhancing and restoring coastal ecosystems.

For more information on National Estuaries Week and to find an event near you, visit www.nationalestuariesweek.org.

To learn more about Explorer, Freedive Champion and TV Personality, Mehgan Heaney-Grier, visit www.MehganHeaneyGrier.com

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Restore America’s Estuaries is the leader of a national alliance of coastal conservation organization across the country committed to protecting and restoring the lands and waters essential to the richness and diversity of coastal life. www.estuaries.org

Allison Colden
Restore America's Estuaries
2300 Clarendon Blvd.
Ste. 603
Arlington, VA 22201
703-524-0248

This release was published on openPR.