ACS Monterey Bay Program for July 2008

Annual Barbecue

Alan Baldridge and Jerry Loomis at the Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery

In lieu of our normal program, we're having a barbecue for all present and past members and friends of ACS.

Cost of BBQ is $15 per person. Please send payment to ACS, PO Box HE, Pacific Grove, 93950 or call Diane Glim for reservations or information.

Menu: BBQ meats and veggie options. Please bring your own table service.

Traditionally, at our Annual BBQ, the Monterey Chapter of the ACS honors someone who has made exceptional contributions to the world of nature and to conservation of our planet's natural resources. This year's honoree is our own Chapter President, Jerry Loomis.

The Monterey Chapter was founded in 1980 and since that time Jerry has served the equivalent of 4 two-year terms as President. His first term was from 1988 to 1989. His second, third and fourth terms ran consecutively from 2002 and will conclude at the end of this year. It is often difficult to find leaders to fill volunteer roles so it was a blessing to have someone who was willing to serve so well for such an extended time.

If you talk to Jerry about our Chapter he will often say that …"we are a small organization but I like to think we make a difference." While we are a locally organized Chapter, Jerry has been instrumental in making the "difference" international in scope.

As a naturalist, he has made several trips to San Ignacio Lagoon in Mexico where he became involved with some of the locals in the village of San Ignacio. He along with Chapter Board members Carol Maehr and Esta Lee Albright initiated an outreach program which purchased educational supplies for the students at the village school. The people there already had a strong conservation ethic with regard to the gray whales that calve and breed there. Jerry felt that if the Chapter helped the children of San Ignacio they would be better able to continue whale protection in the future.

Jerry was also fundamental in connecting with students in Mexican universities, encouraging them to apply to our Chapter for grants for research. Cetacean research in Mexico is more active than it is right now in the Monterey Bay area and so by including grant requests from across the border Jerry enabled the Chapter to continue to actively support cetacean research. Several grants have been awarded to graduate students attending Mexican universities.

Locally, Jerry has strong ties to this community. As a result our Chapter is included and participates in many different events such as The Oceans Faire, when President Clinton and Vice-president Gore visited Monterey, Whale Fest Days, and many events at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Point Lobos State Reserve and the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History.

Jerry has also supported our Chapter as a presenter at our monthly meetings and has served as a Scientific Advisor since 1988. On a national level Jerry is a Chapter Delegate to the ACS National Board.

Additionally, Jerry has long supported conservation through his role as a State Park Ranger for over 20 years. During that time he was the dive master at Point Lobos for nearly 2 decades, was a guiding force for the Point Lobos Docent program, participated in the sea otter translocation project at San Nicolas Island and participated in baleen recovery projects in 1984 and 2000 during which blue and humpback whale baleen was recovered. These projects occurred during a time when there was little baleen available for educational purposes. The recovered humpback baleen is now on display at the Whaler's Cabin Museum at Point Lobos and the blue whale baleen has been distributed far and wide for educational uses.

Still actively involved in Point Lobos affairs, Jerry now serves on the Point Lobos Association Board of Directors and recently co-chaired the month long celebration of Point Lobos' 75th Anniversary as a California State Park

Please join us to celebrate the many contributions to our Chapter and the world of nature of this very real Renaissance man.

Related web pages:

• The Friendly Gray Whales of San Ignacio Lagoon - Sept. 2006 ACS presentation by Jerry Loomis

• Back to list of previous meetings.