RisingTides has been disoloved as of April 2024

We created RisingTides as a non-profit organization back in 2009. The initial goal was to document the ocean environment using tools such as Reef Check and upload the data into their database for use by scientists and organizations worldwide. During the 2010 sailing season, we collected and submitted lots of valuable reef data from remote unsampled areas. During the 2011 season, RisingTides continued data collection but also supported more humanitarian goals such as one-on-one training and teaching education classes. Since our return to the States, we have been providing educational talks to community groups and school children which has led to direct work with STEM classes, middle schools, high schools, scouts, and community organizations.

We're ending RisingTides as it's taking too much time and money managing it when we could be doing other things including continuing engaging with school children and community groups. With that in mind, we donated the remaining RisingTides funds to a sister-like charitable organization that is in line with RisingTides mission of supporting activities for native people in the South Pacific region.

The organization we entrusted our remaining funds to is The Butterfly Trust which is based out of New Zealand and provides direct support to the people of Vanuatu. They also ensure that 100% of donations go to training, relief, and projects in Vanuatu. We have known and followed David and Lynn's progress with The Butterfly Trust since 2010 when Brian taught a number of vocational courses for them on the island of Malakula in Vanuatu.

We strongly encourage you to visit their site, read their newsletters, and hopefully give your support! Their contact information is below.

Thank you for everyones help and support throughout the years,

RisingTides Board of Directors

The Butterfly Trust

supporting indigenous initiatives in health and education

The Butterfly Trust is a New Zealand registered charity which works primarily in Vanuatu. We listen to what Ni-Vanuatu (the people of Vanuatu) want, and then assist when asked with resourcing, administration, and monitoring and evaluation. The trust works from the national level to the grassroots village level, ensuring that all the projects we support fit within the strategic plans of the Vanuatu government.

www.butterflytrust.org

Our Mission

Many South Pacific Islands are in imminent danger of being submerged by the rising sea level as a result of global warming conditions. Uninhabited barren islands? No. Home to some of the most peaceful native Pacific Island people? Yes. Some Pacific Islanders have already been forced to evacuate their villages and move to higher grounds, or are immigrating to the larger continents and islands such as Australia and New Zealand. You can help benefit the people of the Pacific Islands, scientific research, and humanity in generally by supporting RisingTides.

RisingTides is a recognized non-profit organization comprised of environmentalists dedicated to capturing a "snapshot in time" of selected islands in the Pacific Ocean. Our primary goals are to document current physical and environmental resources for future studies and comparison, spreading the philosophy of "Think Globally and Act Locally", to spark scientific interest in children by providing a connection between classroom studies and real world experiences, and to provide life saving or life altering vocational training and communication resources.

Utilizing non-intrusive and environmentally friendly research methods, RisingTides collects and shares baseline data pertaining to reef ecosystems and selected cultural resources. This data is shared with universities, private organizations, governments, and those of like mind who need a baseline for various studies including the effects of rising sea levels on reefs, islands, and on our planet.

Partnering with dedicated educators and volunteers, we exchange information with students on subjects such as cultural differences, weather, scientific expedition information, geographic locations, and humanitarian work. The goal is to excite students and raise questions for them to investigate further thus enhancing the classroom environment at home and in the islands. We accomplish this by bringing our experiences, scientific processes, cultural learnings, and adventures into the classroom and public gatherings both at home and abroad.

RisingTides takes no political position on the causes of Global Warming. We acknowledge that Global Warming is a reality and look for ways we can help those who are impacted.

RisingTides also partners with other "Like Minded" volunteer and non-profit organizations sharing knowledge, manpower, and resources.

	RisingTides.org