Tetiaroa Society Launches Marlon Brando’s “University of the Sea” in the South Pacific
Kirkland, WA (PRWEB) May 01, 2014 -- Tetiaroa Society, the nonprofit aimed at bringing scientists and researchers from around the world to conduct studies on the Tahitian atoll of Tetiaroa in French Polynesia, announced the official opening of its Ecostation today.
Tetiaroa is a ring of 12 islets, or motus, around a 4.5 mile-wide lagoon and is owned by the late Marlon Brando’s estate. The actor spent many years on his private retreat planning ways he could conserve its natural beauty and implement sustainable features, including energy sourced from the sun and coconut oil, which are used exclusively for power on Tetiaroa.
Tetiaroa Society plays a pivotal role in preserving local cultural interests on Tetiaroa and expanding the scientific lessons learned across the world. The Ecostation features a 40-square-meter dry lab and a 75-square-meter wet lab plumbed with fresh water, surface seawater and deep ocean water, with an outdoor aquarium, is designed to 100% LEED platinum specification and acts as a hub of education, conservation, and creative science. It has been optimized with the expertise of visiting Smithsonian scientists as well as those from other research organizations.
“The official opening of Tetiaroa Society’s Ecostation is a key moment in our collective mission for sustainable interdependence in French Polynesia and around the world,” said Hinano Bagnis, Ph.D., executive director of Tetiaroa Society. “The Ecostation provides world-class scientists access to a rich ecosystem ideal for researching interactions between man and nature. As we face a watershed period in the health of our planet, Tetiaroa, a land rich in cultural history and supported by Tahitians as a sacred place, represents the opportunity to renew our pact with the environment by bridging the cultural knowledge and wisdom of our ancestors with the latest scientific thinking. This alliance, this ‘University of the Sea’ that Marlon Brando envisioned, can give hope to future generations.”
Current partners include the University of Washington, University of Minnesota, University of Redlands, University of Hawaii, and Centre de Recherches Insulaires et Observatoire de l’Environnement (CRIOBE).
Tetiaroa Society is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) U.S. nonprofit established by Brando Enterprises and Richard Bailey of Pacific Beachcomber. Pacific Beachcomber gifted the Ecostation to the Society.
For more information, please go to http://www.tetiaroasociety.org.
About Tetiaroa Society
Tetiaroa Society is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) U.S. nonprofit organization dedicated to exploring innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing issues relating to sustainable interdependence. Named after the privately owned atoll of Tetiaroa, French Polynesia, Tetiaroa Society supports conservation efforts aimed at developing the understanding of harmonious interactions between people and their surrounding ecosystems. Inspired by the late Marlon Brando’s vision to preserve sanctuaries for future generations and raise awareness of the fragility of our environment, Tetiaroa Society was founded by Brando Enterprises, which owns the atoll, and Richard Bailey of Pacific Beachcomber, and is supported by high profile members of the international scientific and entertainment communities. As a site of high historical value, as well as rich scientific research opportunities, Tetiaroa Society plays a pivotal role in preserving local cultural interests on Tetiaroa and expanding the scientific lessons learned to create a farther-reaching and globally significant purpose.
Jamie Vodden, +1 480-275-1203, [email protected]
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