REEF campus director Jill Kuehnert surveys reef fish throughout a dive off Key Largo. She has accomplished greater than 30 surveys as a part of REEF’s Volunteer Fish Survey Mission, which helps construct one of many largest marine life databases on this planet. (Photograph Courtesy of Jill Kuehnert)
Jill Kuehnert, the campus director of Key Largo-based Reef Environmental Schooling Basis (REEF), is a self-described “fish nerd wannabe.” She’s so obsessed with fish that at any time when she scuba dives, she tracks, counts and paperwork them to help with the preservation and conservation of species.
“Fish nerds are like chicken watchers,” Kuehnert stated. “When you get began you possibly can’t cease.”
Eighteen months in the past, Kuehnert dived proper in to supervise the administration of REEF’s Key Largo campus. The expanded facility contains its all-new two-story $6 million, 4,000-square foot REEF Ocean Exploration Heart for Marine Conservation.
Unveiled on June 7-8 to coincide with World Ocean Day, the brand new attraction is open to the general public, six days every week, freed from cost. And in line with the inspiration’s officers, it marks a significant milestone within the basis’s dedication to teach and encourage.
As REEF’s campus director in Key Largo, Jill Kuehnert blends science, outreach, and fervour to encourage the subsequent technology of ocean stewards and reef protectors. (Photograph courtesy of Jill Kuehnert)
“The Ocean Exploration Heart represents a brand new chapter for REEF, aiming to offer an interactive and immersive expertise for guests and Keys residents,” stated
Marta Bonatz, chair of REEF’s board of trustees. She’s equally impressed with the outreach Kuehnert has performed to amplify the significance of marine life.
“Jill’s expertise in public talking and group outreach, coupled together with her steadfast and affected person demeanor make her a perfect consultant as we attain a broader viewers,” Bonatz defined. “This permits us to foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of the marine atmosphere amongst residents and guests to the Florida Keys.”
REEF’s expanded facility encompasses a up to date, state-of-the-art ocean exploration gallery, a floor-to-ceiling centerpiece with colourful life-size molds of assorted Keys fish, works by rotating native artists and a science discovery classroom. The venue additionally serves as a gathering house and may host small teams and conferences. Kuehnert believes this gives the proper platform to interact with all issues marine.
“It’s a singular alternative for individuals to study our reef with an emphasis on fish,” Kuehnert stated.
REEF’s key mission — facilitating packages that actively contain divers, snorkelers and reef fans in marine conservation — is completed partly by its Volunteer Fish Survey Mission, producing one of many world’s largest marine life databases.
The ‘citizen science’ undertaking, launched in 1993, has surpassed greater than 300,000 surveys, carried out by 17,000 international volunteer divers and snorkelers at practically 18,000 world ocean websites. Kuehnert has carried out greater than 30 surveys.
REEF additionally organizes a variety of subject survey journeys. This 12 months, upcoming dive journeys embrace prime locations like Roatan, Honduras; Fernando de Noronha, Brazil; El Hierro, Canary Islands, Spain; South Sulawesi, Indonesia; Anilao, Philippines; Curacao, Cozumel, Mexico; and Cayman Brac, Cayman Islands.
Jill Kuehnert and the REEF staff interact with the general public at a group outreach occasion, sharing their ardour for marine conservation and provoking ocean stewardship all through the Florida Keys. (Photograph courtesy of Jill Kuehnert)
Welcoming guests to the Florida Keys, whereas supporting marine conservation efforts all through the globe, takes a staff of devoted professionals. That’s why REEF helps greater than a dozen employees, fellows and interns.
To be taught why Kuehnert loves the ocean, diving and marine life a lot, it is advisable to know the place she got here from. She grew up in Atlanta and graduated from American College in Washington, D.C., incomes an undergraduate diploma in worldwide relations with a deal with Europe, and a grasp’s diploma in philosophy and social coverage, specializing in environmental ethics.
Her post-college profession started at World Financial institution Group in Washington, D.C., conducting agricultural outreach in Asia and Africa.
For a decade, she labored in Singapore because the regional Asia-Pacific head of presidency and public affairs for Monsanto Co., the previous international producer of agricultural, biochemical and chemical merchandise. From 2007 to 2023, Jill labored as a science communications marketing consultant for public sector agriculture analysis initiatives.
It was at a celebration in Singapore that she met future husband Glenn Wright, a dive grasp hailing from South Africa. The 2 bonded in a dialogue about scuba diving; on the time, nonetheless, Kuehnert was not but a diver.
After deciding to maneuver to South Florida, the couple based and operated a customized dive enterprise referred to as Fortunate Fish Scuba, for 5 years in Key Largo.
“We had simply as a lot enjoyable taking individuals to snorkel within the mangroves and bayside sunsets as we did out to the reef,” she recalled.
Kuehnert lately wrapped up a three-year time period as president of the Higher Keys Enterprise and Skilled Ladies (BPW), rising the group to turn out to be Florida’s largest chapter with greater than 100 members. And it’s her tenacious spirit that has colleagues singing her praises.
“Jill turns imaginative and prescient into vibrant actuality. Her perception, heat and can-do spirit make her the good friend, chief, and group champion everybody hopes to have by their aspect,” stated Key Largo resident Bonnie Barnes, the Higher Keys PBW’s new president-elect and Monroe County program supervisor for Florida Worldwide College’s Small Enterprise Improvement Heart.
“Jill is a pure chief who leads by instance, with integrity and quiet energy,” stated Suzi Youngberg, president of the Key Largo Chamber of Commerce.
“She’s not one to do something midway — when she commits to one thing, she offers it her all,” Youngberg added. “Jill additionally has a delicate, encouraging approach of serving to construct a group of people that care simply as deeply as she does.”
Within the Florida Keys, REEF oversees quite a lot of occasions together with the annual REEF Fest, slated for Thursday, October 16 to Sunday, October 19; and the Florida Keys Lionfish Derby & Arts Pageant, held yearly in April.
Keys Traveler (KT): When did you first come to the Florida Keys and why?
Jill Kuehnert: As a vacationer and visiting as soon as a decade: within the ‘80s, ‘90s and 2000s. In 2017, I moved to Key Largo with my husband, Glenn. After dwelling in Singapore, we wished to stay someplace we may dive (and be heat) year-round. At first, we settled in Fort Lauderdale, however realized we wished to be nearer to the reef.
KT: What features of the Keys’ atmosphere or lifestyle matter most to you?
JK: I really like the water on either side: ocean and bay. What issues most to me is the group. I haven’t lived in another small cities or rural areas, and it took a while to regulate! However now I really like working into individuals in all places I’m going like at group occasions to boost consciousness and construct help for environmental points, or in our social golf equipment and organizations.
KT: What impressed you to turn out to be obsessed with defending the Keys’ pure world and the way does that zeal influence your day by day life and work?
JK: As a dive operator bringing individuals out on their first snorkel or scuba diving expertise, I wished to guarantee that what they noticed impressed them to come back again — and in the end to be advocates for safeguarding the atmosphere right here within the Keys and elsewhere. Becoming a member of REEF as a member, after which on employees, felt like a pure development to achieve extra guests and locals with alternatives to be taught and participate in actions that protect our marine ecosystems.
KT: How do you personally work to ‘join and shield’ the Keys’ atmosphere and the island chain’s distinctive way of life?
JK: I put plenty of emphasis on the ‘join’ half. REEF’s mission matches so nicely with the work of different conservation and schooling organizations, in addition to these concerned in tourism. On my final dive at Elbow Reef, I discovered the cutest juvenile high-hat, a tiny fish no larger than my thumbnail.
KT: What do you hope your environmental actions within the Keys will assist to perform?
JK: That my actions will fire up enthusiasm and encourage individuals to be taught extra about how superb our surroundings is — after which to work collectively on sensible actions they will take to guard our shared atmosphere.