Fernando Bretos

I am a conservation scientist focusing on the restoration of tropical coastal habitats such as mangroves and coral reefs. I also spend time studying and protecting marine migratory species in the Caribbean such as sea turtles and sawfish. During my time I write a lot but mostly proposals and reports. Every once in a while, I get to write what I like to write about, using words and imagination to engage people to fall in love with the ocean and take action to help oceans thrive and support the people that rely on the ocean for survival. Growing up in Sydney, Australia and Miami Beach, Florida I was always surrounded by water and consistently motivated by its ebbs and flows.

I am Program Officer at The Ocean Foundation where I oversee projects in the Caribbean. During 12 years at Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science, I created Museum Volunteers for the Environment, which engages Miami residents in restoring mangrove, dune and coastal forests. I love being outside and I love being able to inspire people with my own passion for nature. I studied at Oberlin College and the University of Miami. I am a Kinship Conservation Fellow and a National Geographic Society Explorer and a father of two ocean loving boys.