Did You Know? Since 1995 SeaWorld/Busch Gardens Adventure CampsSM have played host to nearly 300,000 campers, hailing from all 50 U.S. states and 22 countries. View More » The Limbe Wildlife Centre, Limbe, Cameroon... » Entering the Emperor’s Realm in Antarctica » Vanuatu » Tesso Nilo National Forest » The SeaWorld/Busch Gardens/Fujifilm Environmental Excellence Awards: A Local Approach to Conservation » Tracking Lions in Kenya with Dr. Lawrence Frank » SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund » The Galapagos » An African Adventure to Remember In addition to protecting and preserving wildlife and natural resources around the world, these organizations contribute significantly to wildlife research, increase environmental awareness, and work to establish international conservation priorities. Partner organizations actively contribute to the evaluation process and network with award winners to provide critical support and mentorship to ensure the future success of each winning project. The 2004 EEA project submission deadline was December 19, 2003. This year's project entries were submitted from student and community groups from across the country. The program received 117 entries from 36 different states. Conservation partners, as well as the education departments of SeaWorld and Busch Gardens, had the daunting task of selecting the top eight projects. After two days of intense evaluation and debate, the national finalists were selected on January 16, 2004. The winning projects will receive a cash award of $10,000 to fund future project growth. In addition to receiving well-deserved publicity in their communities, the 2004 EEA winners will be highlighted on www.seaworld.org or www.buschgardens.org. Winners from the 2000-2003 seasons have also been posted. This award-winning site is visited by millions of teachers and students each year. Hopefully, by highlighting their fine accomplishments, other schools and community groups will be inspired to launch grass-roots initiatives of their own. The winners will be recognized at the EEA formal awards event, which will be hosted by SeaWorld San Diego from April 21-23, 2004.

Audrey Dias, a student at Whitestone Training Center, clears debris from North creek near Big Delta Alaska. Whitestone Training Center's project is a 2004 EEA winner.

The SeaWorld/ Busch Gardens/ Fujifilm Environmental Excellence Awards: A Local Approach to Conservation

By David Schindler, SeaWorld Orlando Since 1993, the Anheuser-Busch Adventure Parks have recognized the outstanding efforts of students and teachers who are working at the grass-roots level to protect and preserve the environment. The SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund provides direct support to the SeaWorld/Busch Gardens/Fujifilm Environmental Excellence Awards (EEA) program. The program was expanded this year to include non-profit community groups committed to the environmental issues of their region. Over the past 12 years, the EEA program has rewarded the efforts of more than 100 schools in 35 states and territories. The SeaWorld/Busch Gardens/Fujifilm Environmental Excellence Awards provide these groups with financial support, public recognition, and also provide a degree of mentorship to advance their cause. The EEA Awards program has established and maintained professional relationships with several partners including Fujifilm, Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute, World Wildlife Fund, Conservation International, Izaak Walton League of America, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, National Geographic Society, The Nature Conservancy, National Wildlife Federation, and the National Science Teachers Association.