The Death and Life of Monterey Bay: A Story of Revival is the 2019 Book of the Year for the Aptos and Santa Cruz Our Community Reads program! We are so thankful for the prestigious honor!

• Book of the Year – Friends of the Aptos Library Our Community Reads 2019
• Santa Cruz Sentinel – Dan Haifley Review. Our Ocean Backyard: The philosophy of tide pools and our interconnected environment. 2019

Learn a little about the Monterey Bay and the incredible Dr. Julia Platt, one of the first female marine biologists in the U.S. and Mayor of Pacific Grove, CA.  Carolyn was interviewed by UC Santa Cruz student Chloe Seifert, who made the short video with Aime Reyes, Gabe Gabbert and mmazzaphotography.com.  

Julia Platt, was a key figure in changing the tide from unsustainable extraction of resources from the Bay to conservation of the Bay! Julia is one of the main protagonists in our book The Death and Life of Monterey Bay: A Story of Revival and the inspiration behind the Lovers Point – Julia Platt State Marine Reserve. Learn more about Julia in Carolyn’s article Neighbors, Comrades Across Time in the Vermont Quarterly. 

 

Carolyn’s March 2017 Interview with Fox 24 Charleston’s News Now: Is Over-Development Posing a Threat to the Quality of Life on James Island?

Mother Nature News – Q&A with authors of ‘The Death and Life of Monterey Bay’

CSPAN – Book TV Cities Tour – Monterey – Interview with Steven Palumbi

Book Reviews for The Death and Life of Monterey Bay: A Story of Revival – Stephen R. Palumbi, Carolyn Sotka

San Francisco Chronicle book review by David Perlmann. March 9, 2011.  “[A] colorful history of times long gone, of environments degraded, of an intricate web of life threatened—and how it has finally begun to recover through the hopeful work of communities and their leaders…[A] fascinating book, filled with anecdote and history, they explore the complex environment of the region, its fabulous sea life, and its colorful cast of humans.” 

Monterey Bay’s Ecological Renaissance. “Monterey Bay has gone from toxic soup to pristine waters supporting sea otters, whales, and a thriving kelp forest. What we’re learning here might just save our oceans.” 

“From natural paradise to environmental catastrophe and back again, the story of Monterey Bay is a compelling one. Lucky then, says Mark Newton, that marine biologists Stephen R. Palumbi and Carolyn Sotka do it justice.”

“Perhaps the most important message the book provides is that of what can happen when local people decide that enough is enough. Our local eco-systems are our responsibility and we have a duty to learn from the past and make amends for our mistakes. The Death and Life of Monterey Bay neatly encapsulates the depredations of the 20th century but highlights the fact that all is not lost. A gentle, considered and stirring biography of an eco-system; the book is a fitting legacy for Monterey Bay.”

Sample Press Releases while at NOAA:

• Dolphins’ Health Shed Light on Human and Ocean Health – Scientists Discover Clues into Human Diseases by Studying Dolphins in a Changing Ocean
• Antibiotic Resistance: A Rising Concern In Marine Ecosystems – Scientists Find Threats As Well As Cures In Ocean

Check out the 2015 PBS Live Special Big Blue Live feature on our book The Death and Life of Monterey Bay.

Sotka Interview by TreeHugger 

4 Key Lessons Learned From The Death and Rebirth of Monterey Bay (Treehugger Book Review) Jaymi Heimbuch June 8, 2011

Visit Dr. Stephen Palumbi’s (Director of Stanford’s Hopkins Marine Station) Web site for additional press for The Death and Life of Monterey Bay: A Story of Revival.

WanderSea Photography featured in ‘The State’ Weekend Edition, December 14, 2012.

NOAA-related Press Coverage

In partnership with NOAA Communications, Carolyn led outreach for the Oceans and Human Health Initiative (OHHI) and related press releases that resulted in ~50 covered features per year including Science Magazine, The Economist, London Times, National Geographic, Miami Herald, LA Times, The Telegraph, Yahoo News, U.S. News and World Report, Business Week, Daily Mail, The Independent, Oregonian, Seattle Times, Chicago Tribune, Detroit News and numerous local TV news outlets such as CBS news. For a list of OHHI coverage click here. If you are interested in a specific article where the link is no longer available, please contact me directly.