Recreating Responsibly: How the Clean Marinas Program Works to Complement Safe Boating Education in Ohio

Overview
Speaker(s)

The Ohio Clean Marinas Program is a voluntary, incentive-based certification program that recognizes marinas for implementing environmental best management practices. Since 2006, Clean Marinas staff have also coordinated a sister initiative, the Ohio Clean Boater Program, that has grown into a statewide effort to engage recreational boaters in protecting the waterways they enjoy. The sole mission of the Ohio Clean Boater initiative is to complement safe boating organizations by being the go-to resource for environmental recreational boating education and outreach. Administered through an agency-university-industry partnership, the Program is an example of how clean and safe boating can work together to achieve an overall goal of responsible recreation.

Sarah Orlando

Extension Educator

Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ Office of Coastal Management

Sarah Orlando is an Extension Educator with Ohio Sea Grant based in the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ Office of Coastal Management in Sandusky. She is the Program Manager for the Ohio Clean Marinas and Clean Boaters programs – voluntary, incentive-based programs to help maintain and improve Lake Erie water quality while preserving the economic activity and viability of the marine trades industry. Sarah also coordinates the Ohio Shrink-Wrap Recycling Program, a cost effective, eco-friendly alternative to disposing of shrink-wrap for Ohio marinas and boaters. Her primary responsibilities include conducting applied research, education, and outreach to the marina and boating community on a variety of topics including nonpoint source pollution, stormwater, wastewater, aquatic invasive species, marine debris, and coastal resiliency. Sarah holds her bachelor’s degree in biology with minors in marine science and English from Wittenberg University, and her master’s degree in marine resources management from Texas A&M University at Galveston.