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Natural Science Seminar Features Surfrider Foundation Environmental Director

The Seaver College Natural Science division seminar series continues with a talk by Chad Nelsen, the environmental director at the Surfrider Foundation, and Ph.D. candidate in the UCLA department of environmental biology. Nelsen will present his lecture, "Beaches at Risk," about California's policy on shoreline armoring and its impact on beach ecology and recreation, at 12 noon on Wednesday, Feb. 10, in room 130 of the Keck Science Center on the Malibu campus.

Nelson has held the position of environmental director for the Surfrider Foundation since 1998 and serves on its advisory board. He has long been interested in protecting and conserving beaches for recreational and ecological values.

"He helped develop the Surfrider Foundation's 'The Beach Is Alive' campaign, raising awareness of the animals and plants that depend on the sandy beach habitat," explains Karen Martin, the Frank R. Seaver Professor of Biology at Pepperdine. "He is involved the 'Respect the Beach' outreach to school children and in their Beach Preservation Campaign, among many other Surfrider Foundation initiatives."

Nelsen is an avid surfer, swimmer, and beach enthusiast who lives in Laguna Beach with his wife and twin boys. The theme of his talk Wednesday will be using non-market values of beach recreation in coastal management.

The seminar is free and open to the public. For more information and a full series schedule, visit the Natural Science Seminar Series Web site.