We are so proud to share that East Coast Zoological Foundation’s Volunteer and Conservation Learning programs received national recognition this week with two awards from the Association of Zoos and Aquarium (AZA)!  

Our Restore Our Shores volunteer program was honored with the Volunteer Engagement Award from AZA, honoring the program’s critical work preserving an important local waterbody, the Indian River Lagoon.   

“Be Outside with Brevard Zoo,” a Conservation Learning program offered at our Zoo, was honored with the Education Award from AZA, recognizing the program’s outstanding achievement in developing conservation knowledge, attitudes, and behavior – among other achievements.  

Both awards were announced at AZA’s Annual Conference in Portland, Oregon. Learn more about them below:

Restore Our Shores Volunteer Program 

Restore Our Shores works to conserve and restore the health of the Indian River Lagoon through community-driven habitat restoration, environmental stewardship, scientific research, and volunteer engagement. The program focuses on implementing environmentally friendly solutions that improve water quality, restore native habitats, increase biodiversity, and strengthen the lagoon’s resilience for future generations.  

Hundreds of Restore Our Shores volunteers play a central role in every stage of this work, contributing to projects such as building living shorelines, restoring oyster and clam populations, planting mangroves, and supporting seagrass recovery. In 2025, 606 Restore Our Shores volunteers worked alongside staff, logging over 9,306 hours and helping restore more than 52,000 square feet of oyster reef.    

“Our Restore Our Shores volunteers work alongside our staff in often strenuous conditions as we work to balance a critical local waterbody, the Indian River Lagoon,” said Keith Winsten, CEO of East Coast Zoological Foundation. “They brave heat, rain, and more with one shared goal in mind: Seeing the Lagoon, a biodiverse ecosystem for six Florida counties, back to overall good health.”    

Beyond the numbers, one of Restore Our Shores’ greatest successes is its ability to connect people directly to conservation. Volunteers are not simply assisting with projects; they are helping restore an ecosystem that supports wildlife, local economies, recreation, and the quality of life throughout Brevard County. This combination of habitat restoration and community engagement makes Restore Our Shores a model conservation program that advances both environmental and educational goals.  

Be Outside with Brevard Zoo 

Be Outside with Brevard Zoo is redefining conservation education by removing barriers to outdoor exploration and connecting under-resourced youth with the natural world through accessible, hands-on experiences at no-cost. This program helps to foster lifelong connections to nature, establish an Environmental Science Identity in participating youth, and inspire conservation action.  

“I am very proud of our Conservation Learning team and their ability to provide impactful, immersive experiences designed to convey the knowledge needed to empower change and inspire action towards a more sustainable future,” Keith said. “Be Outside with Brevard Zoo is a powerful tool in our ability to ‘share our joy of nature to help wildlife and people thrive.’ This pioneering program is unique in Florida and is a model for how modern zoos can be hubs for community-based conservation engagement.”  

For many middle and high school students, the Be Outside with Brevard Zoo program is the first time they have had access to experiencing outdoor activities like kayaking, hiking, or exploring the above-mentioned Indian River Lagoon.   

Brevard Zoo staff also strive to combine this traditional outdoor fun with scientific inquiry so participants can gain a better understanding of how they fit into the ecosystem and ways they can join the Zoo in helping to protect local environments. These experiences foster a new respect within the students for local ecosystems and wildlife.  

A survey of program participants found that: 

• 97% of participants actively engage in outdoor skills during a program session 

• 62% of participants report a statistically significant increase in their connection to nature as a result of participating in the program 

• 83% of participants express intent to repeat outdoor recreational experiences 

• 93% of participants can describe something new they learned about Florida’s ecosystems, wildlife, or conservation 

• 72% of participants stated an appropriate action they can take to help support conservation efforts of local ecosystems and wildlife

The number of youth served through this program has increased each year. In 2024, a total of 712 youth participated in a total of 2,100 hours of outdoor activities. In 2025, a total of 1,145 youth participated in a total of 3,500 hours of outdoor activities. 

ECZF is deeply grateful for Disney Cruise Line‘s support of Be Outside at Brevard Zoo and for Lockheed Martin, Northrup Grumman, and Wells Fargo‘s funding and volunteer efforts for Restore Our Shores.