EDUCATION
ENVIRONMENTAL PRINCIPLES
Nature solves problems
“I’m trying to show people that there is a natural way to solve their problems . . . We can have mosquito control and butterflies, too.” –M. Betsch
Ecosystems survive by sharing resources
“My other favorite is the gopher tortoise which digs a home in the sand dune and shares it with 80 other critters!” –M. Betsch
Nature is a peacemaker
“Where can you go to find inner peace, where everything is so crowded? And, the beach is one place . . . If I have helped to save that, that would be the best legacy I can imagine.” –M. Betsch
The FOUNDATION supports solutions that cause minimal environmental impact and work with nature rather than against it; just as bats naturally exterminate mosquitoes leaving butterflies unharmed. The interdependence between ecosystems guides the FOUNDATION in its efforts to promote and maintain harmony between nature and humankind.
The FOUNDATION seeks to preserve American Beach as a safe haven for those who want to disconnect from the world and reconnect with peace.
CONSERVATION
The Beach Lady understood that humanity cannot survive in an imbalanced natural world. Her successful campaign, saving the sand dune she called ‘Nana’ from private development, culminated her life’s work. American Beach Foundation shares her conservation-centered vision that recognizes the beach community as a retreat that people and creatures can share.
PHOTO: AMY ROSIER
HISTORY
American Beach’s unique history highlights its importance as an environmental and cultural resource.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, its historic, modest cottages, in stark contrast to new, elaborate multi-story dwellings, illustrate how the smaller footprint, outlined in the 1935 plat, prioritized the natural surroundings over the built environment.
OCEAN
No other natural element predicts the health of our world as powerfully as the ocean. As temperatures and sea level’s rise, the ocean serves as a barometer and warning of imminent environmental changes.