Learn more about what we do

Welcome to Ecolibrium 

Overview

Our planet is currently at a pivotal crossroads, as every day we as humans are destroy habitats, endanger numerous species present, and accelerate climate change on a devastating scale. These tragedies are directly due to human impact and previously little to no effort is made to stop these actions. Creating awareness about these issues is the first step to making a change that is so desperately needed. Even the smallest actions can lead to the largest impact, and that idea inspired Ecolibrium.

With these disturbing changes to our planet, humanity has finally started to realize that actions are necessary and serious change is crucial. Among this heightened atmosphere of global environmental awareness, we aim to spread the word of positive change and conservation through our ecologically inspired artwork. By creating a multifaceted experience for the public, we aim to raise awareness about local and endangered species-- through both aquatic and terrestrial installations all over the world--not only for the benefit of the planet but the expansion of scientific knowledge.

Functional artistic pieces designed by Ecolibrium Global, allows for the creation of a bridge between two worlds. Each ecologically based artistic installation will highlight a rare and endemic species which is unique to that area. Since these species are so rare, these organisms can become mascots for these local areas, giving these areas a sense of community bond as well and their involvement in the conservation of these local species. These consciously designed installations are also created to be functional, which is what sets Ecolibrium apart from other artists. Scientists specializing in the local ecology, and designers will create an installations that aids in the conservation of this species. From functional artificial reefs designed to maximize microhabitats and biodiversity, working freshwater ponds built in areas experiencing extreme droughts used as an oasis, to creative pieces surrounded by local and endangered fauna planted to help pollinate surrounding areas these creations have unlimited potential to create change. And even the smallest changes can lead to big things. 

Unique artistic designs bring in the public to become inspired and learn from the educational aspects of the piece while the functionality of the piece directly aids in the preservation and protection of the rare species that they feature. Attaching a scientific data base, containing sighting and population dynamics, can add an additional aspect to these pieces-- allowing the community to become involved as citizen scientists. This engagement will not only increase the knowledge about these species, but increase the connection between the visitor and the organism. This hands-on approach to  art will engage with the visitor in a way that leaves a lasting impression, one that hopefully last a lifetime. 

Background

Across the globe, there are thousands of rare and endangered species that are threatened everyday by the presence of humanity. Pollution, destruction, and an ever expanding population drive these organisms from their natural homes. Protecting these dwindling populations should be a priority for us to preserve the extravagance of nature before it's too late. On land, and in our oceans, species across the globe are threatened or endangered with the chance of extinction. Some of these species have very limited habitat ranges and are only found in very localized regions. Spreading the word, and protecting these areas are crucial for the survival of these species in particular. Coral reefs, estuaries, and freshwater rivers/streams are among the most threatened areas, but are also usually they most populated. 

Currently more than 60% of the world reefs are being threatened by human activities such as overfishing, destructive fishing methods, pollution, and development while 75% are undergoing thermal distress due to climate change. These numbers are expected to raise to more than 90% by 2030. (World resources Institute). Once specific example is the bleaching of the living coral reefs caused by increased levels of dissolved carbon dioxide in the ocean -- linked to the burning of fossil fuels are causing ocean acidification, or the rise in the ocean’s acidity levels. The loss of the keystone species globally is catastrophic to the decline of biodiversity of the oceans, the decrease in the amount of carbon dioxide that is removed by living coral, and the loss of habitat that numerous species depend on in these areas. Conservation efforts in these types of areas are of the utmost importance, and it all starts with education. Artificial reefs are already being utilized to assist in this problem while helping the natural reefs return and replenish, and aiding in ecotourism. 

Artificial Reefs

Artificial reefs are benthic structures that are typically man made and intentionally placed and are generally designed to protect, enhance, or restore marine ecosystems. They can be used for a wide variety of purposes such as increasing biomass in fisheries, renewing destroyed habitats, creating new environments, functioning as a breakwater, and more.

Humans have been using artificial reefs for hundreds of years and taking advantage of the fact that many marine organisms are attracted to these structures. Fouling organisms that attach to the surface, algae’s, and predatory fishes have been known to increase in numbers when artificial reefs introduced (Randall 1963, Carlise et al 1964, Turner et al 1969, Fager 1971). Artificial reefs construction has occurred in Japan for hundreds of years (Ino 1974) and in the united states since the mid 1800s (Stone 1974) and built primarily by private organizations or individuals or local governments (Stone 1974, 1982).

Traditionally the low costs artificial reefs are built with discarded scrap or waste material such as cars, tires, and cement black (Bohnsack & Sutherland 1985). The Japanese, however, built specially designed artificial reefs mostly for commercial use and funded by the government (Motet 1981, Sheehy 1981, Vik 1982). Artistic reefs and installation have been around since the 1960s which typically feature human figures in creative ways. Although these reefs are beautiful and serve as habitat for certain species, they were not designed especially for the purpose of increasing species diversity and abundance. Those artistic artificial reefs are only beneficial to certain species, as they are usually lacking in rugosity, or complexity, and therefore do not provide a multitude of microhabitats that living reefs provide.

Past Examples

In 1986, the Virginia gallery in New York launched EarthWorks as a groundbreaking exhibit that started the idea of art built from the natural environment. Although beautiful these sculptures had yet to develop an environmentally conscience objective. Today, successfully artists like Jason deCaires Taylor have a global network of exhibits including an entire underwater museum that already draw visitors from all around the world. These sculptures typically represent humans doing everyday tasks, mundane scenes, or in a transcendent manner. These statues do provide the basic attributes of an artificial reef but visually almost seem out of place in this submerged environment, and also have nothing to do with their environment.

These artists have set the stage for conservation and awareness through environmentally inspired pieces, but we aim to take the idea two steps further. Our instillations would highlight the species localized to these areas both aquatically and terrestrially. We would not limit ourselves to merely underwater as not everyone can enjoy. For underwater reefs we would like to create a duplicate for the nearby areas for the non-divers. For people who are not already interested or invested in the ocean, such as divers, spreading the awareness of a local rare species may guide those people in a conservation direction.

Design Improvements

More complex reefs that aim to increase the biodiversity of that reef and maximize the types of species that can inhabit and utilize the reef. Featuring endemic and rare species we also aim to highlight the natural populations in an attempt to create not only awareness, but also a fondness for these species, which might lead to more of an effort by people to aid in their conservation.

Unlike some poorly designed artificial reefs that attract can fisherman, use unnatural/hazardous materials, and can cause environmental harm-- our small artistic reefs will not negatively affect the surrounding areas, nor alter natural habitats or community compositions significantly. Similar small artificial reefs that were introduced to sandy bottom habitats in San Diego were shown to have little to no effect on the benthic substrate around them and would not impact wave action, sand ripple patterns, or grain size of the sediment present (Davis et al 1982). Similarly, the population of the organisms in the surrounding areas were not shown to change outside of a small diameter around the reef. These small reefs would mainly be used as attractive spots for divers, an educative tool, and a model for designing and implementing larger successful reefs for rebuilding larger areas, but themselves will not affect the area enough to have any of the deleterious side effects some artificial reefs can have.

On Land and Sea

Terrestrial organisms are facing similar challenges as the world's reefs. Devastating events such as pollution of our dwindling freshwater ecosystems, the destruction of natural habitats, and ever-expanding urbanization are shrinking the untouched environments available to these species.  Placing artistic installation in areas where people can frequent to not only admire the artwork but learn about the features species and other rare and endangered species will allow the visitor to better engage with the piece and hopefully create a kind of lasting bond. Learning about an species that is only found in small areas might inspire people to take better care of these environments,  an ideal that hopefully will persist and flow into other areas of their lives as well.

Parks and outdoor recreation areas can also benefit from these artistic installations and can become their own destination while continuing to educate. Creating a destination for visitors, content for social media influencers, and school educational programs can all benefit, and in turn help spread the word, about these destinations and the organisms they feature. Installations that are eye catching can be easily spread through social media, which could include free advertising simply by providing content for users to post. Monetary benefits are also attached as each installation comes with a custom QR code which is linked directly to a website with will have several ways for the visitor to contribute or donate on behalf of the featured organism or the park itself. 

Taking it One Step Further
 
Creating a memorable event for people, and one they can share visually with their friends and family, might spark a deeper appreciation for the natural environment and drive the desire to protect it. Small acts like picking up trash or cleaning up thoroughly after themselves, can lead to major changes in the future. The goal is to inspire people to be aware of the problem in their everyday lives, and they may work harder to help.  Imagine someone visit these areas, learns about a rare animal, sees that animals, and gets to report their sighting to the scientific database--becoming a part of actual research that will be shared and published for all to see. That small act will hopefully inspire them to respect that environment and others like it, leading to a reduction in pollution, a increase of attendance to these destinations, an ideally restoring the bond with nature. 

Technology is everywhere and combining it with natural art is a great way to keep people engaged. Each installation will have custom QR codes which, when scanned with a smartphone, will lead the visitor to a website based on the installation. There they can learn all about the featured organism including diet, location, & life cycle, as well as the threats they face and how we can help. The website will also have numerous resources that are provided for visitors if they would like to get more involved such as donating to different nonprofits, conservation groups, and nature preserves. This multifaceted engagement could help develop a bond with nature and help develop a deep appreciation and desire to protect our fragile environment. 

With your contribution and help we can spread awareness about these magnificent endangered species across the globe, and together we can help conserve them for future generations to come!

Scientific Benefits

An online scientific database will also be created to establish population estimates, growth rate data, and general ecosystem analytics based on visitor observation. When the exhibit is visited, the divers can then upload their photos and videos to the website to assist scientists on their research. Scientists can monitor the ecosystem, get population estimates, and monitor growth rates of the species present. Regular divers would have the opportunity to navigate to the reef, using it as a landmark and a learning tool. They will also be able to participate in the citizen science project while highlighting the local species that is only found in these few locations. Allowing the number of regularly conducted reef surveys greatly contribute to the successful assessment of each type of specifically designed artificial reef. This can lead to publication on the findings, and hopefully progress the knowledge of what constitutes a success artificial reef and how these tools can be implemented in the future.

For the terrestrial projects, we can still implement the citizen scientist database and collect data, but the data would be focused more on individual identification and population estimates. With these installations we are focusing on the everyday person looking for entertainment, which we will then educate them and have them in turn spread the word via social media and influence others to come and experience the exhibit.

Social Media Exposure

The vastly popular social media driven lifestyle of most people these days gives us an excellent opportunity for free advertising and widespread exposure. Tik Tock, Instagram and Facebook are just some of the social media platforms that are always looking for new and exciting content. Influences are known to sway millions of followers and our art hope to inspire them to do the same through conservation art. Providing these visitors with a beautiful and extremely unique piece of art that highlights a local species, while providing breathtaking visuals gives social media posts more depth than merely a pretty picture. Photos and videos will then get posted and shared across the planet for all to see with ease. This is an excellent way of spreading the word to a global audience about these uncommon organisms, the health of our environments, and the potential threats humans pose to it. Our hope is that this will foster a sense of care and understanding and potentially draw in even more visitors. Using this unique type of platform to reach such a broad audience is crucial in the global change we are trying to inspire.

Monetary Benefits

The establishment of this new habitat will create numerous benefits such both ecologically and economically. The ecological benefits are already well known, but the monument itself can be used to create revenue for each city the installations are located. Charging for parking or admittance can increase the revenue at these locations, as visitors are already utilizing these areas and their numbers would only increase with the new attraction. The local businesses could also get the additional revenue due to the influx of visitors, which could lead them to a greater appreciation for this rare species found right in their own neighborhoods. Spreading this awareness in the areas that are home to these rare species might bring a local sense of pride to the city and create a greater desire to protect these areas.  

Our Founder

Stephanie Benseman, M.S., founded Ecolibrium Global in 2021, inspired by her love of the ocean, her scientific research during her master's thesis at California State University, and naturalist observations over the years.  Stephanie came up with the idea of Ecolibrium as a way of sharing her passion with the natural world and igniting a fire for change in future generations. Together with her family & friends, fellow scientists, and incredible artists-- she works to grow this nonprofit to spread her message of conservation and build these designs all over the world-- highlighting the true beauty of the untouched environment.