Longtime Aquarium supporters Linda Cabot and Ed Anderson understand well the threats to our blue planet. Regarding their gift establishing the Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life at the New England Aquarium, Interim Aquarium President and CEO Donna K. Hazard said, “Our oceans depend on the philanthropy and integrity of people like Ed and Linda, who understand well that their generous support for our research and conservation programs will impact the very future of our oceans for generations to come.”
Elected to the New England Aquarium Board of Trustees in 2014, Cabot previously served as an Overseer and on the Planning and Mission Committees. As a visual artist and documentarian, Cabot wrote and directed From the Bow Seat and then founded From the Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Programs to inspire and support the next generation.
Together, Cabot and Anderson, founder of North Bridge Venture Partners, have devoted their lives to the oceans. Read why, in Cabot’s own words, she and her husband chose the New England Aquarium to secure their legacy as ocean protectors.
“As lifelong sailors my husband and I came to both love and respect the ocean. Not only do we appreciate the spectacular beauty of the seas, we also find a spiritual uplifting by being near the water. We came to understand that the ocean is not boundless nor is it as healthy as it would appear from the surface, indeed the ocean is vulnerable.
It is concerning to understand the great harm caused by overfishing, habitat loss, ocean pollution, acidification, and climate change. The ocean is the earth’s life force in many ways, in terms of providing nearly half the oxygen we breathe, protein for most of humankind, and in determining our weather.
There are tipping points, there is a time to take action, there is a necessity to try to address these issues. We feel now a sense of urgency like never before.
As both an overseer and a trustee of the New England Aquarium, I have seen the tremendous research work and conservation efforts that the Aquarium has undertaken to help our oceans. The Aquarium’s commitment to both understanding and conserving our blue planet is steadfast and strong.
We feel that the Aquarium is in a position to be a national leader in ocean conservation and raising awareness. We have great confidence in this beloved Boston institution to make a difference in our world. There is a blossoming of interest and support for our oceans like never before, and we are thrilled to be a part of the Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life.
Great work is going to come from this important mission!”