Kenny Chesney’s No Shoes Reefs Continues Efforts, Adds Partners
Kenny Chesney
Kenny Chesney‘s No Shoes Reefs efforts have been paying off in a big way, and 2020 looks to be another successful year for the ocean conservation organization created by the superstar. An ongoing grassroots effort dedicated to the health of the ocean, No Shoes Reefs targets local waters, focusing on single reefs at the community level.
Through a partnership established in 2015, Chesney teamed with the Building Conservation Trust to create artificial reefs in places where degradation undermined healthy reefs, which provide a habitat for many kinds of sea life. Working at a grassroots level with the Coastal Conservation Association, 18 months after submerging their first two structures, Chesney and CCA President Pat Murray were able to see proof the efforts were working as they heard the fish finders and depth censors go crazy as they floated over the locations on the St. John River.
“The fish were back,” Chesney said. “The reefs were healthy, and the water was becoming what it was originally meant to be. I realized: small things can yield major results, especially within defined communities.”
As part of NSR’s initiative, Chesney continues his affiliation with the Coastal Conservation Association and is also aligning with Deep, SiliPint and the Reef Ball Foundation, also dedicated to preventing erosion and creating/preserving oceanic ecosystems, for 2020.
“All of our partners are committed to raising awareness of the importance of protecting our oceans, especially the reefs,” Chesney aaid. “It is critical that we maintain the reefs we have, try to establish awareness of how to protect the ocean, educate people about how to make a difference and, when needed, try to help – as the Reef Ball Foundation does – create more opportunities for healthy saltwater life.
Chesney recently announced his Chillaxification Tour has been postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With his latest album Here and Now, Chesney made his ninth album debut atop Billboard‘s all-genre Top 200 albums chart.
