California is one of the most beautiful, diverse and fascinating places on the planet. That makes the work of David Helvarg especially important

Helvarg is the founder and executive director of the Blue Frontier Campaign, which works for ocean and coastal conservation. He’s also a storyteller, with a journalist’s eye for detail and personalities. He’s written for the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, Popular Science and the Smithsonian, been a war correspondent, authored half a dozen books and produced more than 40 documentaries for PBS and the Discovery Channel.

He will lecture at California State University, Monterey Bay on April 27, as this year’s President’s Speaker Series concludes. The presentation will start at 3:30 p.m. in the World Theater. A question-and-answer session and a public reception will follow.

He’ll talk about the state of California’s coastal areas, how they got that way, what it all means for our future and what we can do about it.

Helvarg’s most recent book, The Golden Shore: California’s Love Affair with the Sea was published in 2013. He is editor of the Ocean and Coastal Conservation Guide, and organizer of the Peter Benchley Ocean Awards – named after the author of the novel Jaws. His work as an advocate for the oceans has been honored with Coastal Living magazine’s Leadership Award and the Herman Melville Literary Award.

The community is invited to this free event. Reservations are requested and can be made by calling the World Theater box office at 582-4580, or online.

The theme of this year’s speaker series is “Future Monterey Bay.” During the school year, speakers visited campus to address various aspects of the theme.

The series is in keeping with Cal StateMonterey Bay’s role as a community resource, providing forums for provocative discussions that can impact thought and action on issues important to our community.