Before leaving office, President Clinton gave the nation a wonderful holiday gift in December. Under the authority of recent federal legislation to reauthorize the National Marine Sanctuary System, the president designated a new marine protected area of worldwide significance: the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve. (See the feature story in this issue, Islands of Refuge starting on page 48. You also can watch a video of Clinton's presentation at www.nationalgeographic.com - go to news). How significant is this new marine protected area? It is the largest nature preserve ever established in the United States and one of the largest in the world. Covering an area the size of Florida and Georgia combined, the new reserve is 100 miles wide and stretches 1,100 miles from Kure Island to Nihoa Island, and expands protection to waters surrounding the Midway Atoll and Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife Refuges.The reserve includes an estimated 3.5 million acres of coral and it also is home to approximately 7,000 species, including endangered and threatened Hawaiian monk seals and green sea turtles. The islands within the reserve are essential nesting sites for millions of sea birds. And these islands and their surrounding waters act as a refuge for many wildlife species found nowhere else in the world.The reserve will be managed as part of the National Marine Sanctuary System under the U.S. Department of Commerce. Numerous marine areas within the reserve will be closed to extractive takes, with some exemptions for present levels of fishing activity. In addition to prohibitions against long-line fisheries, no oil drilling, anchoring in coral, disturbing the seabed or discharging of pollutants will be permitted.A Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve Council will be formed to oversee and assist in management of the reserve. The council will include representatives from a diverse number of interest groups and officials from the state of Hawaii.While the dive community is not specifically identified for representation on the council, there is opportunity to ensure that our concerns will be addressed. Sport Diver, in consultation with PADI and other diving interests, has been working to guarantee that divers are part of the process.While the designation of the reserve is a fantastic development, the work of wisely managing and protecting its resources is just beginning. Divers will have ongoing opportunities to participate in management decisions and to help ensure the coral reef resources are protected and conserved for the benefit of current and future generations.As one of the fortunate few who has already visited and dived in this remote paradise, I am looking forward to the day when many more Sport Diver readers can enjoy this same opportunity.For additional details on the new Northwest Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve and information on opportunities for participating in upcoming management decisions, check out the NOAA Web site at http://hawaiireef.noaa.gov.