The next generation of conservation scientists

Where will the conservation scientists, managers, and informed advocates of tomorrow come from? That’s a question we’ve been considering since the early days at Raincoast. The future of life on the coast will depend on their important work.

We understand that our own careers and contributions to conservation are – let’s face it – finite. And we know that there are generations after us who are keen to continue what we shaped from those before us. Accordingly, we have built into our work a major investment in the conservationists of tomorrow.

One way Raincoast commits to the next generation of conservationists is through the Applied Conservation Science Lab. It’s a one-of-a-kind university laboratory that provides mentorship in conservation science and policy. Based at the University of Victoria, and supported by a Chaired Professorship in Raincoast’s name, the lab’s team is comprised of undergraduate to postdoctoral trainees.

Our graduate students (‘Raincoast Fellows’) are a driving force behind much of Raincoast’s applied research programs. They confront important and urgent conservation problems and opportunities in coastal BC. Often working in support of Indigenous governments, their research generates key evidence on which policy-makers draw. In a complementary way, our students also engage in education and outreach, technical processes at policy tables, and more. Such a comprehensive learning-by-doing model demands more of our graduate students compared to the typical experience of graduate school. But, in return, they receive an extraordinary education at the intersection of academia and the real world.

Raincoast also benefits enormously from the lab; the university environment provides tremendous resources. Our investments into student researchers, for example, are often matched or exceeded by federal fellowships. Also, Raincoast Fellows are embedded in an institution that offers significant intellectual and logistical support to allow them to conduct the highly ambitious projects for which we are known. Perhaps most importantly, Raincoast Fellows have one another; our highly collegial team, united by the dedication and passion of its members, assist, empower, and inspire one another towards extraordinary work.

As they graduate with MSc or PhD degrees, Raincoast alumni continue to make a difference. They tend to be highly sought by employers and secure meaningful work. Several serve Indigenous governments; others are hired by federal and provincial governments. Some engage their skills as environmental consultants; yet others become professors themselves. Many stay involved with Raincoast in their new capacity, weaving new connections across the extended Raincoast team and our ever-growing influence.

This is an excerpt from our annual report, Tracking Raincoast into 2024.

You can help

Raincoast’s in-house scientists, collaborating graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and professors make us unique among conservation groups. We work with First Nations, academic institutions, government, and other NGOs to build support and inform decisions that protect aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, and the wildlife that depend on them. We conduct ethically applied, process-oriented, and hypothesis-driven research that has immediate and relevant utility for conservation deliberations and the collective body of scientific knowledge.

We investigate to understand coastal species and processes. We inform by bringing science to decision-makers and communities. We inspire action to protect wildlife and wildlife habitats.