Reflecting on our eighth year of Salish Sea Emerging Stewards programming  

It has been eight years since we launched our education program, the Salish Sea Emerging Stewards program, an innovative science and leadership initiative delivering hands-on environmental education to Indigenous and underserved youth. Combining outdoor and online learning through the lens of “Two-Eyed Seeing,” the program aims to inspire and empower the next generation of conservation leaders. These experiences are an opportunity for participants to explore their territories, immerse themselves in coastal ecosystems, learn about stewardship, and participate in cultural activities. 

We posed some questions to Pascale Campagna-Slater, coordinator of the Salish Sea Emerging Stewards program, to hear about some of the 2023 program successes. 

Can you tell us what the Salish Sea Emerging Stewards program was up to last year? What were some of the biggest highlights? 

Since 2020, we have partnered with the Tsawwassen First Nation (TFN) to offer Tsawwassen youth environmental education and stewardship opportunities throughout their territory. In 2023, we delivered after-school educational workshops at the Tsawwassen Youth Centre exploring various topics such as coastal ecosystems and cetacean conservation. We also co-created another year of the Summer Stewardship Program, an intensive summer-long work experience program offered in collaboration with TFN. The program was led by the TFN Summer Program Lead, Megan Sutherland, who created interactive lessons and activities, organized and led field excursions. Supporting Megan in the role of program assistant was Sophia Lachance, a TFN member and program alumni from the previous two summers.

We were also thrilled to have resumed programming with the Red Fox Healthy Living Society, a Vancouver-based non-profit that offers programs and services to Indigenous, at-risk, and newcomer youth living in the city. A dozen youth joined for in-class and outdoor activities, including a beach clean-up, and intertidal surveys. We were also joined by Wolf Conservation program director Chelsea Greer, who led a workshop on wolf ecology and research, and taught the youth how to set up wildlife cameras. 

How about trips aboard our research vessel Achiever this year? 

Tsawwassen First Nation youth joined us aboard SV Achiever for a five-day sailing expedition through the Gulf Islands. This journey included hiking, intertidal exploration, marine wildlife viewing, and a seabird survey workshop led by Megan Ross, a biologist from Environment and Climate Change Canada, who joined for the day. TFN language and culture educators also participated in the expedition, and led knowledge sharing, drumming, and singing. This was an amazing expedition that gave the youth the opportunity to connect to nature, their culture, and each other.

And then in July, Raincoast staff and the Raincoast Applied Conservation Science (ACS) Lab at UVic joined Koeye Camp on the Central Coast. We have been collaborating with Qqs Projects Society, a Heiltsuk youth, culture, and environment nonprofit, through our participation in Koeye Camp’s Science Week, since 2000. The ACS Lab led a bear biology and research workshop, while Raincoast educators and crew led a marine wildlife viewing and sailing day trip aboard Achiever.

That sounds amazing! What are you preparing for 2024?

We are continuously looking for opportunities to expand our program components and to bring SSES to new communities. We are currently developing new and innovative online education resources on underwater noise that connect directly to our cetacean research and the NoiseTracker initiative. These resources will be available for free to educators across the Salish Sea and beyond. 

Apart from that, we will continue to offer our core Salish Sea Emerging Stewards program which incorporates preliminary in-class sessions, as well as land and boat-based experiential learning and follow-up activities, including leadership and mentorship guidance.

Over the years, Raincoast’s research and programs have formed important relationships with Indigenous nations and communities across coastal British Columbia. SSES aims to continue building on these relationships to offer educational programming for youth. We look forward to delivering programming to other Indigenous communities and establishing new partnerships.

Your Support

The SSES program is offered free of charge to First Nations and youth from underserved communities to reduce barriers and provide experiential education opportunities regardless of one’s background. We are incredibly grateful for the support you give us!

Thank you to our 2023 supporters

Telus Friendly Futures Foundation
TD Friends of the Environment
Glassybaby Foundation
Glasswaters Foundation
Greygates Foundation
Barraclough Foundation
Saanich Peninsula Community Foundation
Hamber Foundation
Fortis BC
BC Hydro
Government of Canada 
NSERC Promoscience
Keta Legacy Foundation
Rotary Club of Sidney
Spirit Bear Lodge
Honda Canada Foundation
Vancouver International Airport (YVR)
iA Financial

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.