Educating on land and at sea
Engaging youth through land- and sea-based exploration, learning and conservation.
Raincoast’s youth education program, Salish Sea Emerging Stewards, celebrated its tenth year of educating and inspiring the next generation of conservation leaders. Providing experiential and hands-on environmental education to BIPOC, low-income, newcomer, 2SLGBTQ+, and other underserved youth, we’ve continued to grow and innovate by launching a new initiative and collaborating with new partners.
We provided sailing expeditions to our community partners, the Red Fox Healthy Living Society and the Special Bird Service. Using Achiever as a floating classroom, we explored the Salish Sea, delivered marine science education, accessed the Southern Gulf Islands, and undertook forest-based learning activities. We also brought nature and environmental education to urban centres by partnering with Sea Smart’s marine biology summer camp for girls.
Land Healing Stewards
This year, the Salish Sea Emerging Stewards and Forest Conservation programs launched a joint multi-year project. The Land Healing Stewards is a place-based initiative that blends restoration with education. Focused on healing Coastal Douglas-Fir forests and associated habitats, it engages local communities, including youth, in forest education via hands-on learning and stewardship activities. Through this program, we are engaging with Indigenous Knowledge and land stewardship practices, including the integration of the W̱SÁNEĆ 13 Moons ecological framework into coastal conservation practices. Milestones from this year’s pilot include conducting our first sea-to-soil expedition aboard Achiever to KELÁ_EKE Kingfisher Forest on S,DÁYES (Pender Island), learning from a W̱SÁNEĆ-led community restoration project, and strengthening connections with community partners.
This is an excerpt from our annual report, Tracking Raincoast into 2026.
