Investigate. Inform. Inspire.
Raincoast is a team of conservationists and scientists empowered by our research to protect the lands, waters and wildlife of coastal British Columbia.
Raincoast’s monthly communication detailing our science, field work, events, and breaking conservation updates.
Published on 2020.04.22 | by Ilona Mihalik, Research Associate | in Notes from the Field
With COVID-19 and physical isolation happening, some of our research operations have been interrupted…
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Published on 2020.01.22 | by Ross Dixon, Communications & Development Director | in Notes from the Field
Umbrella species like the grizzly bear and apex predators such as the killer whale are a focus of Raincoast’s conservation efforts precisely because they are reliant on a broader range of species and processes, and a more complex system to which they contribute to and depend on…
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Published on 2020.01.21 | by Lauren Henson, Raincoast Research Fellow | in Notes from the Field
As modern scientists, we frequently deal in abstraction. We are separated from the species and ecosystems we study often by hundreds of miles, bureaucratic bubbles, cloistered campuses, and the machinations of innumerable statistical analyses whirring silently away in the electric flatness…
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Published on 2019.08.19 | by Nathaniel Glickman, Education and Outreach Associate | in Notes from the Field
Our research and outreach vessel, Achiever, just returned from one of the most inspiring trips of the year. Let me explain why…
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Published on 2019.03.29 | by Maureen Vo, Education and Development Coordinator | in Notes from the Field
These experiences are transformative and what we strive to create for young people with the Salish Sea Emerging Stewards program. The program brings students on multi-day journeys aboard Achiever to learn about coastal environments and conservation challenges…
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Published on 2019.02.27 | by David Scott, Raincoast Lower Fraser Salmon Program Coordinator | in Notes from the Field
When we began our research in the Fraser estuary in 2016, the presence of multiple barriers, including the Steveston Jetty, became a significant concern. With the announcement of the Coastal Restoration Fund in 2017, an opportunity to begin addressing these barriers appeared…
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Published on 2019.02.05 | by Nicholas Sinclair | in Notes from the Field
We watch as her three little cubs slowly take to the high water and make their way to mom. They graze on roots, and search for salmon carcasses that simply aren’t there. The cub’s curiosity…
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Published on 2019.01.28 | by Heather Bryan, Postdoctoral Fellow, RACS Lab | in Notes from the Field
A theme that underlies our research in the Applied Conservation Lab is that we aim to apply methods that are minimally invasive to wildlife. This ethos emerges in large part from our partners in First Nations communities, who have taught us many important lessons about respecting the people, places, and animals where we work. Our […]
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Published on 2018.09.25 | by David Scott, Raincoast Lower Fraser Salmon Program Coordinator | in Notes from the Field
After a long five months we have now wrapped up our 2018 field season in the Fraser estuary, our best year yet! This year our team spent 76 days in the field and we captured more than 35,000 fish, including over 6,400 juvenile salmon. While it has been a long and hot season with a […]
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Published on 2018.09.04 | by Kristen Walters, Lower Fraser River Salmon Conservation Program Coordinator | in Notes from the Field
The aim of this research is to inform salmon management strategies given the importance of allowing adults to return to their natal streams to spawn. Considering this life cycle is imperative for management agencies…
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Published on 2018.05.07 | by Kate Field, Ilona Mihalik & Lauren Henson | in Notes from the Field
With spring comes organized chaos as graduate students and research associates transition from laboratory work, data analysis and writing, to a flurry of preparation for an upcoming season of monitoring bears on the central coast of British Columbia. We are headed to Gitga’at, Heiltsuk, Kitasoo/Xai’xais, Nuxalk and Wuikinuxv Territories to join…
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Published on 2018.03.30 | by Misty MacDuffee, Wild Salmon Program Director & Dave Scott, Research and Restoration Coordinator for the Lower Fraser Salmon Program | in Notes from the Field
An amazing spring research season has begun. There was snow, and then suddenly we were in our boats with nets and buckets catching the year’s first juvenile salmon. This year brings renewed enthusiasm as we embark on a big plan to restore connectivity and natural processes on the delta of the Fraser River estuary…
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