2020 - Atlantic
Description
Know North Shore
Project Lead : Cayley Elcombe (Cayley.Elcombe@ocean.org)
Project Description
Know North Shore was created to highlight marine species on Vancouver's North Shore. Our mission is to provide education about the local wildlife that we share our oceans with, and inspire the next generation of conservationists. Know North Shore also features a youth-led art gallery and blog platform.
What was your biggest challenge?
Initially, I wanted my action project to be an in-person event, however COVID-19 began just as I was getting started. I really wanted to create a project of my own that was community-minded and accessible to everyone, and had to figure out how to make it online rather than in-person. I realized a website would be the best platform, so from there, I taught myself the basics of web development and was on my way!
What was your most valuable take away?
Seeing the response from my community when Know North Shore was launched was incredible. There are always people out there that are keen to learn and care about the environment, so sometimes it's just a matter of making that information accessible.
Status
Ongoing! Always looking for volunteers to continue building the website on a larger scale (ie. creating partnerships with local organizations/vendors, building maps with GIS, etc), as well as on a part-time basis (ie. writing blogs, creating art).
Howe Sound Átl'ka7tsem Volunteer Newsletter
Project Lead : Bridget Johns
Project Description
There are many groups doing inspiring work in the Howe Sound/Átl'ka7tsem (one of the Squamish place names for Howe Sound) region, from citizen scientists to larger non-profit organizations. However, sometimes it's hard to know who's doing what, where and when. Also it's hard to know what opportunities and events are out there for community members to take part in to work toward the common goal of a healthy Sound.
This quarterly volunteer newsletter (completed in collaboration with the Átl'ka7tsem/Howe Sound Biosphere Region Initiative, Marine Reference Guide) is meant to spark interest for others to become involved in protecting the Sound’s environment, share good news stories and upcoming events relating to Átl'ka7tsem/Howe Sound’s marine and freshwater.
What was your biggest challenge?
The biggest challenge was starting as it usually is for any new project! As I work for the Howe Sound/Átl'ka7tsem Marine Reference Guide and work closely with the Howe Sound Biosphere Region Initiative it was very helpful to be able to collaborate with them and send the newsletter out to a large contact list, which I wouldn't have had if there wasn't collaboration.
What was your most valuable take away?
Collaboration is key to any successful project. One of the core problems in the vast Salish Sea is a lack of connectivity and continuity across communities and groups that conduct research, restoration, and marine spatial planning (MSP). Often communities and groups develop projects in silos without sharing information or methods outside of their organization until they are finished.
Working in the Sound, I've come to realize that there are so many groups doing amazing work but a lot of the time they work in silos. Reach out to different groups and see if they have a project you could lead or propose a project to them if it aligns with their goals. Or create your own project and collaborate with different groups around you. The more you collaborate with various groups the better in my opinion. If we can bridge the gaps between organizations and communicate effectively, there will be less overlap and more cohesion.
Status
I'm publishing the next quarterly newsletter on June 3rd and plan to continue it. I would love to have a current Ocean Bridger collaborate with me on future newsletters! Archived newsletters can be found here: https://www.howesoundbri.org/newsletter-archive
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