Raincoast Education Society

Ocean Camp (Tofino)
2019-07-08 09:00 - 2019-07-12 15:00 (America/Vancouver) | Tofino Botanical Gardens, 1084 Pacific Rim Hwy, Tofino, BC, V0R 2Z0, Canada
This camp is all about salt water and anything that lives in it! Explore coastal nooks and crannies on a paddle-board (all levels), build your own raft to enter in a race and roast treats over a beach campfire – these are just a few activities that will take place during Ocean Camp.

Cost: $195
Ages: 6-12
Registration: Max. 20 campers
Parents drop off at TBG at 9:00 and pick up at TBG between 14:30 and 15:00

Register your child for Ocean Camp (Tofino) through Tofino Recreation:
Online: http://tofino.ca/recreation
By Phone: 250-725-3229 ext 704 or 705
In Person: District office, 121 Third Street, Tofino

Invertebrates of the West Coast 2019
2019-06-21 19:00 - 2019-06-23 19:00 | Tofino, Tofino, BC, Canada
This weekend field course, based out of the Tofino Botanical Gardens, will introduce participants to the diversity and ecology of Pacific Northwest invertebrates.
Topics to be covered in this year’s course include an introduction to invertebrates (What are they? What is their role in coastal ecology?), invertebrate biodiversity in the Pacific Northwest, morphology and adaptations of common phyla, scientific drawing, and creating invert art!

Course fee is $250 and includes lunch on Saturday and Sunday and admission to the Aquarium

Dr. Kylee Pawluk
Dr. Kylee Pawluk is a marine ecologist and invertebrate lover. Kylee’s research has focused on understanding how environmental and biological factors influence marine invertebrates and seaweeds. She has been an instructor at the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre and the University of Victoria teaching various courses such as marine invertebrate zoology and coastal conservation. She is currently the Regional Projects Coordinator for the Marine Plan Partnership for the North Pacific Coast (MaPP) working on marine spatial planning.
To find out more about Kylee visit http://kpawluk.com/

FRIDAY, JUNE 21st

Classroom Session (19:00 – 21:00)
• Introductory presentation: In this first lecture we will discuss what makes an invertebrate and how they differ from other groups of organisms. We will then go over the major groupings of invertebrates and delve into some of the most common ones we find on the west coast.

SATURDAY, JUNE 22nd

Intertidal Field Trip (8:30 – 12:00)
Low tide is at 10:55 am (1.7 feet / 0.52 m)
• Field trip to explore the intertidal zone on Tofino’s rocky coast and practice naturalist skills, including fundamentals of invertebrate identification and characteristics of common phyla.
• Work on observational drawings at field site – bring journals and cameras to record habitat info.
Lunch (12:00 – 13:00)
• Sandwiches provided, bring your own snacks and drinks. We will stay on the beach to eat if it’s nice!
Visit to the Ucluelet Aquarium! (13:00 – 17:00)
• This will give you the opportunity to spend some time looking carefully at certain invertebrates and hopefully see some we weren’t able to find in the field. This is your opportunity to pick a few invertebrates to get to know well!
Invertebrate Printmaking (19:00 – 21:00)
with nature printmaker Allison Tremain
• Allison will guide participants in the art of carving an invertebrate. The workshop will include knowledge sharing and the integration of art in science.
• Each participant will print and create their own invertebrate print to take home as a keepsake of their experience in the course.

SUNDAY, JUNE 23rd

Classroom Session (8:30 – 9:30)
• Lecture topic TBA
Intertidal Field Trip (9:30 – 12:30)
Low tide is at 11:35 am (3.0 feet / 0.9 m)
• Putting it all together: field trip to identify invertebrates and their communities in nature, including opportunities to share what you’ve learned with the group.
Lunch (12:30 – 13:00)
• Group lunch and course wrap-up.

Small Town, Big Picture - TAP Session
2019-06-13 17:00 - 20:00 | Tofino Community Hall, 351 Arnet Road, Tofino, British Columbia, V0R3A0, Canada
~ CANCELLED ~
This three-hour orientation session delivers the “big picture” of living in Tofino. Learn about local history and basic ecology, cross-cultural understanding, businesses and activities, festivals, host etiquette, and important civic information. This is a great way to get up-to-date locals information about living and working in Tofino.
This course is a suggested prerequisite for other courses.
Location: Tofino Community Hall in the multi-purpose room (351 Arnet Road)
Time: 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Dates: May 1, May 8, May 9, May 15, May 22, June 5, June 12, June 13
Participants of the Ambassador course will receive an Ambassador Card. Show your card for discounts and benefits at many local businesses!
This program is offered as a joint initiative of the Tofino Long Beach Chamber of Commerce, the Raincoast Education Society. Thank you to the District of Tofino for donating this space. Tourism Tofino is the main sponsor of this FREE program, along with the Chamber’s Business Excellence Awards gala event (May 9th).

Small Town, Big Picture - TAP Session
2019-06-12 17:00 - 20:00, 2019-06-05 17:00 - 20:00, 2019-05-15 17:00 - 20:00, 2019-05-09 17:00 - 20:00, 2019-05-08 17:00 - 20:00 | Tofino Community Hall, 351 Arnet Road, Tofino, British Columbia, V0R3A0, Canada
This three-hour orientation session delivers the “big picture” of living in Tofino. Learn about local history and basic ecology, cross-cultural understanding, businesses and activities, festivals, host etiquette, and important civic information. This is a great way to get up-to-date locals information about living and working in Tofino.
This course is a suggested prerequisite for other courses.
Location: Tofino Community Hall in the multi-purpose room (351 Arnet Road)
Time: 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Dates: May 1, May 8, May 9, May 15, May 22, June 5, June 12, June 13
Participants of the Ambassador course will receive an Ambassador Card. Show your card for discounts and benefits at many local businesses!
This program is offered as a joint initiative of the Tofino Long Beach Chamber of Commerce, the Raincoast Education Society. Thank you to the District of Tofino for donating this space. Tourism Tofino is the main sponsor of this FREE program, along with the Chamber’s Business Excellence Awards gala event (May 9th).

Nuu-chah-nulth Land & Waters - TAP Session
2019-06-10 17:30 - 20:30, 2019-06-06 17:00 - 20:00, 2019-05-30 17:00 - 20:00, 2019-05-28 17:00 - 20:00, 2019-05-27 17:30 - 20:30, 2019-05-13 17:30 - 20:30 | Tofino Community Hall, 351 Arnet Road, Tofino, British Columbia, V0R3A0, Canada
This three-hour session is an introduction to Nuu-chah-nulth homelands, culture, and language. Learn about local history, cross cultural understanding, Nuu-chah-nulth language, and cultural world view. Explore the ancient and continued interconnections between the local landscape, the ocean and First Nations culture.
Small Town, Big Picture is a suggested prerequisite for this course.
Location: Tofino Community Hall in the multi-purpose room (351 Arnet Road)
Time: 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm or *5:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Dates: May 13*, May 27 *, May 28, May 30, June 6, June 10*
Participants of the Ambassador course will receive an Ambassador Card. Show your card for discounts and benefits at many local businesses!
This program is offered as a joint initiative of the Tofino Long Beach Chamber of Commerce, the Raincoast Education Society. Thank you to the District of Tofino for donating this space. Tourism Tofino is the main sponsor of this FREE program, along with the Chamber’s Business Excellence Awards gala event (May 9th).

Terrestrial Ecology - TAP Session
2019-06-04 17:00 - 20:00, 2019-05-29 17:00 - 20:00, 2019-05-23 17:00 - 20:00 | Tofino Community Hall, 351 Arnet Road, Tofino, British Columbia, V0R3A0, Canada
This three-hour session, taught by Barb Beasley, focuses on coastal terrestrial ecosystems. From the forest floor to the top of the canopy, this course will explore the interactions that occur in our local terrestrial ecosystems and the many species that inhabit them.
This course is run outdoors, so please come prepared with a sweater or jacket and some sturdy shoes. You may also like to bring a cushion or small pad/tarp to sit on for a few of the lessons (stops in the forest or elsewhere) as well as a portable notebook. We will meet outside the Tofino Community Hall multi-purpose room, then walk from there.
Small Town, Big Picture is a suggested prerequisite for this course.
Location: meet outside the Tofino Community Hall multi-purpose room (351 Arnet Road)
Time: 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Dates: May 23, May 29, June 4
Participants of the Ambassador course will receive an Ambassador Card. Show your card for discounts and benefits at many local businesses!
This program is offered as a joint initiative of the Tofino Long Beach Chamber of Commerce, the Raincoast Education Society. Thank you to the District of Tofino for donating this space. Tourism Tofino is the main sponsor of this FREE program, along with the Chamber’s Business Excellence Awards gala event (May 9th).

Marine Ecology - TAP Session
2019-06-03 17:00 - 20:00, 2019-05-16 17:00 - 20:00 | Tofino Community Hall, 351 Arnet Road, Tofino, British Columbia, V0R3A0, Canada
This three-hour session focuses on the rich marine environment that plays an integral role in life on this coast. This course will cover the intertidal and pelagic ecosystems of Clayoquot Sound, including seaweeds, invertebrates, and marine mammals (and more!) as well as local oceanographic conditions.
Small Town, Big Picture is a suggested prerequisite for this course.
Location: Tofino Community Hall in the multi-purpose room (351 Arnet Road)
Time: 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Dates: April 30, May 16, June 3
Participants of the Ambassador course will receive an Ambassador Card. Show your card for discounts and benefits at many local businesses!
This program is offered as a joint initiative of the Tofino Long Beach Chamber of Commerce, the Raincoast Education Society. Thank you to the District of Tofino for donating this space. Tourism Tofino is the main sponsor of this FREE program, along with the Chamber’s Business Excellence Awards gala event (May 9th).

Seaweeds of the West Coast 2019
2019-05-17 19:00 - 2019-05-19 13:00 | Tofino Botanical Gardens, 1084 Pacific Rim Hwy, Tofino, BC, V0R 2Z0, Canada
This weekend field course, based out of the Tofino Botanical Gardens, will introduce participants to the world of west coast seaweeds. This year we are running the course on the Victoria Day long weekend to give everyone (and the instructors) a little bit more time to enjoy the beautiful west coast. Come spend your holiday with us in Tofino!
Topics to be covered in this year’s course include an introduction to seaweeds (What are they? What is their role in coastal ecology?), biodiversity of west coast seaweeds, essentials of collecting and identifying seaweeds, seaweed foraging, the relationship between seaweeds and people, pressing and preserving seaweeds, and more!

Course fee is $240 and includes lunch on Saturday and Sunday.

Dr. Bridgette Clarkston is a seaweed enthusiast and co-author of the field guide, Pacific Seaweeds: A Guide to Common Seaweeds of the West Coast. She is a science educator and avid photographer with over 11 years of teaching and outreach experience. She has worked with initiatives such as the Beaty Biodiversity Museum, the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre and the Carl Wieman Science Education Initiative at the University of British Columbia. She specialized in seaweed taxonomy during her PhD at the University of New Brunswick where she discovered several new species of red seaweed, including one she named Euthora timburtonii. Currently, she is a faculty member in the Botany department at the University of British Columbia. To find out more about Bridgette visit http://bridgetteclarkston.blogspot.com/p/im-nature-nerd.html

Dr. Katy Hind is a seaweed biologist and Hakai Scholar. She is currently working as the Senior Laboratory Coordinator at UVic. In her research, she has described new species of seaweed using an integrative approach that combines molecular techniques, historical DNA, morphology, biogeography, and ecology. To find out more about Katy’s research visit www.katyhind.com.

COURSE SCHEDULE (subject to change)
Friday (7:00 pm – 8:30 pm)
Evening Classroom
• Introductory presentation: An overview of west coast seaweeds, different seaweed groups, role of seaweeds in coastal marine ecosystems.
Saturday (8:00 am – 5:00 pm; 7:00 – 8:30 pm)
Field and Classroom
• Field trip to explore seaweeds on Tofino’s rocky coast and practice naturalist skills, including fundamentals of seaweed identification.
• Collection of seaweeds at field site – bring journals and cameras to record habitat info.
Low tide is at 7:11 am (1.7 feet / 0.52 m)
• Seaweed identification and pressing workshop.
• Practice using dichotomous keys, field guides and online databases to identify unknown specimens.
• Create your own scientific and artistic seaweed presses.
• Seaweeds and people: from traditional uses to modern foraging, and everything in between
Sunday (8:00 am – 1:00 pm)
Field
• Putting it all together: field trip to identify seaweeds and their communities in nature, including opportunities to share what you’ve learned with the group. Group lunch and course wrap-up.
Low tide is at 7:53 am (1.4 feet / 0.43 m)

Our Seaweeds of the West Coast course has been featured on Ocean Outfitters’ blog!

Birds & Botanicals Artist Workshop - Printmaking
2019-05-05 14:00 - 16:00 | Tofino Botanical Gardens, 1084 Pacific Rim Hwy, Tofino, BC, V0R 2Z0, Canada
with Allison Tremain
2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Darwin’s Café @ the Tofino Botanical Gardens (1084 Pacific Rim Highway)
Beginners welcome, open to all ages, 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult
$60 per person materials included
Allison will guide you through an ancient technique of printing with real plants from the rainforest. You will bring a visual and personal representation of the west coast home creating your very own authentic botanical print. Plants will be provided, please do not gather plants from the national or regional parks.
Please preregister for these workshops by calling 250-726-3934 or emailing allison.tremain@gmail.com

Shorebird Interpretation Hike (Tofino Shorebird Festival)
2019-05-05 11:00 - 14:00 | Combers Beach, Pacific Rim National Park, Tofino, BC, V0R 2Z0, Canada
with birding guide Ian Cruickshank from Parks Canada
11:00 am – 2:00 pm
Combers Beach Parking Lot to Greenpoint Campground (meet in Comber’s Beach parking lot)
FREE event
Join us for an interpretive birding hike starting at Combers Beach parking lot in the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. This hike (moderate pace on mostly level ground) will cover some of the prime beach habitat used by migrating shorebirds. Enjoy the spectacular scenery along one of the region’s most dynamic beaches and bird along the way with Ian Cruickshank – Parks Canada interpreter, bird biologist, and birder extraordinaire! Park entry pass required. Please note that pets are not permitted.

Birds & Botanicals Art Show
2019-05-05 10:00 - 16:00 | Tofino Botanical Gardens, 1084 Pacific Rim Hwy, Tofino, BC, V0R 2Z0, Canada
with Allison Tremain and Coral Barclay
10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Darwin’s Café @ the Tofino Botanical Gardens (1084 Pacific Rim Highway)
FREE event, items available for purchase
Join local artist Allison Tremain and Cowichan Bay artist Coral Barclay at the Tofino Botanical Gardens celebrating the return of spring with an art show focusing on botanicals and regional and migratory birds.
Note: Birds & Botanicals Artist Workshops available 10-12 and 2-4 during this time (see below)

Birds & Botanicals Artist Workshop - Watercolours
2019-05-05 10:00 - 12:00 | Tofino Botanical Gardens, 1084 Pacific Rim Hwy, Tofino, BC, V0R 2Z0, Canada
with Coral Barclay
10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Darwin’s Café @ the Tofino Botanical Gardens (1084 Pacific Rim Highway)
Beginners welcome, open to all ages, 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult
$60 per person materials included
Coral will guide you through watercolour techniques for painting birds and flowers. Bring your own reference photo or samples will be provided. A great opportunity to personally capture a shorebird during your visit.
Please pre-register for these workshops by calling 250-726-3934 or emailing allison.tremain@gmail.com

Voyage to Cleland Island Seabird Colony
2019-05-05 09:00 - 12:00 | Jamie’s Whaling Station, 606 Campbell Street, Tofino, BC, V0R 2Z0, Canada
with birding guide Mark Maftei from the Raincoast Education Society
9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Jamie’s Whaling Station (606 Campbell Street)
$79 + tax/fee
Join us for a unique trip through some of the most ecologically important and spectacular habitats on the west coast. This trip leaves Tofino and explores the waterways of Clayoquot Sound as we venture offshore to the Cleland Island Ecological Reserve, one of the premier sites in Clayoquot Sound for seabirds. Past trips have enjoyed great looks at spectacular Tufted Puffins, Marbled Murrelets, Rhinoceros Auklet, and Black Oystercatchers, as well as a variety of other species. Whales, seals, sea lions and sea otters can also be seen in this area.
This is an unparalleled opportunity to bird two unique habitats with options from the comfort of a large cruiser with indoor/outdoor seating, toilets and hot drinks, or from the hardy open seating of an adventurous Zodiac vessel.
This three-hour trip will be led by an experienced guide who can help with spotting and identification.
Departing at 9:00am from Tofino on the Zodiac vessel (12 passengers, open seating)
Please book online at Jamie’s Whaling Station or call 1-800-667-9913.

Birding by Kayak
2019-05-05 08:00 - 13:00 | Paddle West Kayaking, 606 Campbell Street, Tofino, BC, V0R 2Z0, Canada
with bird guide Shanti Davis from the Raincoast Education Society
8:00 am – 1:00 pm
Paddle West Kayaking (606 Campbell Street, same as Jamie’s Whaling Station)
$115 per person + tax
This five-hour sea kayaking tour will take you on a journey to experience extensive areas of prime shorebird habitat only accessible by water. The trip will leave at low tide and paddle into Lemmens Inlet to observe birds in the Tofino Mudflats Wildlife Management Area. We will return near high tide and have the opportunity to paddle while the tide is flooding for a more intimate experience. Sea kayaking experience is not necessary – double kayaks available so you can alternate with your partner paddling and birding!
Space is limited to 12 people. Please book online through Paddle West Kayaking or call 1-877-479-3232 *Note: bookings go through Jamie’s Whaling Station.

Birding on the Mudflats
2019-05-05 08:00 - 10:00 | Grice Bay, Pacific Rim Highway, Tofino, BC, Canada
with birding guide Ian Cruickshank from Parks Canada
8:00 am – 10:00 am
Grice Bay
FREE event
Join us for some more birding on the Tofino mudflats! Grice Bay is a local hotspot for migrating shorebirds, and is timed to coincide with an ideal tide to permit close observation of feeding shorebirds (low tide at 7:59 am). This is a great event for both new and experienced birders, and Ian will be setup to help with spotting and identification. Park pass required.
Bring your binoculars or spotting scope, or else we will have a couple to share. No dogs please.

Birder's Breakfast
2019-05-05 07:30 - 11:30 | Long Beach Lodge Great Room, 1441 Pacific Rim Highway, Tofino, BC, V0R 2Z0, Canada
with Chef Shaun Snelling from the Long Beach Lodge Resort
7:30 am – 11:30 am
Long Beach Lodge Great Room (1441 Pacific Rim Highway)
Menu price
Take advantage of all Tofino has to offer by starting your day with breakfast at the spectacular Long Beach Lodge Resort. Chef Snelling has prepared a special “birders breakfast” for this year’s Shorebird Festival – fuel up for a big day of events while enjoying the crashing waves and sanderlings at Cox Bay.

Offshore Birding
2019-05-05 07:00 - 16:00 | Ocean Outfitters, 368 Main Street, Tofino, BC, V0R 2Z0, Canada
with seabird guide Mark Maftei (Sat) and Daniel Donnecke (Sun) from the Raincoast Education Society
7:00 am (depart dock) to ~ 4:00 pm
Ocean Outfitters (368 Main Street)
$220 per person + tax
This trip will be an all-day excursion to some of the offshore banks and canyons in search of albatrosses, shearwaters, storm-petrels and other pelagic birds. Exact route to be determined based on local weather, fishing activity, and recon of where birds seem to be concentrating. Our goal is to bird out to, and then along, the shelf edge near some of the large offshore canyons about 55 km off the coast.
Previous years have turned up some amazing birds and marine mammals and this is a one-of-a-kind experience and a unique opportunity to explore the pelagic waters off of Vancouver Island. Early May is the transition when wintering species begin to move out and summer migrants arrive. This is a trip specifically designed around finding seabirds, led by seabird scientists, and is not a pleasure cruise.
Space is limited to 12 people, and seats are first-come, first-serve. Book online at Ocean Outfitters or call 1-877-906-2326. The trip is weather dependent. In the event of cancellation, there will be a 100% refund. No refund for no-shows. Dress warm, bring your own lunch and water.

Shorebird Science in the Pacific Rim National Park
2019-05-04 19:00 - 21:00 | Tofino Botanical Gardens, 1084 Pacific Rim Hwy, Tofino, BC, V0R 2Z0, Canada
with Parks Canada Ecologist Dr. Yuri Zharikov
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Ecolodge Classroom @ Tofino Botanical Gardens (1084 Pacific Rim Highway)
$5 admission at the door
We will get together after a full day of adventure and birding to recap the highlights of the day and share observations.
Dr. Yuri Zharikov, Parks Canada Ecologist will then present “Shorebird Monitoring and Beach Patrol in the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve”. The talk will focus on PRNPR efforts to monitor seasonal and spatial distribution of shorebirds in the Long Beach area and their interactions with park visitors over an 8 year period. Yuri will discuss the issues facing shorebirds here in Tofino, as well as PRNPR efforts to mitigate disturbance to migrating birds. Yuri will also present some preliminary results from a recently initiated collaborative study of shorebirds in Tofino that seeks to clarify the patterns of occurrence and habitat use of several different species using radio telemetry.

Dr. Yuri Zharikov was born in the city of Odessa on the Black Sea in what was then the USSR. He graduated from Acadia U in 1994 and Trent U in 1998 with BSc (Hon) and MSc respectively. He then graduated from Uni of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia in 2002 (PhD). Yuri briefly worked at SFU and Uni of Queensland doing post-doctoral research. Since 2007, Yuri has been with Parks Canada Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. Most of his research and professional involvement has focussed on coastal environments in general and shorebirds in particular.
