Plentiful Plankton!
2023-08-30 13:00 - 16:00 (America/Vancouver) | Tofino Resort & Marina, 634 Campbell Street Tofino, Tofino, BC, V0R 2Z0
Plankton!
Though you may not always see them – plankton are out there, and some will become a feast for tiny fish or giant whales. Come and observe plankton up close and learn more! Stop by – we will be outside with plankton samples ready for microscope observation of these fascinating creatures.
Time: 1:00-4:00pm
Location: Tofino Resort & Marina – down below, in the courtyard between the Adventure Centre & Shelter
Free…Free…Free
Dates: July 12, 19, 28, August 4, 8, 18, 25, 30

Visit the Discovery Tent on the Wild Pacific Trail
2023-08-24 13:00 - 16:00 | Lighthouse Loop on Wild Pacific Trial, Ucluelet, BC, V0R 2A0, Canada
Join our summer educators as they explore local science focused topics.
These will be inclusive, interactive and open to all. The topics vary- examples are: Kelp forests, sea star wasting syndrome, shorebird migration, salmon forests, bears, whale migration.
Where: Visit the Discovery Tent with Raincoast Education Society on the Lighthouse Loop of the Wild Pacific Trail in Ucluelet.
Free, drop in, everyone welcome!
When: Thursdays from 1 -4pm: July 13, 20, 27, August 3, 10, 17 & 24
Free, drop in, everyone welcome!
Join our summer educators as they explore local science focused topics. These will be inclusive, interactive and open to all. The topics vary- examples are: Kelp forests, sea star wasting syndrome, shorebird migration, salmon forests, bears, whale migration.

Small Town, Big Picture: Tofino (via Zoom)
2023-06-29 17:00 - 20:00 | Zoom Event
The West Coast Ambassador Program: 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 local’s information about living and working in Tofino.
This course is a suggested prerequisite for other courses.
Location: Zoom
Time: 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
In Person Dates: May 4, 11, 18 & June 1, 8, 22
Zoom Dates: May 25, June 15 & 29
The West Coast Ambassador Program is a joint initiative of the Raincoast Education Society, the Tofino-Long Beach Chamber of Commerce, Tourism Ucluelet and Tourism Tofino. The Raincoast Education Society is responsible for course curriculum, registration, and program delivery.

Photo by Shaun Stewart, Capturing the Coast submission.

Small Town, Big Picture: Ucluelet
2023-06-26 17:00 - 20:00, 2023-06-19 17:00 - 20:00, 2023-06-12 17:00 - 20:00, 2023-05-15 17:00 - 20:00 | Ucluelet Community Centre, 500 Matterson Drive, Ucluelet, British Columbia, V0R 3A0, Canada
The West Coast Ambassador Program: This three-hour orientation session delivers the “big picture” of living in Ucluelet. 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 local’s information about living and working in Ucluelet.
This course is a suggested prerequisite for other courses.
Location: George Fraser Room at the Ucluelet Community Centre
Time: 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
In-Person Dates: May 15, June 12, 19, 26
Zoom Dates: May 29
The West Coast Ambassador Program is a joint initiative of the Raincoast Education Society, the Tofino-Long Beach Chamber of Commerce, Tourism Ucluelet and Tourism Tofino. The Raincoast Education Society is responsible for course curriculum, registration, and program delivery.

Small Town, Big Picture: Tofino
2023-06-22 17:00 - 20:00, 2023-06-08 17:00 - 20:00, 2023-06-01 17:00 - 20:00 | Načiks/Monks Point, 174 West St., Tofino, BC, V0R 2Z0
The West Coast Ambassador Program: 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 local’s information about living and working in Tofino.
We are extremely grateful to be able to offer this course on Načiks/Monks Point property , a heritage site full of fascinating history. Such a perfect location to host this course.
This course is a suggested prerequisite for other courses.
Location: Načiks/Monks Point
Time: 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
In Person Dates: May 4, 11, 18 & June 1, 8, 22
Zoom Dates: May 25, June 15 & 29
The West Coast Ambassador Program is a joint initiative of the Raincoast Education Society, the Tofino-Long Beach Chamber of Commerce, Tourism Ucluelet and Tourism Tofino. The Raincoast Education Society is responsible for course curriculum, registration, and program delivery.

Photo by Shaun Stewart, Capturing the Coast submission.

Seaweeds of the West Coast
2023-06-16 19:00 - 2023-06-18 13:00 | Ucluelet Community Centre, 500 Matterson Drive, Ucluelet, British Columbia, V0R 3A0, Canada
This weekend field course, based out of the Ucluelet Community Centre, will introduce participants to the world of west coast seaweeds. 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!
We are excited to welcome back course instructor Dr. Bridgette Clarkston who will come to Ucluelet to share her seaweed knowledge and expertise with us.

Course registration is $300 per person.

Friday, June 16th (7:00 pm – 8:30 pm)

Presentation – overview of west coast seaweeds, different seaweed groups, role of seaweeds in coastal marine ecosystems.

Saturday, June 17th (8:30 am -8:30 pm, with breaks) Low tide is at 7:17 am (0.3 feet / 1.0 m)

Field trip to explore seaweeds on Ucluelet’s rocky coast and practice naturalist skills, including fundamentals of seaweed identification.
Collection of seaweeds at field site.
Workshop to practice using dichotomous keys, field guides and online databases to identify unknown specimens
Create your own scientific and artistic seaweed presses.
Cynaoptype, Seaweed as art: create your own beautiful botanical blueprint using the traditional method of cyanotype printing.
Presentation – seaweeds and people: from traditional uses to modern foraging, and everything in between.

Sunday, June 18th (8:30 am – 1:00 pm) Low tide is at 7:58am (0.3 feet / 1.0 m)

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.
Course wrap-up.

About the instructors:

Dr. Bridgette Clarkston loves seaweeds and thinks you should too. Bridgette is an Associate Professor of Teaching at the University of British Columbia and co-author of the field guide Pacific Seaweeds: A Guide to Common Seaweeds of the West Coast (Harbour Publishing). A delightful moment in a lifetime spent appreciating BC’s seaweeds was discovering a new genus of beautiful red seaweeds and naming it after the Salish Sea (Salishia). A Vancouver Island settler, Bridgette was born and raised on the unceded traditional territory of the K’ómoks First Nation, the traditional keepers of this land. Learn more about Bridgette on the UBC Botany website here.

Check out photos of the previous years:

Seaweeds of the West Coast 2023
2023-06-16 19:00 - 2023-06-18 13:00 | Ucluelet Community Centre, 500 Matterson Drive, Ucluelet, British Columbia, V0R 3A0, Canada

Small Town, Big Picture: Tofino (via Zoom)
2023-06-15 17:00 - 20:00, 2023-05-25 17:00 - 20:00 | Zoom Event
The West Coast Ambassador Program: 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 local’s information about living and working in Tofino.
This course is a suggested prerequisite for other courses.
Location: Zoom
Time: 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
In Person Dates: May 4, 11, 18 & June 1, 8, 22
Zoom Dates: May 25, June 15 & 29
The West Coast Ambassador Program is a joint initiative of the Raincoast Education Society, the Tofino-Long Beach Chamber of Commerce, Ucluelet Chamber of Commerce, Tourism Ucluelet and Tourism Tofino. The Raincoast Education Society is responsible for course curriculum, registration, and program delivery.

Photo by Shaun Stewart, Capturing the Coast submission.

Marine Ecology
2023-06-07 17:00 - 19:30, 2023-05-31 17:00 - 19:30 | Ucluelet Aquarium, 180 Main St, Ucluelet, BC, V0R 3A0, Canada
Part of the West Coast Ambassador Program: This 2 – 2.5-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 and Barkley Sounds, including seaweeds, invertebrates, and marine mammals (and more!) as well as local oceanographic conditions. The sessions will alternate their regional focus between Ucluelet and Tofino on a weekly rotation (regional focus noted alongside dates listed below).
Small Town, Big Picture is a suggested prerequisite for this course.
Location: Ucluelet Aquarium
Time: 5:00 pm – 7:30 pm
In Person Dates: May 3, 10, 17, 31, June 7
Zoom Dates: May 24
The West Coast Ambassador Program is a joint initiative of the Raincoast Education Society, the Tofino-Long Beach Chamber of Commerce,, Tourism Ucluelet and Tourism Tofino. The Raincoast Education Society is responsible for course curriculum, registration, and program delivery.

Coastal Raincoast Ecology
2023-06-06 17:00 - 19:30, 2023-05-16 17:00 - 19:30 | Ancient Cedar Loop/Wild Pacific Trail, Ucluelet
Part of the West Coast Ambassador Program: This 2 – 2.5-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 in 3 different locations depending on the date: Tofino, Pacific Rim National Park & Ucluelet.
Small Town, Big Picture is a suggested prerequisite for this course.
Ucluelet Location: The Ancient Cedar Trail on the Wild Pacific Trail
Time: 5:00 – 7:30pm
Dates in Tofino: May 2 & 23
Dates in the Pacific Rim National Park: May 9 & 30
Dates in Ucluelet: May 16 & June 6
The West Coast Ambassador Program is a joint initiative of the Raincoast Education Society, the Tofino-Long Beach Chamber of Commerce, Tourism Ucluelet and Tourism Tofino. The Raincoast Education Society is responsible for course curriculum, registration, and program delivery.
Photo: Two Corvids, April Bencze, Capturing the Coast 2018

Coastal Raincoast Ecology
2023-05-30 17:00 - 19:30 | Rainforest Loop A Pacific Rim National Park Reserve
Part of the West Coast Ambassador Program: This 2 – 2.5-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 in 3 different locations depending on the date: Tofino, Pacific Rim National Park & Ucluelet.
Small Town, Big Picture is a suggested prerequisite for this course.
Ucluelet Location:Rainforest Trail A Pacific Rim National Park Reserve
Time: 5:00 – 7:30pm
Dates in Tofino: May 2 & 23
Dates in the Pacific Rim National Park: May 9 & 30
Dates in Ucluelet: May 16 & June 6
The West Coast Ambassador Program is a joint initiative of the Raincoast Education Society, the Tofino-Long Beach Chamber of Commerce, Tourism Ucluelet and Tourism Tofino. The Raincoast Education Society is responsible for course curriculum, registration, and program delivery.
Photo: Two Corvids, April Bencze, Capturing the Coast 2018

Small Town, Big Picture: Ucluelet (via Zoom)
2023-05-29 17:00 - 20:00 | Zoom Event
The West Coast Ambassador Program: This three-hour orientation session delivers the “big picture” of living in Ucluelet. 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 local’s information about living and working in Ucluelet.
This course is a suggested prerequisite for other courses.
Location: Zoom Meeting Time: 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
In-Person Dates: May 15, June 12, 19, 26
Zoom Dates: May 29
The West Coast Ambassador Program is a joint initiative of the Raincoast Education Society, the Tofino-Long Beach Chamber of Commerce, Tourism Ucluelet and Tourism Tofino. The Raincoast Education Society is responsible for course curriculum, registration, and program delivery.

Photo: Capturing the Coast submission, 2018

Marine Ecology - via Zoom
2023-05-24 17:00 - 19:30 | Zoom Event
The West Coast Ambassador Program: This 2 – 2.5-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 and Barkley Sounds, including seaweeds, invertebrates, and marine mammals (and more!) as well as local oceanographic conditions. The sessions will alternate their regional focus between Ucluelet and Tofino on a weekly rotation (regional focus noted alongside dates listed below).
Small Town, Big Picture is a suggested prerequisite for this course.
Location: Zoom
Time: 5:00 pm – 7:30 pm
In Person Dates: May 3, 10, 17, 31, June 7
Zoom Dates: May 24
The West Coast Ambassador Program is a joint initiative of the Raincoast Education Society, the Tofino-Long Beach Chamber of Commerce,, Tourism Ucluelet and Tourism Tofino. The Raincoast Education Society is responsible for course curriculum, registration, and program delivery.

Photo by Dane Stabel, Capturing the Coast submission.

Coastal Raincoast Ecology
2023-05-23 17:00 - 19:30 | Yellowgate Trail across from Pacific Sands Resort, Tofino
Part of the West Coast Ambassador Program: This 2 – 2.5-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 in 3 different locations depending on the date: Tofino, Pacific Rim National Park & Ucluelet.
Small Town, Big Picture is a suggested prerequisite for this course.
Tofino Location: Yellowgate Tofino across from Pacific Sands Resort (park at the Visitor Centre)
Time: 5:00 – 7:30pm
Dates in Tofino: May 2 & 23
Dates in the Pacific Rim National Park: May 9 & 30
Dates in Ucluelet: May 16 & June 6
The West Coast Ambassador Program is a joint initiative of the Raincoast Education Society, the Tofino-Long Beach Chamber of Commerce, Tourism Ucluelet and Tourism Tofino. The Raincoast Education Society is responsible for course curriculum, registration, and program delivery.
Photo: Two Corvids, April Bencze, Capturing the Coast 2018

Small Town, Big Picture: Tofino
2023-05-18 17:00 - 20:00, 2023-05-04 17:00 - 20:00 | Načiks/Monks Point, 174 West St., Tofino, BC, V0R 2Z0
The West Coast Ambassador Program: 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 local’s information about living and working in Tofino.
We are extremely grateful to be able to offer this course on Načiks/Monks Point property , a heritage site full of fascinating history. Such a perfect location to host this course.
This course is a suggested prerequisite for other courses.
Location: Načiks/Monks Point
Time: 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
In Person Dates: May 4, 11, 18, June 1, 8, 22
Zoom Dates: May 25, June 15 & 29
The West Coast Ambassador Program is a joint initiative of the Raincoast Education Society, the Tofino-Long Beach Chamber of Commerce, Tourism Ucluelet and Tourism Tofino. The Raincoast Education Society is responsible for course curriculum, registration, and program delivery.

Photo by Shaun Stewart, Capturing the Coast submission.

Marine Ecology
2023-05-17 17:00 - 19:30, 2023-05-10 17:00 - 19:30 | Ucluelet Aquarium, 180 Main St, Ucluelet, BC, V0R 3A0, Canada
The West Coast Ambassador Program: This 2 – 2.5-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 and Barkley Sounds, including seaweeds, invertebrates, and marine mammals (and more!) as well as local oceanographic conditions. The sessions will alternate their regional focus between Ucluelet and Tofino on a weekly rotation (regional focus noted alongside dates listed below).
Small Town, Big Picture is a suggested prerequisite for this course.
Location: Ucluelet Aquarium
Time: 5:00 pm – 7:30 pm
In Person Dates: May 3, 10, 17, 31, June 7
Zoom Dates: May 24
The West Coast Ambassador Program is a joint initiative of the Raincoast Education Society, the Tofino-Long Beach Chamber of Commerce,, Tourism Ucluelet and Tourism Tofino. The Raincoast Education Society is responsible for course curriculum, registration, and program delivery.

Small Town, Big Picture: Tofino
2023-05-11 17:00 - 20:00 | Načiks/Monks Point, 174 West St., Tofino, BC, V0R 2Z0
The West Coast Ambassador Program: 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 local’s information about living and working in Tofino.
We are extremely grateful to be able to offer this course on Načiks/Monks Point property , a heritage site full of fascinating history. Such a perfect location to host this course.
This course is a suggested prerequisite for other courses.
Location: Monks Point
Time: 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
In Person Dates: May 4, 11, 18, June 1, 8, 22
Zoom Dates: May 25, June 15 & 29
The West Coast Ambassador Program is a joint initiative of the Raincoast Education Society, the Tofino-Long Beach Chamber of Commerce, Tourism Ucluelet and Tourism Tofino. The Raincoast Education Society is responsible for course curriculum, registration, and program delivery.

Photo by Shaun Stewart, Capturing the Coast submission.

Coastal Raincoast Ecology
2023-05-09 17:00 - 19:30 | Rainforest Loop A Pacific Rim National Park Reserve
Part of the West Coast Ambassador Program: This 2 – 2.5-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 in 3 different locations depending on the date: Tofino, Pacific Rim National Park & Ucluelet.
Small Town, Big Picture is a suggested prerequisite for this course.
New Location: Rainforest Trail A Pacific Rim National Park Reserve
Time: 5:00 – 7:30pm
Dates in Tofino: May 2 & 23
Dates in the Pacific Rim National Park: May 9 & 30
Dates in Ucluelet: May 16 & June 6
The West Coast Ambassador Program is a joint initiative of the Raincoast Education Society, the Tofino-Long Beach Chamber of Commerce, Tourism Ucluelet and Tourism Tofino. The Raincoast Education Society is responsible for course curriculum, registration, and program delivery.
Photo: Two Corvids, April Bencze, Capturing the Coast 2018

Birds of the West Coast
2023-05-05 19:00 - 2023-05-07 13:30 | Ucluelet & Tofino
The west coast of Vancouver Island features some of the best birding opportunities in North America. Lying directly along the Pacific Flyway, this region hosts huge numbers of migrating birds of all kinds each spring and fall. In the winter, the diversity and abundance of non-breeding birds remains high thanks to wide range of habitats and a mild climate.
Expansive mudflats near Tofino provide an ideal stopover site used by tens of thousands of shorebirds each spring and fall, highly productive coastal waters sustain several large colonies of seabirds and a mix of coastal rainforest and deciduous forest habitats attract a wide variety of breeding songbirds. A little further south down the coast, Amphitrite Point in Ucluelet offers some of the best sea watching opportunities on Vancouver Island.
In this weekend workshop (Friday evening until Sunday afternoon), participants will be introduced to the general ecology and biology of birds with an emphasis on commonly encountered species. This course is specifically scheduled to overlap with the peak shorebird migration as well as the presence of large numbers of other migrating species.
Topics covered will include: basic ID skills, breeding biology, physiological adaptations, migration ecology, and conservation issues. This course is designed as a way to learn more about birds in general rather than how to ID specific species. Extensive birding experience is NOT required.

Course Registration is $330. per person, and includes Sunday’s boat trip.

About your instructors:
Mark Maftei serves as Executive Director of the RES and he draws on nearly 20 years of experience as a field biologist specializing in the ecology of birds. From the Arctic to the Antarctic to the open ocean, Mark has traveled the world studying birds. His research has included work on migration ecology, population biology and the census of poorly known species. His work in BC (including several years spent working with the Wildife Research Division of Environment and Climate Change Canada) was focused on colonial seabirds and migratory shorebirds. One of Mark’s greatest pleasures is sharing his passion for birds with like-minded nature lovers, and there is nowhere he’d rather doing that than his home on the West Coast of Vancouver Island.

Kaiden Bosch: Ever since one fateful encounter with a bird feeder at age 13 Kai has been an avid birdwatcher. Working as a field technician/guide for many years Kai has birded a diverse range of habitats, from the Andean cloud forests of Colombia to the frozen continent of Antarctica. Despite all of his travel’s, Kai’s favourite place on earth is still coastal British Columbia and its unique biodiversity.

Weekend Schedule (subject to change):
Friday Evening (7:00 pm – 9:00 pm)
George Fraser Room at the Ucluelet Community Centre

Opening night lecture introducing birds in BC. Life History – what are the strategies and adaptations birds have evolved to thrive in virtually every single habitat on earth?

Note: this evening talk will be open to the public. Course participants do not have to pay admission as it is included in the cost of the course.
Saturday (8:30 am – 4:00 pm)
First 1/2 of the day will be in Ucluelet & the later 1/2 in Tofino.
· Basic ID skills – what to look for in the field

We will spend the day outside looking at birds in a number of habitats around Tofino
Forest Birding in the morning (Ucluelet 8:30- 11:30am)
Shore Birding on the mudflats in the afternoon (1pm)
These sessions will be informal and focus on helping participants identify common birds as well as put these species into an ecological perspective.

Saturday Evening (6:00 pm – 8:00 pm) Hotel Zed in the Rec Room.
This time is extremely flexible – consideration for group preference; to condense the day vs. have a few hour break will be discussed – group decision)

This lecture focus on shorebirds & will include current studies & research analysis.

Sunday (8:30 am – 1:30 pm)
Field

We will spend the day on the water observing and learning more about seabirds, the coolest birds of all!
Half day boat adventure in Barkley Sound (some offshore if weather permits) with Jamies Whaling Station!

Recommended Equipment and Reading

Any good bird guide (Sibley’s, Peterson’s, National Geographic)
A decent pair of binoculars
Field notebook and pencil
Camera
Appropriate clothing for all day in the field—rain or shine
Bring lunch, snack, water/drinks on both days

Birding on the Mudflats
2023-05-05 12:00 - 15:00 | Hotel Zed Tofino, 1258 Pacific Rim Highway, Tofino, British Columbia, V0R 2Z0, Canada
On the birding platform at Hotel Zed
FREE Drop-by Event
Friday May 5, 12 – 3pm
Find fellow birders, spotting scopes and bird guide Mark Maftei from the RES!
This is the best opportunity to spend some time down on the Tofino mudflats to view flocks of shorebirds foraging and resting during their annual migration north. The mudflats at this location offer some of the best and most accessible high-quality shorebird habitat in Tofino. We’ve timed these session to coincide the rising tide when birds are pushed up towards the upper mudflats for a better view. This is a great event for both new and experienced birders, as well as anyone interested in learning more about the Tofino Mudflats Wildlife Management Area.
Bring your binoculars or spotting scope, or else we will have a couple to share. Free Parking at Hotel Zed. No dogs please.
