Building a holistic education strategy
The Challenge
I was tapped by Fisheries and Oceans Canada to lead the planning and facilitation of an education and outreach strategy for conserving endangered glass sponge reefs and rockfish conservation areas. These ecosystems are as stunning as they are fragile, and protecting them meant creating a strategy that combined scientific insight with community buy-in.
The Approach
I started by diving deep into the latest research on these ecosystems, which brought me back to my days managing interpretive delivery at the Vancouver Aquarium. Next, I connected with biologists dedicated to understanding the reefs and rockfish, conservation officers working the front lines of education and enforcement, and local nonprofits rolling up their sleeves to educate their communities.
From there, I drafted a set of core messages to convey just how important these ecosystems are. Then, alongside the client’s outreach team, I envisioned a toolkit of outreach materials—live events, brochures, digital media, and more—to spark respect and stewardship for these remarkable underwater worlds.
Lessons Learned
This project underscored the power of a strong network. When I put out a call to colleagues across North America for advice on building a holistic aquatic education program, their insights poured in. That collective expertise made for a sharper process and a much stronger final product for the client. It was a great reminder that sometimes the best solutions come from leaning on the right people at the right time.