Leading The Way
Our passion for marine conservation and restoration began in the Salish Sea in 1998 when former Executive Director Nikki Wright founded SeaChange with her partner, Sarah Verstegen, who served as Facilities Operator until she passed away in 2021. Along with a dedicated group of conservationists, including longtime Board Member Doug Biffard, Sarah and Nikki dedicated their careers and lives to working with First Nations and local non-profit organizations on a variety of conservation projects, leading the way in eelgrass restoration, habitat recovery, and in providing educational programs for youth. In 2023, we celebrated SeaChange’s 25th anniversary and welcomed Sarah Cook as our new Executive Director.
Today, we envision a world where coastal ecosystems are understood and protected, and where human activity and climate change are no longer a threat. As we lead the way in science-based, data-driven and technologically sound management of coastal ecosystems, we believe in sharing freely our vast collection of data, knowledge and experience. We invite scientists, researchers, community/government organizations, and individuals around the world to get in touch and collaborate with us. Together, we can build awareness for change.
Our Mission
As a charitable organization founded in 1998, we work in partnership with coastal communities to use scientifically rigorous and technologically sound methodologies to
Survey, map, and assess the condition of nearshore coastal ecosystems in a database accessible to anyone;
Conserve, restore, and protect those ecosystems into the future;
Measure the success and impact of our restoration efforts; and,
Foster community engagement and partnerships through education and by sharing data, knowledge, and experience.
SeaChange is located in the heart of unceded traditional W̱SÁNEĆ territory, near Victoria, British Columbia. We are very grateful to be sharing this land with the W̱SÁNEĆ First Nations. We acknowledge that injustice and grief have resulted from this sharing. Our hope and intention are to grow in partnership with W̱SÁNEĆ communities and to enact our responsibility for healing Indigenous-Settler relationships, lands and ocean.
We work with community groups and First Nations to map, monitor and restore eelgrass habitat. We also work with communities and volunteers to restore nearshore riparian areas vital for forage fish spawning. We collaborate with researchers and graduate students to find the best conditions for restored eelgrass meadows to thrive. We help governments make better decisions about the fate of shorelines and nearshores.
