Out on the west coast of Vancouver Island exists an awesome little non-profit that siphons sea water from the harbour into tanks on land, which briefly house some of the areas most gorgeous residents from under the waves. I'm talking about the Ucluelet Aquarium, a catch-and-release aquarium who gathers all of its exhibits seasonally from the surrounding waters, giving visitors a glimpse into a world that surrounds us yet we seldom see.

I sat down with Laura Griffith-Cochrane from the Ucluelet Aquarium to chat all about this awesome project, and her unique approach to education that emphasizes hands-on interactions to build connection and care to place. We also delve into various issues relating to these near-shore marine ecosystems, with ethical information on fishing and tide-pooling that we all could use to become better stewards of these places for generations to come.

For more information on the Ucluelet Aquarium, visit www.uclueletaquarium.org

Each episode of Nerdy About Nature makes a donation to a non-profit of the guests choosing using funds from Patreon supporters, and in this episode Laura chose to give hers to ⁠Surfrider Foundation

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