Salmon Steward

26 2019 psf.ca T he Pacific Salmon Foundation supports a variety of scholarships and bursaries to ensure a new generation of stewards will be ready to champion wild salmon, providing cash awards to post-secondary students who volunteer in the aquatic community and are pursuing an education that benefits salmon. In 2018, 14 post-secondary students in B.C. received a total of $29,000 – the most ever in the history of the program. This year, we are delighted to announce the Dr. Brian Riddell – PSF Fisheries Endowment Fund at Vancouver Island University in honour of our departing CEO. Donate to support young scientists via psf.ca or contact Margaret Buttner at mbuttner@psf.ca or 604.664.7664 ext. 128. Read on to meet some of 2018's recipients. WHO: SORAYA OLSZEWSKI, PSF STEWARDSHIP COMMUNITY BURSARY RECIPIENT Volunteer: Prince Rupert School: Coast Mountain College Pursuing: Post-degree diploma in Applied Coastal Ecology Growing up in Ontario, Soraya was fascinated with the outdoors and collected tadpoles and caterpillars, recognizing their interactions within the greater environment. After completing her undergrad in geography, she moved to the West Coast to further her studies (and for the enticing ecosystems). She volunteers with the Oldfield Hatchery Salmonid Enhancement Program in Prince Rupert and is involved with salmon education for local students. "The ecological intricacy of the coast has always captivated me. As I have learned more about the endless connections between the ocean, rainforest soil, otters and orcas, it always comes back to the salmon and the vital ecological role they play." WHO: BRIAN TIMMER, PSF STEWARDSHIP COMMUNITY BURSARY RECIPIENT Volunteer: Nanaimo/Nanoose Bay/Victoria School: Vancouver Island University Pursuing: Bachelor of Science, Biology Brian's career in scuba diving has taken him around the world, but his move to Nanaimo introduced him to the Salish Sea and the challenges it is facing. He was inspired to return to school to pursue his bachelor's degree, including studies in fisheries and aquaculture. These programs opened his eyes to the plight of wild Pacific salmon, and when he graduates next year, he plans to pursue his master's. His father is from the Chawathil First Nation of the Coast Salish Nation, and in Brian's words: "I am by no means a spiritual person, but I feel that the connection that I have with the Salish Sea goes deeper than just a fascination of the life within it. It is a connection that links me to thousands of years of ancestry and stewardship in the area." WHO: HALEY CROZIER, PSF STEWARDSHIP COMMUNITY BURSARY RECIPIENT Volunteer: Prince Rupert/North Shore School: British Columbia Institute of Technology Pursuing: Bachelor of Science, Ecological Restoration Haley began her post-secondary education in Prince Rupert, where she attended Northwest Community College for its applied coastal ecology diploma program. She volunteered at the Oldfield Creek Fish Hatchery in Prince Rupert, a grantee of PSF's Community Salmon Program, where she learned about salmon tagging, the Stream to Sea program and fish culture. Upon returning to North Vancouver, she took a position as a natural resource field tech with the Tsleil-Waututh Nation, overseeing the Indian River Watershed, doing fish counts, habitat assessments and restoration. She also began volunteering with North Shore Streamkeepers and became a coordinator for Hastings Creek. "The restoration work that I saw in the Watershed spurred me to return to BCIT for ecological restoration studies. My final courses, including wetland/ estuary restoration as well as stream limnology [study of inland waters] will help me pursue salmon habitat restoration work – my goal is to establish my own restoration company in the future." PSF Scholarship and Bursary Recipients TODAY'S STUDENTS, TOMORROW'S STEWARDS Salmon? WHO CARES ABOUT The next wave of salmon leaders forge their passion into expertise WHO: PSF STEWARDSHIP COMMUNITY BURSARY RECIPIENT Volunteer: School: Pursuing: Applied Coastal Ecology Growing up in Ontario, Soraya was fascinated with the outdoors and collected tadpoles and caterpillars, recognizing their plans to pursue his master's. His father is from the Chawathil First Nation of the Coast Salish me to return to BCIT for ecological restoration studies. My final courses, including wetland/ estuary restoration as well as stream limnology [study of inland waters] will help me pursue salmon habitat restoration work – my goal is to establish my own restoration company in the future."

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