Salish Sea Marine Ecology

The Salish Sea is a dynamic international inland sea that spans the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the Strait of Georgia, Puget Sound, and an intricate network of bays and inlets—including our local Bellingham Bay. Shaped by the confluence of freshwater from rivers, nutrient-rich ocean currents, and diverse coastal habitats, it is one of the most ecologically productive marine ecosystems in the world. This rich bioregion supports complex food webs—from plankton and seaweeds to invertebrates, fish, seabirds, and marine mammals—and has sustained Indigenous communities for millennia.

In this immersive field course, we’ll study the Salish Sea as a living system: formed by geological forces, influenced by weather patterns and tidal flows, and home to a vast array of marine life, from microscopic plankton to apex predators like orcas. You’ll develop skills to identify marine species across key habitats, including estuaries, intertidal zones, and pelagic waters. We’ll weave together natural history, ecology, Indigenous research methods, and conservation science to deepen your understanding of the region.

Since time immemorial, Coast Salish Nations have upheld reciprocal relationships with the lands and waters of this region, stewarding the Salish Sea through knowledge systems grounded in place-based ecological understanding. Today, those relationships—and the health of the ecosystem itself—are under threat from industrial expansion, urban development, and accelerating climate disruption. We’ll examine how Indigenous leadership, restoration science, and cross-sector collaboration can shape efforts to protect the Salish Sea and build long-term ecological and cultural resilience.

Important Schedule Notes

Regular Class Meetings:

Mondays, 12:00–1:50 PM, only 7 sessions due to holidays

Wednesdays, 12:00–2:50 PM, with three longer field trips scheduled during the quarter.

Low-Tide Field Excursions evening sessions: January 28th, 29th, and 30th from 6:00–9:00 PM

To balance time in the field, we will not meet on four regular Wednesdays (dates TBD).

Materials to purchase: 

Field Notebook: A blank notebook (any style or size) dedicated to scientific illustrations, field notes, species observations, and reflections. Students will use this notebook throughout the quarter and submit it in three phases for feedback and evaluation.