UPDATE: We received a matching donation of $5,000 from Karen and Phil Drayer. That means for every two books bought, they'll donate one more to children in need! With their energy behind us, let's finish strong!
Campaign Overview
Not only is the Salish Sea extraordinarily beautiful, but it also plays a vital role in our economy and our way of life. Increasingly, the sea and its surrounding watersheds are challenged by an ever-growing list of threats. As with any difficult issue, the more we understand and care about the problem, the more likely we are solve it.
To inspire today's youth and tomorrow’s leaders to connect with and protect our unique inland sea, SeaDoc and Little Big Foot publishing are releasing Explore the Salish Sea: A Nature Guide for Kids. It inspires outdoor exploration, ownership of this place, and action to take care of it. Through this IndieGoGo campaign, we intend to share this important new book in schools, outdoor camps and libraries with every 5th and 6th grade student regardless of their ability to pay.
Low-income families are disproportionately affected by environmental degradation. There are about 81,000 5th graders in Washington State, and 43 percent are low-income. More than half live in counties next to Puget Sound, meaning there are more than 20,000 low-income 5th graders in Washington to whom we'd like to provide books annually.
The SeaDoc Society is based on Orcas Island in the Salish Sea and is a program of the UC Davis Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center.
Short Summary
The SeaDoc Society protects the health of marine wildlife and their ecosystems through science and education. Science Director Dr. Joe Gaydos and Board Member Audrey Benedict wrote Explore the Salish Sea: A Nature Guide for Kids to engage 5th and 6th grade students so that they may connect with and protect the Salish Sea. Featuring close to 100 incredible photographs and compelling stories, the book is aligned with Washington State core science learning standards.
This IndieGoGo campaign lets you give the gift of knowledge, passion and ownership of place to students. (You can buy a book for a student who otherwise couldn't afford it, books for a whole class or even books for a whole district!). You'll be inspiring tomorrow's ocean conservation leaders and helping protect the Salish Sea for generations to come!
Other Ways You Can Help
If you can't support the campaign today, consider sharing it with friends and family who care about protecting the Salish Sea. Send an email, make a phone call or share on social media.
You can also subscribe to the SeaDoc Society’s newsletter to follow our work and learn about the Sea. When the book is released on April 17, visit a local bookstore and consider buying a copy!
About the book
The SeaDoc Society has published a book for the next generation. Filled with beautiful photography and engaging stories, Explore the Salish Sea: A Nature Guide for Kids inspires children to explore the unique marine ecosystem that encompasses the coastal waters from Seattle’s Puget Sound up to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Georgia Strait of British Columbia.
Discover the Salish Sea and learn about its vibrant ecosystem in this engaging non-fiction narrative that inspires outdoor exploration. Filled with full-color photography, this book covers wildlife habitats, geodiversity, intertidal and subtidal sea life, and highlights what is unique to this Pacific Northwest ecosystem.
JOSEPH K. GAYDOS is chief scientist for the SeaDoc Society, a marine science and conservation program focused on the Salish Sea. He is a licensed wildlife veterinarian and has a PhD in wildlife health. For over a decade he has been studying the fish and wildlife of the Salish Sea.
AUDREY DELELLA BENEDICT is a biologist, writer, and passionate advocate for the conservation of the global ocean and Arctic and alpine environments the world over. She is founder and director of Cloud Ridge Naturalists, a nonprofit natural history educational organization now in its fourth decade. She is currently a member of the board of the SeaDoc Society and served for nearly a decade as a trustee for the Colorado chapter of The Nature Conservancy, from which she received the prestigious One Conservancy Award in 2003 for her work in Ecuador. Audrey splits her time between her home at 9,000 feet along the Colorado Front Range and her off-grid cottage on San Juan’s Frost Island.
