Coast Salish Tribal Journey Water Quality Project
Participate
There are several ways one can participate in the Tribal Journey Water Quality Project and each year opportunities exist to help students and volunteers engage in the project.
Water Quality Technician/Intern
This opportunity is open to all and it is preferred that the volunteer has training in marine water quality and experience handling water quality instruments and water samples for laboratory analyses. This is ideal for a undergraduate or graduate level student in college or university, although a enthusiastic high school student would be encouraged. Up to ten (10) technicians would be very useful each year to travel with a canoe family to maintain and operate the instruments and participate in the journey paddling canoe or helping with the road support. In the past we have had 4-5 technicians from Northwest Indian College, University of Washington, Western Washington University, and Dartmouth University participate. If there is enough interest, a Water Quality Training Workshop will be held in Spring to provide instruction to those needing extra hands-on experience. Please visit this website in February and March to find out about a workshop in your area.
Water Quality Outreach and Education
This opportunity is open to all and it is preferred that the volunteer has training in marine water quality and an interest in education. A volunteer or intern to help with outreach would work with the Project scientists and communities along the Journey to to describe the project and results and engage tribal communities and visitors in discussion of the importance of water quality to nearshore coastal ecosystems and the many food-resources that we depend upon. This is ideal for an undergraduate or graduate student interested in interdisciplinary and inter-cultural research and education. Many tribal leaders have recently argued that if we clean up and restore our ecosystem to save salmon and shellfish for tribes we will also be improving them for all of society. This idea is an important one to share and explore more thoroughly across all sectors of society in order to break down cultural boundaries and develop solutions for ecosystem protection, restoration and enhancement that serve a broader reach of society.
Annual Water Quality Training Workshop
Each year the USGS and Northwest Indian College attempt to hold a one-day water quality training workshop to provide hands-on instruction on the maintenance and operation of water quality instrumentation and interpretation of their data. This workshop is open to all and tribal students and employees of tribal fisheries and natural resource departments are encouraged to attend.
For more information on these opportunities, please contact:
Dr. Eric Grossman, 206-526-6282x334.
