The robots are coming! The IoT is about to change everything, again. What is that drone doing in my backyard? These are exciting but cautionary times ! Viable Startups~all businesses~need to be innovating or building or they will be displaced by those who are. Bootstrapped Startups are (increasingly) being usurped by venture-backed competitors. Many traditional SMB's are being supplanted by tech-based Startups "software is eating the world". Get set to be disrupted!
Speaker: Graham Truax, Executive in Residence, Innovation Island
For more information call Innovation Island 250.753.8324 or email.
To register click here or call the Clayoquot Biosphere Trust
April 2024
Join the Raincoast Education Society for their FREE 2024 Speaker Series: Strange Creatures! Learn about Hagfishes and Slime.
Hagfishes are bottom dwelling marine animals that are capable of producing startling amounts of defensive slime when they are provoked. We have investigated the composition and mechanical properties of the slime using a variety of techniques. We have also demonstrated that hagfish slime is especially good at clogging the gills of would-be fish predators, which is likely one of its primary functions in life. The slime is composed of fine protein slime threads as well as a mucus component that comes packaged in tiny vesicles. When these components are ejected from the slime glands, they combine synergistically to form a slime mass in which a large volume of water is entrained. Recent work in this area focused on the deployment of both the fibrous and mucus components of the slime in seawater. We now know that the swelling of the mucus vesicles is accelerated by the presence of water pores known as aquaporins in the vesicle membranes. We have also recently shown that unraveling of protein threads from their coiled state involves the dissolution of a seawater soluble glue and the release of strain energy stored in the thread coils. Current research is focused on understanding the mechanisms by which slime threads are manufactured within the cytoplasm of gland thread cells and identifying the proteins involved in slime deployment.
About our Speaker: Dr. Fudge runs the Comparative Biomaterials Lab at Chapman University. As an undergraduate, he studied biology at Cornell University, followed by an M.A.T. in science education, alsoatCornell. For his M.Sc. research, he worked on the biology of bluefin tuna at the University of Guelph, and then moved to the University of British Columbia for his Ph.D., where he worked on the biomechanics of hagfish slime in John Gosline’s lab. As an NSERC postdoctoral fellow, he worked on cell biomechanics in Wayne Vogl’s lab in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of British Columbia. He joined the faculty in the Department of Integrative Biology at the University of Guelph in 2005, where he worked until 2016.
Register through the Raincoast Education Society's website to receive your Zoom link for this FREE event.
Photo Credit: Raincoast Education Society
Enjoy an evening of poetry and prose performances! Join Kate Rubin, theatre artist, and the participants of the Public Performance for Writers workshop at this public performance showcasing their work.
Tickets $15
Tickets are available online through the District of Tofino or at the door.
Join the Raincoast Education Society to celebrate and learn about shorebirds that visit the region every spring!
Birding on the Mudflats
Monday through Friday, April 29 - May 3 / On the birding platform at Hotel Zed
FREE Drop-by Events:
- Monday, April 29, 3 – 5:30 pm
- Tuesday, April 30, 3 – 5:30 pm
- Wednesday, May 1, 4 – 6 pm
- Thursday, May 2, 9:30 am -12 pm
- Friday, May 3, 9:30am -12 pm
Find fellow birders, spotting scopes, and bird guide Mark Maftei from the Raincoast Education Society
This is the best opportunity to spend some time down on the Tofino mudflats to view flocks of shorebirds foraging and resting during their annual migration north. The mudflats at this location offer some of the best and most accessible high-quality shorebird habitats in Tofino. Bird viewing on the mudflats is tide relevant – the rising tide when birds are pushed up towards the upper mudflats for a better view. This is a great event for both new and experienced birders, as well as anyone interested in learning more about the Tofino Mudflats Wildlife Management Area.
Bring your binoculars or spotting scope, or else we will have a couple to share. No dogs, please.
Find out more information about the Shorebird Festival events HERE. If you are interested in diving deeper and learning more about the general ecology and biology of birds, we highly recommend the Raincoast Institure course: Birds of the West Coast which you can access HERE.
May 2024
Join the Raincoast Education Society next spring for their popular West Coast Ambassador program!
Who is the program for? All local residents including seasonal staff, newcomers, and business owners. All local residents new and old are welcome to participate in this great, free initiative to expand their knowledge of the area and increase their participation in the communities of Ucluelet and Tofino.
Registrations will open in the new year. Stay tuned for more details!
This FREE program is offered as a joint initiative of the Raincoast Education Society, the Tofino-Long Beach Chamber of Commerce, Tourism Ucluelet and Tourism Tofino, The Raincoast Education Society is responsible for course curriculum, registration, and program delivery.
While we wait for the 2024 lineup to unfold, the Raincoast Education Society has a video available on their website of the Small Town Big Picture Tofino course. You can access it HERE.
Photo Credits: Raincoast Education Society
Prepare to be captivated as Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation proudly announces the return of their immersive Indigenous tourism experience, naaʔuu, to the breathtaking Tin Wis Resort this May and June. Building on the resounding success of its debut in 2023, naaʔuu (meaning “feast” in the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation language) promises another enchanting journey into the heart of Indigenous culture. Hosted by Tla-o-qui-aht Tribal Parks, this three-hour event offers guests a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in the rich traditions of the Tla-o-qui-aht community.
Get your tickets now through their Eventbrite page:
One of Turtle Island's most storied First Nations invites you to come feast with them; they invite you to come naaʔuu. As a ticket buyer and guest of Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation expect to experience Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation food, art, song, and dance through this new limited event series.
naaʔuu is a cultural experience presented by Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation, supporting Tla-o-qui-aht Tribal Parks work in restoring and furthering the nation’s lands, language, and culture.
Held at the Tla-o-qui-aht-owned Best Western Plus Tin Wis Resort in Tofino, ticket-holders are invited to gather inside the resort’s conference center, being transformed into the feel of a traditional longhouse.
Throughout this three-hour indigenous tourism event, experience cultural presentations depicting the Nation’s history through song, dance, and traditional carvings coming to life over a delicious dinner. Witness specially carved masks and signature regalia as interpreters share transformative teachings at naaʔuu.
The event is produced and hosted by Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation artists and culinary experts alongside a team of community members.
NOTES:
- The event is appropriate for ages 12 and up - there is no child pricing.
- Tickets for each day go off sale at 2 pm.
- A dry ice fog machine is used during the experience (not during dinner)
- You will be entering an area where there could be photography and video taken
- Event management has the right to the last-minute rescheduling of your tickets, or you are entitled to a full refund.
This Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation's experience via Tla-o-qui-aht Tribal Parks sponsored by Indigenous Tourism BC and Tourism Tofino
Photo Credit : Melissa Renwick / ZenSeekers
June 2024
This summer, let interpreters from Parks Canada inspire and fascinate you as you experience all that the region has to offer!
Discover and explore the tide-pools and rainforest. Feel a fuzzy sea otter pelt. Listen to stories that are older than our ancient trees. See the land and water from a different perspective as you immerse yourself in the cultural and natural treasures of the Pacific Rim.
NOTE: Public programs are supported through the purchase of a national park entry pass. Programs are presented in English, with special programming available in French.
Stay tuned for the 2024 schedule. Make sure to check back here regularly for updates!
Photo credits: Pacific Rim National Park
The Wild Pacific Trail naturalists and other local partner organizations look forward to meeting you for walks and events at their Discovery Tent overlooking Amphitrite Lighthouse on the lighthouse Loop Trail section.
The Wild Pacific Trail is a unique outdoor classroom that offers incredible opportunities to connect people to nature. Their seasonal Discovery Tent at the lighthouse offers revolving topics for all ages.
Easy to walk, one-hour programs aim to engage both visitors and local communities. Topics range from natural to cultural history.
Learning opportunities are offered most days of the week from June until September. Stay tuned for more details - full schedule of events coming soon!
Photo Credits: Wild Pacific Trail
Join the Raincoast Education Society next spring for their popular West Coast Ambassador program!
Who is the program for? All local residents including seasonal staff, newcomers, and business owners. All local residents new and old are welcome to participate in this great, free initiative to expand their knowledge of the area and increase their participation in the communities of Ucluelet and Tofino.
Registrations will open in the new year. Stay tuned for more details!
This FREE program is offered as a joint initiative of the Raincoast Education Society, the Tofino-Long Beach Chamber of Commerce, Tourism Ucluelet and Tourism Tofino, The Raincoast Education Society is responsible for course curriculum, registration, and program delivery.
While we wait for the 2024 lineup to unfold, the Raincoast Education Society has a video available on their website of the Small Town Big Picture Tofino course. You can access it HERE.
Photo Credits: Raincoast Education Society
July 2024
The Wild Pacific Trail naturalists and other local partner organizations look forward to meeting you for walks and events at their Discovery Tent overlooking Amphitrite Lighthouse on the lighthouse Loop Trail section.
The Wild Pacific Trail is a unique outdoor classroom that offers incredible opportunities to connect people to nature. Their seasonal Discovery Tent at the lighthouse offers revolving topics for all ages.
Easy to walk, one-hour programs aim to engage both visitors and local communities. Topics range from natural to cultural history.
Learning opportunities are offered most days of the week from June until September. Stay tuned for more details - full schedule of events coming soon!
Photo Credits: Wild Pacific Trail
This summer, let interpreters from Parks Canada inspire and fascinate you as you experience all that the region has to offer!
Discover and explore the tide-pools and rainforest. Feel a fuzzy sea otter pelt. Listen to stories that are older than our ancient trees. See the land and water from a different perspective as you immerse yourself in the cultural and natural treasures of the Pacific Rim.
NOTE: Public programs are supported through the purchase of a national park entry pass. Programs are presented in English, with special programming available in French.
Stay tuned for the 2024 schedule. Make sure to check back here regularly for updates!
Photo credits: Pacific Rim National Park
August 2024
The Wild Pacific Trail naturalists and other local partner organizations look forward to meeting you for walks and events at their Discovery Tent overlooking Amphitrite Lighthouse on the lighthouse Loop Trail section.
The Wild Pacific Trail is a unique outdoor classroom that offers incredible opportunities to connect people to nature. Their seasonal Discovery Tent at the lighthouse offers revolving topics for all ages.
Easy to walk, one-hour programs aim to engage both visitors and local communities. Topics range from natural to cultural history.
Learning opportunities are offered most days of the week from June until September. Stay tuned for more details - full schedule of events coming soon!
Photo Credits: Wild Pacific Trail
This summer, let interpreters from Parks Canada inspire and fascinate you as you experience all that the region has to offer!
Discover and explore the tide-pools and rainforest. Feel a fuzzy sea otter pelt. Listen to stories that are older than our ancient trees. See the land and water from a different perspective as you immerse yourself in the cultural and natural treasures of the Pacific Rim.
NOTE: Public programs are supported through the purchase of a national park entry pass. Programs are presented in English, with special programming available in French.
Stay tuned for the 2024 schedule. Make sure to check back here regularly for updates!
Photo credits: Pacific Rim National Park