Nikki talked about the five-year nearshore habitat restoration work taking place within the Salish Sea funded by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Pacific Salmon Foundation and the Sidney Anglers Association. Nikki works with others to take what has been learned locally about eelgrass and marine riparian restoration and supports other coastal communities in B.C. to contribute to a net gain of nearshore marine habitat. She considers herself very fortunate to work within communities to help make a change in the ways we perceive the ocean and all its beauty. Nikki Wright has served as the Executive Director of SeaChange Marine Conservation Society since 1998, and as Co-Chair of the Seagrass Conservation Working Group since 2001. In 2000, 1800 eelgrass (Zostera marina) shoots were transplanted in Tod Inlet, a small inlet of Saanich Inlet north of Victoria BC. From that success was born the Seagrass Conservation Working Group in 2001. The SCWG is a consortium of government agencies, community conservation groups, First Nations and consultants working collaboratively to conserve seagrasses in British Columbia. They have trained 35 coastal communities surrounding the Salish Sea in eelgrass mapping using a science based methodology developed by Cynthia Durance, R.P. Bio, Precision Identification Consultants.
