Photo: Glen Miller

EARTHLING ENTERPRISES

Port McNeill, B.C.; CANADA (05/99 – present)

Owner:  Jackie Hildering; “The Marine Detective”


Mission: To create awareness of the anthropogenic impacts to marine organisms and to catalyse positive environmental change.  Dedicated to environmental education and empowerment.


Contracts include: 

  1. •Director of Communications, The SOS Marine Conservation Foundation (since 02/2009)

  2. •Head Naturalist, Stubbs Island Whale Watching (05/2000 to 01/2010; currently still a naturalist for the company) – hiring & training of naturalists; developing educational programmes and maintaining educational standard to promote environmental action; conducting wildlife tours; liaising with marine mammal researchers. Company has been recognized for conservation practices: Nature Trust’s “Conservation Hero”, 2008; Ocean’s Blue Foundation’s “Starfish Award for Environmentally Responsible Tourism”, 2002.

  3. •Central Coast Education Coordinator, contracted to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (2002 - July 2009) - development and delivery of programmes for sustainability and aquatic education on N. Vancouver Island (salmon, beach studies, consumer awareness, marine mammal science, etc); past member of the Learning Resources Working Group and team shaping the provincial “Stream to Sea” educational strategy.

  4. •Manager, Johnstone Strait Killer Whale Interpretive Centre  (03/2002 – 09/2003; Telegraph Cove) – grant application, hiring, training, educational programming and tours, PR.

  5. •Aquatic education courses and presentations – delivery to highly diverse audiences: teachers, naturalists, students (K to Master’s level), school trustees and natural history groups. Includes being selected as the school district representative for “Innovations in Education” (12/2007 & 03/2008); virtual classroom teacher for “Chemicals in Killer Whales; Chemicals in You” (“Elluminate” 10/2007 – 12/2007); serving as a guest instructor for a Sea of Cortez expedition (2004).

  6. •Environmental education curriculum writing: e.g. “Bioaccumulation: A Case Study of British Columbia’s Killer Whales”; “Turn Down the Volume:  The Impact of Sound on Harbour Porpoise”; Ecological Foot-printing.

  7. •Development and marketing of products to enhance an appreciation of the biodiversity of Northern Vancouver Island.


Further activities:

Campaigning

  1. •Member of the scientific review panel for “Seismic Impacts to Marine Life” (DFO, Ottawa, 03/2008); member of the steering committee for the national workshop examining the “Effectiveness of Measures Used to Mitigate Potential Impacts of Seismic Sound on Marine Mammals” (Statement of Canadian Practice) planned for 05/2009.

  2. •Raising awareness and action re: Atlantic salmon open net-cage aquaculture; federal government’s attempts to remove habitat protection from the Species at Risk Act; the Batholiths Project; oil and gas exploration on BC’s coast (includes presentation to the Priddle Commission / Public Review of the Federal Moratorium on Offshore Oil and Gas, 05/2004); diesel spill and necessary equipment removal in the Robson Bight (Michael Bigg) Ecological Reserve; whaling; insufficient legislation for testing chemicals.

  3. •Delivery of scientific reports and serving as presenter/moderator at the “International Symposium to Stop PCB Pollution” in Penang, Malaysia (Japan Offspring Fund and Penang Consumers’ Association). Led to the signing of the Penang Declaration (02/2003).

On-line media:

  1. •Blog: “The Marine Detective”

  2. •Maintenance of a webpage and e-bulletins highlighting aquatic environmental concerns and positive action.

  3. •“Watch Me Change the World” - proposed project aimed at tracking local positive environmental change. On hold as of January 2009.

Biological research / field work:

  1. •Maintaining a database of injured local marine mammals

  2. •Compiling a local catalogue of humpbacks

  3. •Contribution to the international Sea Slug Forum; striving to match local nudibranch species with their egg masses

  4. •Contribution to the the Northeast Pacific Minke Project and local catalogue.

Community engagement:

  1. •Johnstone Strait Killer Whale Interpretive Centre Society – Director/ Past Chair; current education advisor

  2. •Dive services for salmon enhancement and cetacean research

  3. •Young Naturalists Club of British Columbia – Leader Northern Vancouver Island 

  4. •Top Island Econauts Dive Club; Port McNeill - President since 10/2001; responsibilities include fund raising and organization of the annual “Dive Extravaganza” involving 7 dive clubs.

Nature photography:

  1. •  Art cards, annual calendar

  2. •  Contribution to conservation programmes e.g. The Nature of Things “One Ocean”; B.C.‘s    

    Bountiful Sea.  See example images here.

Media exposure: 

  1. •Includes interviews in 20+ European nature specials; an episode of Knowledge Network’s “Head’s Up” children’s educational series with Bob MacDonald (04/2008); Japanese television production (NHK) of “Super Teacher; Dr. John Ford” (09/2002); CBC radio interviews; WWF’s “Your Coast, Your Values, Your Vision” project; diverse newspaper interviews; Coastal Voices interview; monthly conservation-themed columns “For Whales’ Sake” and “Sea Green”. 


Awards: Recognition from DFO Director of Oceans, Habitat and Enhancement for “whose contribution to the preservation to the enhancement of the salmonid resource of Northern Vancouver Island, British Columbia, has helped ensure a better future for all Canadians” (June 2010);   Professional Merit Award - Port McNeill & District Chamber of Commerce (2009); one of top 3 nominees for the “Free the Children” Society’s “Me to We Awards” in the educator category (2007); nominee British Columbia Principals’ and Vice Principals’ Association’s (BCPVPA) partnership award (2007 and 2008); nominee “Port McNeill’s Volunteer of the Year” (2008); named as a nominee in CBC’s Earth Day 2008 “Greenest person in BC” feature; named a LiveSmart BC “Community Hero” (Oct 2008).


History: 14 years in the Netherlands as a biology and sciences teacher; curriculum writer for the international baccalaureate and international school administrator. The company name goes back to a remarkable student environmental group - “The Earthlings.”  Company logo relates back to this group and was designed by Kitty Chan. Return to British Columbia, Canada in 1999.







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