A Surprising Lack of Geographic Knowledge

A new study by the SeaDoc Society finds that very few of the people who live next to the Salish Sea have even heard of the Salish Sea.

"The study reveals that only 5 percent of people in Washington and 14 percent of British Columbians can identify the Salish Sea—the marine ecosystem that spans the United States-Canada border and includes both Seattle and Vancouver," according to an article from May 2019 by Justin Cox.

According to the article, lack of knowledge, like that of people in Cascadia for the Salish Sea, shapes the way people feel about the nature that surrounds them. And ecosystems like the Salish Sea will need defenders as the built environment and its effects closes in around it, adds Cox. "The Salish Sea is home to two of the fastest growing cities in North America alongside a marine ecosystem that is home to many charismatic species. These include endangered southern resident killer whales, whose population has dropped to just 75 individuals, and the Chinook salmon they depend on for survival."