CONNECTING YOUNG WOMEN
& SCIENCE ON THE WATER
Free expeditions & day camps on rivers and lakes to steward a love for science, learning and fresh waters in the next generation of water protectors.
OUR MISSION
To motivate and inspire young women (inclusive of all identities) to enjoy and protect fresh waters and the outdoors.
OUR VISION
To run free outdoor trips that impart a lifetime of love and understanding of fresh waters.
OUR FOCUS
To serve young women who are interested in the outdoors and science but have limited access to outdoor learning opportunities.
WHAT WE DO
Riparia is a Canadian registered charity that works to connect young women and science on the water. With our team of guides, scientists, and Indigenous Knowledge Keepers, participants learn and experience different ways of doing science, thinking about water, and learning from our environment.
We run two inspiring free programs for diverse young women: (1) a signature week-long canoeing and camping expedition in the Poisson Blanc Regional Park of Québec; and (2) a water-focused outdoor day camp exploring rivers, lakes, and streams near Montréal, Québec. We partner with experiences guides rom Boreal River Adventures to prioritize safety and comfort for all participants. Our participants receive access to exciting tools, like underwater drones and portable microscopes and leave our program with robust outdoor skills, lasting friendships, and the know-how to protect fresh waters for life.
Our programs take place on the traditional, ancestral & unceded territories
of the Anishinaabeg (Parc Poisson Blanc, QC) and Kanien’kehá:ka (Montréal, QC).
OUR VALUES
Valuing different ways of knowing and learning.
Valuing different ways of knowing and learning.
DIVERSITY
Creating space for all youth, including non-binary, Indigenous and others.
EQUITY
Valuing and uplifting different ways of knowing and learning.
ACTIVE
LEARNING
We use participants questions and interests to drive learning.
STRONG
BONDS
We emphasize loving relationships with each other and the world around us and work to uphold these with responsibility and reciprocity.
SAMPLE COURSES
Living
Streams
Get up close and personal with the invertebrates living in stream beds! Learn what their presence tells us about the health of the water.
Water Quality Monitoring
Contribute to important community science initiatives that protect and monitor water. Learn how hands on water quality testing can also strengthen personal connections to water.
Photography & Storytelling
Practice the power of photography as a tool of communication, self expression, and visual storytelling. Start your own trip log and photo journal!
GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY
OVERNIGHT TRIP
POISSON BLANC
QC, CANADA
Riparia hosts a free, week-long canoe-camping trip in the Poisson Blanc Regional Park, in Quebec, Canada every few summers. We work with Indigenous and non-Indigenous young women recruited primarily through the New Frontiers School Board to document the ecological state of the region and inspire the next generation of female scientists.
DAY CAMP
MONTRÉAL + AREA
QC, CANADA
Our freshwater day camp connects Indigenous and non-Indigenous young women recruited primarily through the New Frontiers School Board with land and water close to home. Over four days, we paddle and learn about rivers, lakes and streams near Montréal, QC. Each day focuses on new science and outdoor skills with a unique theme and location.
OUR PROGRAMS
RIPARIA COMMUNITY
We love bringing our broader community together to talk about water protection. Check out our 2021 public event "Speaking Up For Water: Water Protectors, Storytelling & Science." , which brought together inspiring, strong women who are using their voices to speak up for water to share their impactful stories and calls to action.
Subscribe to our newsletter to be reminded of upcoming events.
OUR FOUNDING TEAM
Dr. Dalal Hanna
Conservation & Landscape Ecologist, National Geographic Explorer, PhD in Natural Resource Sciences (McGill University), Postdoctoral Fellow at Carleton University
Dr. Andrea Reid
Indigenous Fisheries Scientist, citizen of the Nisga’a Nation, National Geographic Explorer, PhD in Biology (Carleton University), Assistant Professor at the University of British Columbia’s Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, and Principal Investigator of the Indigenous Fisheries Research Unit
Mikayla Wujec
National Geographic Explorer, Environmental Scientist, Science Communicator, Photographer, Co-founder of Alder Apparel
EXPEDITION GALLERY
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