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. 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
2019
POISSON BLANC
QC, CANADA
Riparia hosted a free, five-day canoe-camping expedition in the Poisson Blanc Regional Park, in Quebec, Canada in August 2019. We worked with 10 young women aged 13-18 recruited through Native Montreal and the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board to document the ecological state of the region and inspire the next generation of female scientists.
2021
MONTRÉAL + AREA
QC, CANADA
Our new freshwater day camp connects participants with land and water close to home. Over four days in August 2021 we paddled and learned about rivers, lakes and streams near Montréal, QC. Each day focused on new science and outdoor skills with a unique theme and location! We continue to partner with experienced expedition guides from Boreal River Adventures to prioritize safety and comfort for all participants.
OUR PROGRAMS
RIPARIA COMMUNITY
Each Spring, we host an an online event called "Speaking Up For Water: Water Protectors, Storytelling & Science." This event brings together inspiring, strong women who are using their voices to speak up for water to share their impactful stories and calls to action with the wider Riparia community.
Subscribe to our newsletter to be reminded of the next one.
OUR TEAM
Dr. Dalal Hanna
Co-founder
Conservation & Landscape Ecologist, National Geographic Explorer, PhD in Natural Resource Sciences (McGill University), Postdoctoral Fellow at Carleton University
Justine Ammendolia
Data Analyst & Geospatial Technician
National Geographic Explorer, MSc in Marine Biology (Memorial University of Newfoundland), Member of the Youth Council to the Chief Science Advisor of Canada, Science Communicator
Dr. Andrea Reid
Co-founder
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
Zofia Smeja
Program Coordinator
Riparia Board of Directors, Therapeutic Recreational Wilderness Guide, BScH Psychology and Environmental Studies & BA French (Queen’s University)
Mikayla Wujec
Co-founder
National Geographic Explorer, Environmental Scientist, Science Communicator, Photographer, Co-founder of Alder Apparel
Katie Schulze
Online Support (Ocean Bridge Ambassador 2020)
Team organization/logistics, Educational Content Creator, Aquatic Biologist BSc (University of Alberta)
EXPEDITION GALLERY
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