By Nora O’Malley, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Ha-Shilth-Sa Clayoquot Sound, B.C. – The volunteers showed up on time and in gumboots at Tofino’s First Street Dock for a 7 a.m. boat ride. After the Tofino Water Taxi dropped the humble group at the special location in Clayoquot Sound, Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation sisters Gisele and Tsimka Martin welcomed the 25 or so participants to their territory and thanked them for helping build the rock wall that would form a clam garden. Historically, rock walls, or arches as they are often called, represent an ancient system of mariculture in Nuu-chah-nulth First Nations culture. The rock walls help retain the clam spawn, which increases clam productivity. Over the past few years, the Nuu-chah-nulth Youth Warrior Family Society alongside Tla-o-qui-aht Tribal Park Guardians have…




