Sarah Gutzmann
Simon Fraser University, Ocean Equity Lab, PhD in Resource and Environmental Management
At the time of receiving this scholarship, Sarah Gutzmann was a Master of Resource Management (MRM) student, Community Engaged Research (CERi) Fellow, and interdisciplinary researcher at in the Coastal Marine Ecology and Conservation Lab (now known as Ocean Relations Collaborative) at Simon Fraser University (SFU). Prior to starting her MRM, Sarah completed a B.Sc. (Honours) in Environmental Science with a minor in Environmental Toxicology at SFU. Since then, Sarah has begun a PhD in Resource and Environmental Management in the Ocean Equity Lab at SFU, which is part of Ocean Nexus, an international research partnership between the Nippon Foundation and over a dozen universities and agencies throughout the world. In her research, Sarah collaborates with communities, regulators, and industries to promote regenerative kelp harvesting, farming, and restoration.
Sarah’s expertise sits at the intersection of environmental sustainability, social equity, and economic development. Her dedication to the bettering our environment has given her a diverse background in conservation biology, toxicology, marine ecology, as well as public outreach and science communication. She has worked in riparian habitat restoration, researched salmon energetics, searched for pests in cranberry fields, run experiments to evaluate microplastic toxicity, developed public educational programming, helped rehabilitate sick/injured marine mammals, and more.
Sarah is grateful to the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh), kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem), q̓ic̓əy̓ (Katzie), qʼʷa:n̓ ƛʼən̓ (Kwantlen), qiqéyt (Qayqayt), and Stó:lō Nations for stewarding the lands and waters on which she lives since time out of mind. In her free time, you can usually find her exploring with her beagle, Tova.
Projects
The teachings of kelp: assessing Kwakiutl principles, community values, objectives, and trade-offs to cultivate climate resilience in kelp harvest and farming.
In partnership with the Kwakiutl Nation and the BC Ministry of Land, Water, and Resource Stewardship, Sarah’s research created a new information framework to support Kwakiutl marine management. This work weaves Indigenous and western knowledge to explore how Kwakiutl principles, community values, objectives, and trade-offs can cultivate climate resilient kelp harvest and mariculture. We use semi-directed interviews with local knowledge-keepers to remember and uplift Kwakiutl knowledge and principles for governance; community surveys to document local values for kelp and trade-off preferences for mariculture; and a workshop to co-create climate adaptation strategies for kelp practices in Kwakiutl territory. This co-developed and collaborative research aims to provide information and space to Kwakiutl Nation leaders so they can make informed decisions about developing kelp mariculture and/or burgeoning wild kelp harvest in their territory.