In 2002 a young orca named Springer was discovered near Seattle - lost, alone and 300 miles away from home. Six months later she was rescued, rehabilitated and returned to her pod on the north end of Vancouver Island. Today she is thriving, with two calves of her own. It's the only successful orca reintroduction in history!

Donna Sandstrom will share the riveting story of Springer's rescue, and how it led her to found The Whale Trail. From 16 inaugural sites in Washington state there are now more than 160 along the west coast, from California to British Columbia.

In 2018, Donna served as a member of Governor Inslee's Orca Recovery Task Force, where she championed solutions to reduce noise and disturbance around the endangered southern resident orcas, including a recommendation to license commercial whale-watching. Today all boaters are required to stay 1000 yards away from southern residents. A sea change is underway, against great odds, and the whales show signs of responding. 

What do these stories have in common, and what can we learn from them? Donna will share the lessons she learned from Springer, and reasons for hope in a turbulent time.