Wilson Haims is an environmental advocate from Maine who is passionately involved in issues pertaining to climate change, sustainability, and conservation. She is a recent graduate from Wellesley College with a degree in Environmental Studies. During her time in college, Wilson participated in an ocean and coastal studies program directed by Williams College called Williams-Mystic. Through this program Wilson honed her interest in marine issues, prompting her to pursue a position as a marine educator at the Center for Alasakan Coastal Studies upon graduating. Now, Wilson is supporting the work of the Maine Climate Council as an intern for the Governor’s Office of Policy Innovation and the Future and she is the 2024 Joanna Toole Intern for the Center for Coastal Studies and Ocean Conservancy. Wilson looks forward to furthering marine conservation initiatives in an effort to support thriving ecosystems, sustainable fisheries, and a just climate future.

Campaign Impact

Wilson centered her campaign to protect Cashes Ledge using her passion for writing to engage youth and the general public in marine conservation. She worked with Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) in their effort to nominate the Cashes Ledge Area as a national marine sanctuary by writing a personal letter of support and a youth letter of support for CLF's nomination proposal. Wilson was able to gain more than 100 signatures from youth and youth serving organizations-- engaging young marine conservation advocates throughout New England and beyond. Wilson built upon her experience conducting field work in Cape Cod Bay with the Center for Coastal Studies to write an op-ed, making a case for protecting remote regions of the ocean that most people will never witness. She is pitching her piece to several local and national outlets and looks forward to seeing the piece published! Finally, Wilson is finalizing a toolkit for youth/student groups to use to host events to educate other young people about how climate change is impacting the Gulf of Maine and Cashes Ledge. She will share this resource widely and hopes it compels other young people to get involved in marine advocacy.

‍“Working with EarthEcho International and Conservation Law Foundation has been an extremely impactful experience. I have always been interested in marine conservation, but working closely with these organizations showed me that it is possible to pursue professionally. I learned so much about advocacy, leadership and taking initiative in my communities. Capitol Hill Ocean Week was an inspiring experience and I look forward to utilizing the energy and excitement from those events to continue to catalyze change at home. I am deeply grateful to have benefitted from working as an Ocean Protection Ambassador and I will continue to engage with EarthEcho, Conservation Law Foundation and the National Ocean Protection Coalition in my climate and marine related work in the future!”