In 2017, Hurricane Maria destroyed nearly everything in Dominica - homes, vehicles, boats, and the lush rainforest that gives Dominica the name “The Nature Island.”  Our small band of local ocean protectors were faced with the seemingly insurmountable challenge of how to build back their lives and get back to the conservation work. With the very habitat that drew ecotourism stripped away by Maria, even this source of income was gone. While we worked to recover, I started thinking about better solutions for the future of conservation in Dominica, something rooted in self-sufficiency rather than infrequent or fluctuating grants and donations.