ABOUT THE LOGO

The NANOOS logo was painted by Mr. Tom Guthrie, a Tsimshian Tribal member.  Tsimshian art depicts Tribal and clan stories and reflects their relationship with nature.

In the logo, the top left figure is Raven, the bottom left figure is Wolf, the top right figure is Eagle and the bottom right figure is Killer Whale.  Red is the color of life and the figures are continuous and connected within a red circle indicating the continuity and interconnectivity of all life - including ours.  Raven and Eagle are the protectors of the sky, Wolf is the protector of the land, and Killer Whale is the protector of the Ocean.  Together, the four connected within the red circle become the Circle of Protectors indicating the importance of protecting the entirety of the environment in which we live.  Within the center of the logo are Tsimshian-stylized ocean waves, indicating the particular focus of NANOOS with the ocean, again being within the Circle of Protectors.

We wanted the logo for NANOOS to uniquely represent the Pacific Northwest, including its vibrant Native American cultural history, within the framework of our focus on our coastal ocean ecosystem, and the inputs from the land and the atmosphere that impact that coastal environment.  Further, given that many of the specific goals of the IOOS are concerned with stewardship of the ocean or protecting lives and property (e.g., preserving and restoring marine ecosystems, ensuring public health, mitigating natural disasters, managing resources in a sustainable manner, etc.) we wanted the logo to symbolically represent the protection of the coastal ocean ecosystem and the living beings of the Pacific Northwest that depend on the coastal ocean.