Meet Charlotte! Charlotte is a fourth-year in the Natural Resources Conservation program – Science and Management major. This summer, Charlotte is working as a Canvasser for the Wilderness Committee. She shares how her degree in conservation has helped her with this role, the skills she has developed and what she has enjoyed the most about this position.
This summer I had the opportunity to work with the Wilderness Committee, an environmental charity for protecting species at risk, old growth forests, among other conservation issues in BC. My job entails going door to door, connecting with previous donors as well as canvassing for new donors.
I am responsible for being knowledgeable about current environmental issues the Wilderness Committee is involved in and being able to successfully communicate these topics to individuals with a variety of perspectives. Studying conservation has enabled me to do this successfully as these subjects directly relate to what I have learned in lectures. Having this foundational knowledge helps to facilitate these conversations while expanding the depth of my understanding of conservation and environmentalism.
Working in this position, I have developed my interpersonal skills by being able to successfully discuss complex and controversial topics. With this job being quite physically and emotionally demanding at times, in regards to working in outdoor conditions and encountering lots of rejection, I have improved my resilience and perseverance.
Developing this grit and ability to communicate will definitely benefit me in future jobs. Being responsible for accounting for all of the donations I receive, I have honed my attention to detail and organizational skills.
My favourite part about this job is definitely connecting with those in my community over environmental issues. I have really enjoyed many of the conversations I have gotten to have with individuals all over Vancouver. Being able to connect with others on these topics that I feel so passionately about has been a wonderful experience. Having the opportunity to learn more in depth about different environmental issues has been a great way to expand my knowledge in the field of conservation.
Learn more about Natural Resources Conservation at UBC Forestry
