For my first Co-op work term, I have been working for Parks Canada as a part of the Vancouver Learn-to-camp team, which is a branch of the External Relations department in the Coastal BC field unit. My work consists of two main branches, outreach and overnights. Outreaching consists of teaching outdoor and wildlife safety, while promoting the Parks Canada brand and locations. A highlight was working several large events including the Vancouver Pride Festival and the Khatsahlano Festival. The other branch of my work is our overnight Learn-to-camp programs. They are one-night camping experiences that we provide mostly to families in various locations that serve as an introduction to camping. We provide workshops on topics such as trip planning, how to pitch a tent, and how to cook while camping. The overnights are so full of joy, and it has been so much fun seeing the participants become so passionate about learning new things, and enjoying a weekend in beautiful places. Furthermore, Parks Canada partners with different organizations such as Canucks Autism Network and Color The Trails, among others, to bring specific demographics to some of our overnights. Working with other organizations has been a joy and allowed us to elevate the quality of the overnights that we have been able to provide. This Co-op position has allowed me to learn new skills that are transferable to any future jobs that I will hold.
Assistant Forestry Technician at Strategic Natural Resource Consultants in Campbell River, BC
During the second term of my 8 month Co-op with Strategic Natural Resource Consultants, I have continued contributing to a variety of Forestry related projects. I’ve spent the majority of my time conducting forest regeneration surveys, in which I help assess the health and abundance of regenerating trees in cutblocks using statistical sampling methods. During the fire season, I assisted with thermal drone scanning of wildfires for the B.C. Wildfire Service. My main role was to use arcGIS to help make maps of wildfire hotspots collected by the drone. Other projects I have worked on include an urban forest inventory, hazard tree assessments and forest engineering. There have been challenges along the way such as trying to walk through dense, uneven and sharp terrain, with swarming mosquitos and intense heat or rainfall. But the privellage of being able to work in the beauty of B.C.’s coastal temperate forests makes up for it! The variety of work I have received with Strategic has given me a well rounded perspective of the demands of the Forestry industry and how those demands are changing over time due to factors including technological innovations such as drones and environmental factors such as flooding/drought that are shaping the policy landscape of Forestry. Thank you to the Co-op program and Strategic for providing me with this valuable learning opportunity!
Summer Camp Leader at Vancouver Botanical Gardens Associations in Vancouver, BC
This summer, I’ve had the wonderful opportunity of working at VanDusen Botanical Gardens as a Camp Leader for their Summer Nature Camps. My work focuses on getting children excited about nature and facilitating a safe space for kids to explore nature’s wonders amidst the vast biodiversity of the Garden. This involves planning, preparing, and leading a summer full of engaging hands-on games, crafts, and experiments that present scientific concepts in an approachable and memorable way. Seeing the campers so curious about plants and animals and watching the lessons click for them has been very fulfilling. From plant anatomy to decomposition, to mycorrhizal networks and native trees and wildlife, this position has challenged me to use what I’ve learned in forestry courses while contributing to nature exposure, connection, and urban green space accessibility in my local community. I am grateful for the opportunity the Forestry Co-op program has helped given me to develop my professional skills and look forward to continue contributing to nature programs in parks and green spaces.
Seasonal Aquatics Biologist at Poseidon Environmental Ltd. in Hinton, AB
For my first work term as a NRC co-op student, I am working with Poseidon Environmental LTD in the foothills of the Rockies, Hinton, Alberta. This summer has been truly eye opening as I have learned some amazing things about local fish, fish habitats, eDNA practices, electrofishing and methods of constructing culverts and bridges that provide for safe fish passage. My main roles as an Aquatics Biologist include conducting fish habitat assessments, stream crossing inspections, assisting with electrofishing, turbidity monitoring at stream construction sites, and eDNA sampling and processing. My work involves a lot of travelling to reach the sites that require inspections and assessments, and this has allowed me to venture deep into the foothills and see some beautiful sceneries and wildlife!
As the summer has progressed, I have learned a lot about the inner workings of the Forestry and Oil and Gas industries, and just how many precautions these companies we contract for take to limit impacts on wildlife (especially fish). I’ve also learned how to be confident and comfortable working alone in the wilderness (despite encountering multiple bears a week) and practice wildlife safety. Joining co-op shows you just how many different spheres are intertwined within the field of Forestry, and allows you to venture out and explore some cool opportunities that you may have never thought of or considered before starting your career in Forestry!
Junior Environmental Analyst at Environment and Climate Change Canada in Richmond, BC
For my final work term, I returned to my position at Environment and Climate Change Canada as a Junior Environmental Analyst. I worked in the Canadian Wildlife Service under the Priority Sectors Initiative. As a Junior Environmental Analyst, I was involved with the Agriculture and Urban Development Sector team and worked on federal initiatives related to Natural Climate Solutions. I also provided administrative support to nuanced processes to my team throughout the co-op term. I was able to apply my knowledge from my previous work terms and coursework which have bolstered my confidence in fulfilling my tasks and responsibilities. I am very grateful for the supportive work environment that fosters a community of care. This work term I have gained invaluable insight into working in the Public Sector and look forward to working at the federal level upon graduation.
This summer I have been working on educating people around Vancouver about Species at Risk, conservation efforts and research at various Parks Canada locations as well as leading the public to foster a deeper connection to the natural world around. This position allowed me to grow as a communicator and interpreter. I learned how to simplify complex environmental topics and use creative methods to engage stakeholders in important conversations about nature and science. Thanks to co-op with Parks Canda, my passion for conservation became a tool to inspire people of all ages to become environmental stewards in their community. I would recommend co-op with Parks Canada to anyone who wants to gain valuable experience with science communication and work alongside like-minded and passionate people who strive to protect, preserve and present natural and cultural heritage of Canada.
For my first co-op term, I am working with Parks Canada as a part of the Urban Outreach team here in Vancouver. Through this position, I have worked alongside many of the Parks Canada field units (e.g., Banff/Jasper) to spread knowledge on their conservation goals to diverse audiences across Metro Vancouver. As a Conservation student, this opportunity has been a unique government perspective on national conservation efforts and has allowed me to expand greatly on my presentation and communication skills teaching me to be adaptable to whoever my audience may be and to answer any of their questions on the fly. Some of the topics I specialized in included forest health + benefits of forest fires, a variety of species at risk, marine conservation, aquatic invasive species, and more! The content I learned through my courses has prepared me greatly for this opportunity and being a student for the Government of Canada has opened many more opportunities for me moving forward.
Lead Creel Technician at Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife in Mill Creek, WA
This fall, I have continued working with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. I am now working as the Lead Creel Technician on the Snohomish creel team. It has been an eventful fall with an early closure of the Coho salmon fishery on the Stillaguamish River, but the creel team has been adapting and finding other rivers to monitor and projects to work on. As a Lead Creel Technician, I helped train new creel technicians who joined the team in September, and I continue to answer questions and direct other technicians. My main job responsibility is to conduct interviews of anglers on the river to determine angler effort, catch rate, and harvest rate of species such as Chinook salmon, Coho salmon, and Steelhead trout. I have also been helping my supervisor analyze data from previous and present fisheries, which directly impacts management decisions. I learned so much from my previous co-op term with WDFW, and I am excited to continue learning this fall.
