BSCN – Alex Fraser Research Forest
I am spending my fourth and fifth co-op work term at the Alex Fraser Research Forest in Williams Lake BC. I have been working on lots of projects related to wildfire, as 1000 ha of the research forest was burnt last summer. Tasks have included rehabilitation of streams that were crossed by fire guards, conducting fuel hazard assessments on blocks that were harvested after the burn, and grass seeding the fire guards. I have also set and collected traps for Douglas fir beetle, assisted in the layout of research projects, and have given a forest walk tour to elementary school classes. The diversity of work is exactly what I was hoping for, and it has only been two months! Lastly, living in Williams Lake has been great experience of its own. There are an infinite amount of places to explore on weekends, and I have discovered there is far more to BC than just the coast!
