The Millar Western Experience – Thinking Like a Fish

3 août 2018 10:45 Published by Laurel Nikiforuk 2 commentaires

One of my roles as a Roads and Log Haul Assistant for Millar Western is to complete watercourse crossing inspections on company-owned roads. Since these roads are used heavily – by forestry and oil and gas workers, other resource users and the general public – it is important to keep crossings in the best condition possible, in order to keep all road users safe.

But these inspections serve not only to protect the safety of people using the road – they are also an important part of protecting environmental values, and especially fish habitat. With the amount of both resource development and natural disturbance found on the landscape in our region, Millar Western places great value on minimizing their impact in areas they operate in. I’m excited to be involved in their forest stewardship process!

See that little red dot in this photo? That’s me in my hardhat, peeking up from under a bridge. You might naturally be wondering, Laurel, why are you under that bridge? Well, the answer comes down to fish. As part of my role, I am often encouraged to “think like a fish”. Admittedly, this makes the day a little weird. Since I am not particularly fond of fish, thinking like one has put me into a strange headspace. Already reading back on this post it sounds like I am spiraling into madness. Don’t worry, I’m not… I’m just really devoted to my job responsibilities. And, if that means thinking like a fish….

So, if I’m going to complete the first part of my inspection inside the head of a fish who’s just encountered a stream crossing, let’s get started. As Laurel the Fish, I first assess whether or not I would want to live in the habitat that is being crossed. Is there a watercourse channel? How big is the channel? Would water be flowing year round? These questions help me determine what class of stream I am looking at. Then, I move on to features such as what the stream bottom is made of (sand, gravel, cobbles, etc.), the amount of vegetation hanging over the stream, and if there are any obstacles that I, a fish, would need to get around.

Next, I consider the condition of the crossing. Although I do get the treat of a bridge inspection every once in a while, most of the crossings I inspect are culverts. When looking at this type of crossing from the eyes of a fish, I take note of any blockage within the culvert I would need to maneuver around, whether or not the culvert is hanging*, which would create a possibly dangerous leap for me when leaving the culvert, and any structural integrity issues that may need to be addressed in the future.

* Hanging culverts: Over time, erosion on the downstream side of a culvert can create a drop-off that may become significant enough to impede fish swimming up- or down-stream. That’s one of the reasons my job is so important — Millar Western and other resource companies need to maintain culverts and other stream crossings properly, in order to maintain healthy aquatic habitat.

The next part of the inspection must be completed using the eyes and hands of a human. As Laurel the Human, I take measurements and notes of the size and condition of the culvert or bridge. These notes will form part of a record that allows Millar Western to keep track of the status of water crossings and properly schedule any repairs that may need to be completed.

To finish my inspection, I switch back to my fish perspective. Considering all the factors I previously described, what risks might the crossing might pose. If I were a fish, would I be happy to pass through this culvert? I then take some final notes as to why or why not and then – voila! – Laurel the Fish has completed her inspection, and Laurel the Human heads off in her truck to start the next one.

When working in the forest industry, you need to remember that you have to consider forest operations from the eyes of all the creatures in the forest. After all, humans aren’t the only ones who call the forest home, and we need to be respectful of our neighbors. Tomorrow, maybe I’ll need to get inside the head of a bear cub. Today, you can find me knee deep in a stream somewhere, thinking like a fish.

Get outside and have a safe week, friends!