Great Forestry Experience !
September 10, 2015 11:15 am Leave your thoughts
As I write this blog I am sitting in my trailer on my last night in camp, it’s been a pretty interesting 7 weeks and time has really flown by. It’s hard to think close to the last two months of my summer work term have been spent in a remote location at the end of the east arm of Quesnel Lake. As fun (and challenging) as the summer has been I am looking forward to heading home to my girlfriend and my last year at BCIT.
It has definitely been a different experience moving from the comfort of home to a place where I know no one for 4 months, but it’s been a great one and I’m glad West Fraser gave me the opportunity to come work in Williams Lake. My overall experience with the company has been very positive, the people here are incredibly friendly and made the transition very easy. It really helps to have people welcome you like the staff at West Fraser did, I was invited to many dinners, barbeques, dinners, etc. So many in fact I couldn’t attend all of them.
Reflecting on all of the events this summer, I would have to say the highlight was our trip to Anahim Lake, where I was able to work with the planning crew. That trip was incredible memorable for me, I got to know a great group of people and stay at a beautiful lodge while working in a forested area that was very new to me. I hadn’t worked in pine stands too much (being from the coast), so it was definitely new terrain and presented its own set of challenges. Looking back now I wouldn’t say pine stands are my favorite to work in, as the don’t have the same beauty as other forest types do (not to mention hiking over blowdown) but they do have qualities that make them visually appealing in their own unconventional way.
The worst experience I have had this summer would have to be getting bluff charged by a black bear, although, that being said if I had to do it again, I would. I know that sounds crazy but in having an altercation with that bear I learned that the stuff they teach you in bear aware really does work! I also haven’t had an adrenaline rush like that in ages.
I am now heading into my last week of work with West Fraser, we have rafting trip on Monday which I am pretty excited about. After the rafting trip I am working in town for the remainder of my 4 days at West Fraser, I am looking forward to be working back in town as it’s been almost two months since I have worked out of the Williams Lake office and it will also be nice to see some familiar faces.
Well, I would like to spend the last words of my final blog thanking West Fraser for giving me the opportunity to work for them this summer, and also for giving me such a great experience in the forestry sector. I don’t know where my career will take me or where I will be after graduation next summer but I will always have great things to say about West Fraser and have some very fond memories of my time spent with them this summer.
And now I’m off to start another year of school!