Kyle’s last blog post from Whitecourt
August 23, 2013 1:30 pm Leave your thoughts
Oh wow. This summer has gone by so fast! I have been busy packing up and getting ready for the trip home, as well as organizing my files at work. It’s hard to put all my experiences from this summer into words, from fun hikes through the woods to challenging moments at work. So, instead of providing a list of all my experiences thus far, I’m going to write about why you should join this growing industry!
So, like most people, I was very hesitant about traveling across the country to a place I didn’t really know much about. I was also a little concerned about whether or not I would fit in with the community. But, with a little bit of courage, and realizing what a good opportunity this was, I decided to go for it. But most people just don’t want to leave their comfort zone and would have never have ventured out on this journey. To this, I say you never know your true potential until you take on new experiences. I’m glad I took the chance. With the skills I have learned or enhanced through my internship, I know I am more prepared for the next obstacles I have to face, whatever they might be.
When people hear I’m in forestry, they sometimes comment, “Oh you’re the guy killing our forest”. This is a huge misunderstanding, as forestry is quite the opposite – it is about sustaining the forest and improving its health and productivity. Forestry has never been so complex or innovative. Tree harvesting is a very small component of what a forester does, and one that is subject to very strict standards. In Ontario, for example, the law requires that trees on Crown land must be inspected and marked before they are removed or altered. The code of practice for tree markers states your actions must seek to improve the forest. So, far from being a bad guy ruining the forest, a forester works to maintain the land for future and to make the forest better than it was before. This applies not only to establishing robust forests but, also, to improving the state of the landscape, so that plants and animals will survive and flourish in the ecosystem.
As I said, there are many different jobs in the forestry field: for example, you can design road layouts, track hauls, scale lumber, mark trees, analyze maps, follow tracking patterns for various different species of wildlife, plant trees or harvest them, monitor new regrowth to ensure it meets provincial standards, work in a greenhouse growing seedlings or shrubs… the list is almost endless. And every one of these fields is growing, making this a great time to get into kind of work. So, if you’re reading my blog and becoming interested in a career in forest management, talk to your post-secondary institution about how you can prepare to take a role in this diverse and growing industry. With the forest sector predicting many job openings over the next ten years, now is a perfect time to start!
As I said, my last few weeks here in Alberta have been busy, trying to get ready for the trip home while trying to complete as many roads/culvert inspections as I could before leaving. I had another intern, Connor Vale, helping me attempt to get as much done as possible. During one of our outings, I found a massive moose antler that will be a great souvenir – this shows all the cool things you can find out in forest if you just keep your eyes open for it!
There are so many things I wanted to do this summer, and, before I knew it, I had booked myself into different activities every weekend. But even if I had more time here, I still wouldn’t have done everything that Whitecourt and the surrounding areas have to offer. Just to give you a taste, I have provided at the end of the blog a link to a website listing different things to do in Whitecourt! Whitecourt is strong, friendly community where residents really look out for each other. It holds lots of activities throughout the summer, like the Party in the Park and pool leagues, to provide the people who live here a break from busy work schedules.
I will continue to blog about my trip back home and how forest practices differ across Canada, so keep an eye out for my next posting, which will be available when I get home on the 27th .
I can’t say enough how much I have appreciated this opportunity with Millar Western and being part of Green Dream Internship in its first year. I hope that I have inspired others to try out for this amazing program, or at least look at forestry or the forest with a better understanding. Thank you again. Next time you hear from me, I will be back in Ontario.
Kyle’s Blog
http://kylewaterman.blogspot.ca/
Whitecourt Activities
http://www.rubored.ca/tabid/442/Default.aspx