Dear Reader,
I really can’t believe how fast the summer has flown by. With that in mind, I am sad to say that this will probably be the last blog post of my “Green Dream” summer; and what a summer it was! From tree plant to site-prep and everything in between, I am really lucky to have worked with some great people, learned some valuable lessons, stayed COVID-safe, and had a great time!
In this post I’ll be summarizing four experiences from the last four months, and sharing bit of information on why I liked each of them, and what they ultimately taught me. After all, summer student positions are meant to be learning opportunities, and I definitely learned a lot!
#1. Tree-plant
What I liked: Making a difference
Occupying the first two months of my summer, from May to July, supervising tree plant is a huge part of my job as a silviculture student. I think the thing I enjoyed most about tree-plant was knowing that the work I did genuinely impacts the future of our forests here in Canada. It’s rewarding to know that at the end of each day, we were leaving a given site greener than we found it, and I like to imagine coming back to these same sites in a few decades and seeing a new forest I that played a part in renewing. After all, this is the reason I chose a job in silviculture, and the reason I chose to study forestry in general.
What I learned: Being prepared for anything.
The most important lesson I took from my time working on tree plant, was that as forest professionals, we need to be prepared for anything. From, bears in our blocks, to injured planters, to broken-down busses, to all types of weather, you need to expect the unexpected, and better yet, prepare for it! Since tree-plant, I’ve made a habit of always having extra water, rain gear and bug spray in my truck, and never leave for the bush without my map or GPS.
#2. Living in the woods
What I liked: Being in nature
As somebody who grew up in the suburbs of southern Ontario, spending my summer in northern Ontario was a new and amazing experience. All the opportunities for recreation like hiking photography, and paddleboarding (my three favourite hobbies) really blew me away, and I’ve discovered a few secret spots I’ll never forget!
What I learned: Personal responsibility
This summer was the first time in my life that I’ve really had to live on my own; without friends, family, roommates, or even other summer-students nearby for the majority of the summer. For me this was really the toughest thing to get used to, and I admit I’d be lying if I said it came easily. Over the course of the summer, I learned (the hard way) to develop better eating and sleeping habits, to always have my alarm set, and to check, double check, and triple check that I have all my gear with me! Although it was tough, I’ve learned a lot of valuable lessons and am a better, more mature, and more experienced person for having gone through it.
#3. Site Prep
What I liked: Applying my knowledge
Supervising and walking site-prep was a new experience for me this summer, and I can honestly say that I enjoyed it quite a bit. The biggest reason for this was because I got to apply a lot of the knowledge, I learned about soils, trees, and plant species I learned this past year in school. Although I was not making any final calls as a summer student, it felt good to know I was on the right track when my supervisors agreed with me on a prescription.
What I learned: Prescriptions, densities, and machines
In addition to all of the knowledge I got to apply, I also learned a lot of new things about silviculture that I haven’t got to experience in the classroom so far. Learning what adequate soil depth looks like, and when to prep vs when to leave for natural regeneration, are both new skills I’ve started to develop. In addition, I got the chance to learn about the different types of site prep machines and equipment and see some of it in action.
#4. This Scholarship
What I liked: sharing all of this with you!
Last but certainly not least, being awarded this scholarship was an amazing achievement and was definitely one of the biggest highlights of my summer. Being able to share some of my experiences in a way that helps highlight the importance of our industry and workforce is an incredibly rewarding feeling. I hope everyone has enjoyed reading these pieces as much as I enjoyed writing them, and that maybe I even inspired someone else to consider a career as part of Canada’s greenest workforce!
What I learned: Hard work pays off!
I don’t know what more there is to say. Being awarded this opportunity as a Green Dream Intern as been an incredibly rewarding experience and taught me that my hard work really has paid off. Although there have of course been bumps in the road, being rewarded with a scholarship like this one is an encouraging sign that I am headed in the right direction.
As always, I really hope you enjoyed reading this entry, and each one of the previous posts from my green dream summer! As always, a big shoutout goes to FPAC for making all of this possible. I cannot thank you enough!
Thanks for reading!
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