I was born in
Gaspe Quebec and raised in southern Ontario. I have an older brother who is in
architecture and my wonderful parents who were both teachers. Growing up I always had lots on the go with
piano lessons, skating practice, clubs and sports. We were not really a ‘nature’ family but I
grew concerned about our environment in high school and went on to earn
Environmental Technician and Ecosystem Management Technologist diplomas. My areas of interest have always been water
and education.
Since graduation
in 2009 I have held different education and communication positions although
the best yet is my current role with the Battle River Watershed Alliance as I
will describe below. I also work with
Waterlution hosting and facilitating water based educational workshops for
young professionals. I also have a
contract with the Alberta Council for Environmental Education hosting a Water
Education Community of Practice for practitioners to come together, learn from
each other, and work together to progress water education in the province.
I take part in
local groups such as the City of Camrose Green Action committee and am a board
member of the Rose City Roots Music Society.
I love to dance and am part of the local square dance club and take
adult jazz and ballet classes. I love to
do yoga and hike, bike, paddle, cross-country ski and snowboard. I am also really interested in permaculture
and the local food movement. I enjoy cooking and am working to
expand my skills in gardening and do-it-yourself type crafts and projects.
I have been with
my partner Steve for 5 years and we recently moved to his family farm where we
are enjoying the country life. I am very
excited to visit New Zealand, meet the Kiwi’s, learn about your life and work, and
bring back memories and knowledge!
About my Work
I am the
education and outreach coordinator for the Battle River Watershed Alliance
(BRWA). We are a community based non-governmental organization whose mandate is
to protect and restore the health of the Battle River and Sounding Creek
Watersheds. My job within the alliance
is to engage, inspire and inform the 270,000 residents of our watersheds on the
intrinsic and economic value a healthy watershed provides, and creating
opportunities for them to change their behaviour and make decisions considering
the ecological, social and economic spheres. In short, I help connect people to
place for action.
Specifically I
organize and execute educational programs for students including in presentations,
workshops and hands-on activities, in and out of the classroom. For our
broader community members we host events such as the Battle River Watershed
Festival, the 5 day bicycle tour "Rolling down the River" or
community consultation workshops.
My outreach duties include
but are not limited to maintaining our website, creating seasonal newsletters,
preparing posters and promotional materials, putting together our annual
report, event advertising, updating our social media accounts, and staffing
tables at various community events and meetings.
A new and exciting project
for which I am the lead staff person is the Riparian Restoration project. I
will be researching and reporting on current riparian health restoration
techniques, and implementing a restoration project beginning in the
spring/summer of 2013.
As an organization we are
developing a watershed management plan for the Battle River and Sounding Creek
Watersheds. This includes reseaching and reporting on economic, social and
environmental idicators. Our initial
priorities are drought management and non-point source pollution.
SPECIFIC SITE VISIT REQUESTS RELATED TO
VOCATION
I
would like to gain knowledge of, and experience in the organization of
environmental and community based non-profits in New Zealand. Particularly I would like to learn about
water or nature education practices, perhaps even spending the day with a group
of educators with a student group. ? I
would also be extremely interested to learn about their community engagement
and communication techniques. For
example, how do they advertise? How do they attract supporters? What are the major messages they are trying
to get across?
I
am interested in learning about the NZ governments approach to watershed
management, such as their policies in water conservation and allocations on the
industrial, municipal and household level.
Our watershed is predominately agricultural so I would like to see how
governmental incentives or taxation programs work for farmers, or industry,
especially to those on or near water.
Also, in relation to our new Riparian Restoration project, I would like to visit and learn about any projects which hand restored their damaged stream banks (particularly if done by cattle) and what techniques used to return it to health.
VOCATIONAL GOALS FOR GSE EXPERIENCE
- Be part of an
environmental education experience hosted by a local group, or visit an
educational organization to learn about their environmental educational
techniques. Come home with new educational activities or techniques.
-Learn about the
interactions of government and environmental/agricultural
organizations who strive to protect the area.
Learn strategies these groups have to work together in supporting on the
ground action on environmental protection.
-Visit the Whanganui
River and learn about how it has been given the rights to Personhood.
- I would also be
interested in assisting in a hands-on project with a local Rotary club
Culture Visits I would be interested in
-Te Papa Museum
in Wellington.
-Ride the cable
car up to the Wellington Botanic gardens.
-Visit Zealandia
or Wellington Zoo or another place to see local wildlife.
-Hike (or Tramp)
a mountain to see the local flora and fauna.
Perhaps at the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, Taupo Lake, or Huka Falls and
its hot springs.
-See live music
(New Zealand style music preferred) and learn local dances, or just have a
chance to dance!
-Take part in
some sport or popular activity.
-Visit a
permaculture farm.
-Visit a sheep
ranch and watch/learn about the wool making process.
No comments:
Post a Comment