Postcards from the Field: Danielle Fequet

Shell Conservation Intern Danielle Fequet

Hello from Newfoundland!

My Shell Conservation Internship experience has allowed me to visit some of Newfoundland's majestic landscapes and be involved in local conservation initiatives in ecologically significant areas. I have also gained valuable insight into the inner workings of a land conservation organization.

In May I headed over to Codroy Valley on the southwest coast of Newfoundland for the 4th annual birding bonanza. During this Conservation Volunteer event, experienced and amateur birders gather to record bird sightings at various locations along the Grand Codroy River and Estuary. This Ramsar site and Important Bird Area is prime habitat for a multitude of migratory birds and waterfowl such as the Great Blue Heron - the Ramsar site is the only place in the province where they nest!

Codroy Valley, Southwest Newfoundland

During my trip to Codroy Valley I also explored one of NCC's properties to collect vegetation data for a baseline inventory report I compiled once back in the office in St. John's. As it turns I found a provincially rare plant called the Two-eyed Berry (Mitchella repens) growing on the property!

I have also been supervising two summer students hired as Piping Plover guardians. It was my first time going through the whole hiring process from the interviewer side, which was kind of wild! It's certainly an interesting experience, especially since they are working 900 km away on the other side of Newfoundland. I'm actually heading out there next week to meet up with them and do some more field work in Codroy.

Overall the job is a good fit for me since I am in the process of finishing up my M.Sc. in environmental science with a focus in plant ecology. I am getting a chance to hone my vegetation identification and type classification skills and become familiar with some aspects of ecological site assessment. In the future I hope to transition my formal education and relevant work experienced into a career related to restoration ecology and environmental monitoring.

I hope you are having a fantastic summer!

Danielle Fequet