Postcards from the Field: Bradley Kennedy

Shell Conservation Intern Bradley Kennedy

Greetings from sunny southern Manitoba!

I am glad to be back for my second summer of stewardship with the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) through the Shell Conservation Internship Program. This summer I have had the chance to explore a different part of Manitoba, the Tall Grass Prairie Natural Area, and learn all about the wide diversity of flora and fauna in this southern region of the province. It has been exciting to apply some of the knowledge and skills I have acquired in school, such as GIS and plant identification, and us it in real-world situations.

Similar to last summer, I have spent much of my time in the field conducting baseline inventory surveys with the other Interns. Although dealing with the elements of nature such as mosquitoes, ticks, poison ivy and flooded properties can be challenging at times, the work is very rewarding. I learn something new every day on the job and the reports we will eventually compile are valuable to NCC as they help to guide future Stewardship efforts.

Western White Prairie Fringed Orchid, Tall Grass Prairie Preserve, Manitoba

As Lead Intern this summer I have been involved in a variety of other projects as well, including Invasive Species surveys and Tall Grass Prairie restoration research. Being assigned such a wide variety of tasks has not only made the job more exciting, it has also helped to improve my project and time management skills.

I'm grateful that NCC and Shell Canada Limited have allowed me to come back for another summer. It has been a wonderful experience overall. All of the NCC regional staff members are always generous with their time and expertise, making this a positive learning environment for all of the interns. I can't imagine a better summer job experience! I hope all the folks that I met during the Calgary trip are having a great summer in their respective regions all over the country!

Best wishes,

Bradley Kennedy