Postcards from the Field: Lyn Garrah

Shell Conservation Intern Lyn Garrah

Hello from Ontario!

I can’t think of a better way to spend the summer than being outdoors in some of the most beautiful natural areas of Ontario. As the Shell Conservation Intern for Central and Midwestern Ontario, I get to explore NCC properties in Ontario from Manitoulin Island and the Northern Bruce Peninsula to the Oak Ridges Moraine and Napanee. On the NCC properties, I’m helping to identify plants and animals and classify different plant communities. I also look for disturbances and non-native species, and suggest ways to respond to these and other ecosystem threats. I’m fortunate to be able to put my education in Environment and Resource Studies from the University of Waterloo and Ecosystem Restoration at Niagara College to good use this summer!

Beaton Property, Northern Bruce Peninsula Natural Area, Midwestern Ontario

I love working at Conservation Volunteer events where members of the public get to experience nature and get involved in hands-on conservation work by helping implement our management activities. It’s wonderful to see how many concerned and committed individuals there are out there!

I’m hoping to see a hog-nosed snake or a wood turtle this summer because I love amphibians and reptiles, and those two species are at risk in Canada. It feels great to know that the work I am doing is directly contributing to protecting some of the most threatened habitat areas for these and other unique species in the country.

My field skills are improving a lot this summer, from plant and bird identification to mapping and navigation. I’ve learned a lot about the natural biodiversity of Ontario and regional geography, and but most of all, I have become an expert at sidestepping poison ivy and batting away black flies!

Wishing you an itch-free summer,

Lyn Garrah