Postcards from the Field: Chris Lauzon

Shell Conservation Intern Chris Lauzon

Hello from Eastern Ontario!

Growing up in rural Eastern Ontario, my love of nature really began while watching Canadian wildlife documentaries, which served to highlight the magic of the world around me every time I stepped outside. This lead to my decision - at a very young age - that when I grew up I would do something in the field of natural science and I never changed my mind. And due to this early inspiration, I graduated this year from Carleton University with a Bachelor of Science in Biology.

I was so fortunate to find a summer job as fulfilling as working for the Nature Conservancy of Canada. Not only do I get to work in the same region where I grew up, but I also get to work with some great people in beautiful locations and gain an even deeper appreciation of the area.

While working for NCC I have had the opportunity to learn more about the importance of both sides of nature conservation. Working in the office has helped me refine my writing skills while giving me experience in report writing that is so essential in this field. Also, while working on NCC properties I have greatly improved my plant identification skills, and learned new field techniques such as identifying soil types and implementing a vegetative sampling protocol. In fact, the best aspect of working for the NCC is the opportunity to learn and gain practical experience in the fields of both ecology and conservation.

After my NCC internship is over I intend to pursue a career in conservation and perhaps return to school to obtain my masters in that field. Until then, I am going to enjoy the rest of my time here and I will hopefully continue working on conserving the environment that filled me with so much wonder as a child.

All the best,

Chris Lauzon