Postcards from the Field: Isabelle Tetrault
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| Shell Conservation Intern Isabelle Tetrault |
Hello everyone!
This summer I’ve had the good fortune to participate in the Shell Conservation Internship Program. My mandate during this project has consisted mainly of stewardship activities on about ten islands in the St. Lawrence, and also in the Green and White Mountains of the Northern Appalachians. In short, what a summer! I’m close to completing an honours bachelor’s degree in environmental geography at Concordia University (my home town), so this opportunity to work in my field of study is a real privilege.
I welcome experiences that take me off the beaten path, and the nocturnal observation of bats in inland environments is only one of the many captivating activities I’ve participated in this summer. I’m thrilled to be doing fieldwork that allows me to benefit from the knowledge of specialists with whom I’m working. The bat species we’re observing has the ability to guide itself in darkness by emitting sound waves that we intercept with specialized equipment (frequencies are too high to be heard by the human ear). This is called echolocation, and it’s how we track the bats and even follow, frequency by frequency, their insect-hunting activities. Fascinating!
This internship with the NCC has gone beyond my expectations. I’m working with incredible people and challenges have been stimulating and demanding. My greatest wish for the coming year would be to pursue my work within the organization and receive my university degree.
Isabelle Tetrault
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