Postcards from the Field: Leah Kovatch

Shell Conservation Intern Leah Kovatch

Hello from Saskatchewan!

All my life I have lived on a cattle farm 10 minutes south east of Edenwold, Saskatchewan. I just moved to Regina, and I am missing the farm already! The farm life has made me passionate about nature -- whether it is flora or fauna -- and has led to my recent completion of an Honours Bachelor of Science in Biology at the University of Regina.

This summer as a Shell Conservation Intern, I will be monitoring NCC easements throughout southwestern Saskatchewan. Monitoring a property includes taking photographs of important plant communities, wetlands, and disturbances, and assessing the overall health of the property. After visiting a property, I create a monitoring report that compiles all the information I collected and the report is later sent to the landowner. So far, I have been able to experience many different landscapes throughout Saskatchewan from the arid rolling hills of the Frenchman River Valley to the lush green coulees of the Qu’Appelle River Valley. While in the field I have stumbled upon some very exciting things such as two American Badgers fighting, a very endangered Swift Fox, and many cool birds that are too numerous to name!

NCC's conservation herd of Plains Bison near the Old Man On His Back Interpretive Center, Saskatchewan

I am very excited and grateful to have the opportunity to be a Shell Intern this summer. The conservation field will be a new experience for me, and I hope to pursue it for my future career. It will also be a great opportunity to gain more flora and fauna identification skills and finally put my degree to work! 

Cheers,

Leah Kovatch