Summer Conservation Intern

Title: Conservation Intern

Reports To: Conservation Director

Location: Southeastern Georgian Bay (South of 12 Mile Bay and north of Honey Harbour)

Duration: approximately 11 weeks (35 - 40 hours/week)

Overview:
The Georgian Bay Land Trust (GBLT) Conservation Interns serve as vital additional staff for GBLT’s conservation work during the summer months. The Conservation Intern position assists GBLT staff in all aspects of our conservation work including habitat stewardship, species monitoring/observation work, environmental education, environmental threat identification/mitigation, and GBLT Protected Areas (PAs) management and monitoring. Responsibilities will include:

- Monitoring and preserving the condition of GBLT Protected Areas (PAs) including public use areas
- Providing information and education materials to those visiting GBLT PAs while implementing property use requirements according to GBLT environmental policies
- Developing and delivering educational programming for youth
- Managing, tracking, and reporting species and species at risk data
- Assisting environmental threat mitigation efforts including phragmites identification and removal
- Education of visitors and the general public about the GBLT and its partners
- Assisting delivery of GBLT’s local community events
- Assisting research initiatives, particularly the Bog Copper research project

The positions will require knowledge of and interest in the Georgian Bay environment, excellent boating skills, and a high level of independence and maturity.

Key Responsibilities:
1. Regular monitoring of GBLT Properties and other priority natural areas in southern Georgian Bay
- Ensure that GBLT properties are monitored to provide protection for natural features and respectful public access when applicable
- Document recreational use of key properties including numbers of visitors, activity type, evidence of impact using GBLT website forms and photographs
- Conduct species monitoring/surveys on existing and potential PAs
- Document condition of conservation targets and other relevant features on all properties using GBLT website forms and following the GBLT protocols
- Engage and share basic natural heritage education with visitors to GBLT lands
- Grow positive awareness of the land trust through communications with visitors
- Monitor GBLT-owned and priority natural areas for provincially significant species and submit data using iNaturalist

2. Other Conservation activities
- Assist in invasive species threat mitigation with specific emphasis on phragmites and purple loosestrife identification and removal
- Assist Stewards and staff on activities related to the implementation of stewardship plans for GBLT PAs (e.g. signage, restoration, invasive species removal)
- Assist GBLT staff in the monitoring of GBLT properties and completion of flora and fauna inventories on new potential properties
- Assist GBLT and partner organizations in surveying and inventorying for flora and fauna species
- Assist in GBLT’s MOTUS Program for migratory birds through tracking and assist with field research

3. Education
- Educate users of both the GBLT properties and where appropriate, the larger community, on the permitted and prohibited uses of the GBLT properties, and on the ecological and/or cultural significance of the properties in order to foster community support for the protection of the GBLT properties and Georgian Bay at large
- Promote and assist in organizing educational events for the local and wider Georgian Bay community that promote the stewardship and appropriate use and understanding of both the GBLT properties and priority natural areas

4. Administration
- Submitting steward data to GBLT for each property visit
- Provide updates on ongoing stewardship activities to GBLT staff
- Follow appropriate procedures as outlined in the GBLT Stewardship Policy
- Provide promotional materials, like photos and videos, to GBLT staff to assist in communications

5. Research
- Assist in tracking of provincially significant species for ongoing research
- Complete vegetation and ELC surveys of habitat for Prairie Warblers
- Assist with collection of Bog Copper genetic and natural history data
- Assist in other research projects as required

Skills & Aptitudes:

- Interest in the conservation of eastern Georgian Bay
- Familiar with environmental science and natural heritage
- Interest in and comfort around wildlife, particularly snakes and turtles
- Experience, interest and/or abilities in field inventories, vegetation community classification, and field identification of vertebrates and vascular plants
- Interest in outdoor recreation and familiarity with reading maps and working with GPS
- Familiarity with and interest in the GBLT’s and other conservation properties
- Strongly independent and willing to work both independently and in coordination with Conservation Intern partner(s), GBLT staff, partners, and volunteer Stewards
- Positive interpersonal and negoti