July 5, 2005

Kristy Paul Gets in Touch With Nature Near Penticton

(Penticton, BC) – What is the most challenging yet rewarding summer job you can do? Working on a Conservation Youth Crew with The Nature Trust of British Columbia. The Nature Trust and its partners have been hiring youth crews for the past seven years. The crews land conservation work and learn valuable skills for future employment. They begin with First Aid and other appropriate training before they tackle on-the-ground activities.

Penticton crew member Kristy Paul said, “What interested me in the position is the fact that we get to work outside, and we learn about the indigenous plants and the invasive plants that grow locally. As well, my older sister did this job last summer and she thought it was great!”

Each crew tackles a wide variety of activities on lands owned by The Nature Trust including fence repair, sign installation, wildlife monitoring, and restoration of wetland areas. On the job since May Kristy says, “I’ve learned just how many weeds there are out there. The most difficult thing I’ve had to do is removing old fences on steep terrain,” admits Kristy. “My favorite activities are mending fences and building turtle basking rafts because I feel like I’m doing something that will improve the ecology in the area.”

When asked to describe a typical day, Kristy says, “We get picked up in Penticton at 8:00 am, have a meeting of what we are going to do (say fence removal) then we drive out to the location. We gear up and hike out to the fence – each crew member is given a task and we get to work. We have a break at noon for half an hour then get back to work. Usually we stop at 2:30 pm and drive back to Penticton. If we work overtime, then our Fridays are shorter and that’s a good thing!!”

In addition to habitat restoration work, the crews often have the opportunity to contribute to the local community through educational programs and activities. “We did some clearing at the South Okanagan Rehabilitation Centre for Owls,” says Kristy, “and fixed boundary fences in the White Lake area.”

When asked what she hopes to gain from her summer on the Conservation Youth Crew, Kristy answers, “More work experience, great new friends and the local surrounding areas that I wouldn’t have normally walked around in.”

The Nature Trust has four Conservation Youth Crews in the South Okanagan as well as crews on Vancouver Island and in the East Kootenay. In addition, The Nature Trust is partnering on crews in Williams Lake and the Peace River region. Support for the South Okanagan crew includes
• BC Conservation Corps
• BC Conservation Foundation
• BC Conservation Land Forum
• Canadian Wildlife Service
• Habitat Conservation Trust Fund
• Human Resources and Skills Development Canada—Skills Link
• Human Resources and Skills Development Canada—Summer Career Placement
• Ministry of Environment
• Shell Environmental Fund
• Weyerhaeuser Jobs for Youth Program

The Nature Trust is a leader in protecting BC’s natural diversity of plants and animals through the acquisition and conservation of critical habitats and other areas of ecological significance. The Nature Trust and our partners have invested $65 million to secure over 61,000 hectares (150,000 acres) of critical habitat throughout British Columbia.

Keeping BC Beautiful today, and for future generations.


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For more information, please contact:
Robin Rivers, Communications Coordinator
(604) 924-9771 ext. 226