I grew up in rural Nova Scotia, where a landscape of fields, forests, and shorelines have been a constant source of inspiration, joy, knowledge, comfort, and adventure my entire life. As my connection to this maritime wilderness grew over the years, so did my deep love for nature, which in turn informs a passion for better environmental education, engagement, and action. My experiences with Ocean Wise’s Ocean Bridge marine literacy and conservation program, and my time as a climate strike organizer in the town of Wolfville, likewise inspired me to pursue a degree in Environment and Development with a minor in Indigenous studies at Â鶹AV.
I wanted to intern with the Nova Scotia chapter of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS-NS) this summer to gain new experiences and skills in the environmental sector. Before this internship, my work experience in the environmental field was limited to community engagement and education, so I was eager to expand my horizons with CPAWS-NS. CPAWS-NS seeks to protect Nova Scotia’s natural heritage by advocating for the creation of new legally protected areas through terrestrial and marine conservation campaigns, which are conducted in close collaboration with local communities. They also monitor existing protected sites to ensure proper management.
My objectives during the internship were to learn more about the barriers to creating protected areas; understand the working relationship between environmental NGOs and the government; gain a deeper insight into the nuances of conservation policy; and above all learn and grow as I supported CPAWS-NS in their conservation work. I did not seek to earn credit for this internship. As an intern, my main responsibilities were becoming familiar with the province’s Parks and Protected Areas Plan, writing to the Nova Scotia government about the slow implementation and unfulfilled promises of said plan, creating graphic design materials to support campaign outreach, and supporting staff with various conservation campaigns.
One of the biggest highlights of my internship was working on CPAWS-NS’s new Bay of Fundy conservation campaign. I am a life-long resident and active community member in the area where CPAWS-NS is currently collaborating with locals and building connections to strengthen their Bay of Fundy campaign. My knowledge of, and connections to, relevant individuals, organizations, and businesses were a valuable asset to CPAWS-NS as they formed initial relationships in the community. It was exciting to use my connections that I have formed and strengthened over many years - particularly during environmental advocacy work - to support CPAWS-NS in their endeavours to protect the Bay of Fundy.
One of the hardest parts of my internship was adjusting to a remote working environment. To stay focused while working from home, I devised a morning routine to create regularity, and put extra effort into cleaning and decorating my workspaces to create a productive work environment. However, I initially struggled to compensate for the lack of in-person interaction with my coworkers. Human connection and interaction is important, and in the age of COVID-19 and social distancing, its absence was even more keenly felt during this internship. My coworkers and I adapted as best we could, always making an effort before and after meetings to get to know each other a bit with small talk and stories of what we did over the weekend. While our chats could not compare with working in an office and doing field work together, it still made a substantial difference. I began looking forward to meetings and feeling an increased investment in the work.
This internship has piqued my interest in careers related to conservation policy. Seeing CPAWS-NS work as a bridge between nature, communities, and government has been inspiring: if I end up with career in environmental policy, I would want to work in a similar position. It has also diversified my work experience in the environmental field, which has equipped me with a greater skillset to pursue future internships, opportunities, and eventually, careers.
If it was not for the generous Arts Internship Office funding I received this summer, I would not have been able to pursue this internship. I would have likely ended up working in a field unrelated to my degree, and not gained all the valuable skills and important experiences that will now help propel me into other positions in the environmental field. I want to extend my gratitude to Mr. Andrew Buntain, the generous donor who funded my Internship Award. My experience working with CPAWS-NS this summer has been eye-opening, educational, and exciting, and none of it would have been possible without Mr. Buntain’s support.
