As summer comes to an end, the time has come to bid a fond farewell to our 2021 Outreach Assistants. We've asked them to reflect on their summer with OWC, and to let us know what's next.
What did you see/hear out in the backcountry this summer?
SYDNEY: Over the summer, we noticed that a lot of the responses were similar. In one way it’s a good thing because there are many good stewards using the land, but on the other hand it's hard for us to have the same conversation 200 times. With the new coal mines being proposed, there were many conversations and questions revolved around it. There were also many discussions about the newly instated backcountry pass, and for the most part, recreationalists are for it - on the condition that there will be more facilities and infrastructure in the backcountry such as garbage bins and bathrooms. Overall, everyone wants the backcountry to remain open and free for everyone to use and we all want to take care of it!
BRANDON: I loved talking with our backcountry users throughout the summer. I thoroughly enjoyed hearing everyone's stories and memories of the area. The connection that our backcountry users have alongside their passion to conserve it is extremely encouraging. While out in the backcountry, the scenery could also not be beat. The more time I spend exploring our headwaters, the more important they become to me.
JESSICA: We had the privilege of talking to a lot of different backcountry users this summer, all of whom cared deeply about the watershed and shared a love of the outdoors. Many people have been coming to the same camping areas in our headwaters for decades, passing their knowledge down through generations. Others were discovering the backcountry for the first time and showed the same investment in our headwaters and its beauty. In any case, every single conversation we had this summer left on a positive note and a mutual understanding of why we love being out there. We all want to take care of the land so we can continue to use it.
RANDY: It was great talking to hundreds of people out in the backcountry! We heard a lot of concerns and also some positives about the backcountry. It was great hearing what people had to say first hand and have good conversations with them. Although towards the end of the summer it may have gotten a little dry, it was still good to hear what people are doing to conserve the place. I thoroughly enjoyed all of the flora and fauna that we saw over the summer!
2. What kind of impact do you think you had?
SYDNEY: I think we had a huge impact. We talked to over 1200 people, and reached even more with our social media accounts. A majority of people have never heard of OWC, and I think having put a face and a connection to the organization makes for a long-lasting impact on people. Our surveys are quite thorough, and we try to sprinkle in as much education as we can, and if one person learns at least one thing from our 15 minute conversation then it's worth it! We had quite a few times when we would talk to someone, and they would have a question, or maybe they were confused about something, and we were able to clarify right away. Having answers for people is so rewarding especially when they say “Oh that makes sense, thank you!”
BRANDON: I was fortunate to have many rewarding and positive interactions while talking with our backcountry users/ visitors over the summer. It’s some of these conversations that truly stick out and ones that I won’t forget as I continue on in my career. The opportunity to educate and speak with people from all walks of life alongside making connections that I can carry into the future solidifies why I do what I do!
JESSICA: It is amazing to think that we talked to over 1200 people this summer, and it is absolutely incredible that every single one of those conversations was positive. I can’t recall a time this summer where a conversation did not end on a good note. People were happy to chat with us, whether it was via a survey or across a table of games and props. Talking about our passion for the watershed and how to protect it with so many people has been rewarding, and I believe that our efforts have made a difference. We all have our part to play, and uniting so many people through the common goal of enjoying our headwaters is the first step. We also planted hundreds of willows, which will hopefully benefit the long term health of our ecosystem.
RANDY: Over the summer, I think we made a fairly big impact. It was great that we were able to go out in the backcountry and do a lot of surveys with recreationalists. We did end up talking to around 1200 people so I think that made a big difference. Most of the people that we surveyed have never heard of OWC before, so just us being out there and talking about some of the things that OWC does, goes a long way. We also got to do a lot of stewardship activities like willow staking and planting with some land owners which will make an impact down the road once they start to grow more. It was an amazing experience to work with different stakeholders over the summer and I appreciated every chance that we got to work with other people. We are all stewards of the land, after all.
3. Which of your job-related activities was your favourite?
SYDNEY: My favorite thing to do is to go to Naapi’s Garden. It doesn’t matter if we are planting native seeds, shrubs, or watering willows, it is always a great time with William Singer. The first time we went out there this summer, I felt completely different afterwards. William has so many good stories and I could sit there for an entire day and listen. He does such great work and I’m hoping to be able to go out there even when my tenure with OWC is finished.
BRANDON: I loved every part of my job this summer. Being told to pick one activity is impossible because I gained something new from each endeavour. The overarching theme is where we got to work. Spending a good chunk of my week exploring our headwaters was hands down my favourite. Even willow staking during the climax of the heat wave was still great because of two things: I had great mountain views, and second, I could justify the ice cream at the end of the day!
JESSICA: There wasn’t a day this summer that I didn’t enjoy. Our jobs are unique in how diverse, fun, and educational they are. We had new experiences and made new connections with people and places we never would have visited before. One of my favourite things we got to do was go to Naapi’s Garden and meet with William Singer. William is incredibly welcoming and passionate about his work, and we could listen to him talk for hours. He is a master storyteller. I also enjoyed all the blogs I got to write this summer, especially those about William and Naapi’s Garden, because it allowed me to expand upon my writing ability and receive quality feedback. Lastly, I loved doing goofy stuff with the other Outreach Assistants for TikTok and Instagram. We had a great time getting photos and making videos about our watershed.
RANDY: I loved all of the things that we were able to do over the summer. Personally, I enjoyed doing the backcountry surveys the most! It was really rewarding talking to people about what they loved about being in the backcountry and what actions they are doing to conserve the place. It was neat to hear from people who come from all over to enjoy the backcountry in the Oldman watershed. As we would go to different places in the watershed every weekend, it was refreshing to change environments and try to talk to as many people as possible in a given weekend. The people that we met (and their pets) were fantastic and it was really great to hear all the things that people are doing to help conserve the watershed. It was also fun that we had control over social media and got to play around with Instagram and TikTok which was always a blast.
4. Did you face any particular challenges?
SYDNEY: A challenge for me was to have the same conversation with recreationists. Oftentimes, the responses are the same, and keeping the conversation interesting for myself and the person being surveyed can be hard. Most people are very friendly but halfway through the summer I was almost hoping for someone to disagree with us and create some action! Another challenge is always weather. At the beginning of the summer we had some cold, rainy nights, but then at the end we were battling a heat wave. Campfires, warm meals, and cool swimming holes definitely helped get us through.
BRANDON: This is a really tough question to answer. I wouldn’t say there were many challenges throughout the summer. However, there were times when surveying backcountry users that conversations didn’t start the most positive or productive. That being said, I loved the challenge of an unexpected comment. I can’t say that I had a conversation that I wasn’t able to turn around at least a bit.
JESSICA: While our summer went relatively smoothly, the biggest challenge for me personally was how bloody hot it got this summer. I’m a fall and winter person, so I can only take so many 35+ days before I’m grumpy. However, working in the backcountry means that there are a lot of mountain streams to jump into, so I did my fair share of swimming!
RANDY: The biggest challenge was the weather for the most part. In the beginning of the summer it was quite cold. I remember our first night camping at North Fork Provincial Recreation Area at the end of May. I only brought a light sleeping bag. Throughout the whole night it was pretty cold and I didn't get much sleep. As the summer progressed, we were in the midst of a heat wave so it was a challenge trying to stay cool throughout the day. Luckily, in the evenings when our work day was done we would go to a nearby river or lake to cool ourselves down. Another challenge was that by the end of the summer we didn’t do as many surveys. When we went out to the PLUZ’s there were little to no people out so often we would have to find something else to do. It’s great that we were able to get a lot of the surveys done at the beginning of the summer and able to focus on other educational activities in the latter part of the summer.
5. What was the highlight / most memorable moment of the summer?
SYDNEY: My favorite place in the watershed, and maybe in the province is Naapi’s Garden. Spending the day with William is amazing, and it’s even better when you get paid to do it. Attending the Grazing and Water Management Field Tour tour at Timber Ridge was also one of my favorite days of the summer. Being able to tour the stunning property and hearing how they are helping in every way they can is awesome. Camping almost every weekend was also a huge highlight and we got to explore so many different areas.
BRANDON: Once again this is very difficult to pick just one. Between the four of us, we had a lot of fun together both on and off the clock. Being able to camp in the backcountry with your coworkers on a regular basis is not what everyone's job description entails. I always loved getting to explore new areas while capturing a few photos along the way. However, any time that we spent swimming at hidden gems, sliding down waterfalls, or cliff jumping… especially after a hot day, definitely makes the highlight list!
JESSICA: My highlight of the summer was all the nonsense and fun stuff that the four of us got up to on lunch breaks or during the evening. We jumped in creeks, slid down waterfalls, dove off cliffs, explored trails, and cooked together over the fire almost every weekend. We even had a wine and cheese night where we watched Twilight in the backcountry. Moments where we simply sat around the campsite talking about nothing were gems in my summer.
RANDY: This is a hard question to answer, as there are so many highlights. I would have to say, any down time that we had over the course of the summer was really fun. As we were in the backcountry, we were so close to neat and exciting places just moments away. Oftentimes to cool off on those hot days, we would go to a nearby river and dip ourselves in the water to cool off. I particularly enjoyed sliding down the Livingstone Falls. It was so fun!
6. What’s next? What was something new you learned or skills you developed that will help you in your career?
SYDNEY: Following my completion of my contract with OWC, I will be starting a new job with the Southeastern Alberta Watershed Alliance (SEAWA). This job will be less focused on community outreach, and more centered towards doing studies with shrubs that have been planted. I have learned so many things in my two summers with OWC, but I think the big one is my written and verbal communication. By doing various blogs for the website, I have been able to develop my skills in a professional manner since I am writing on behalf of OWC. By doing surveys I have been able to advance my verbal communication since I had to quickly assess the person I was speaking to, and alter my own words so that a genuine conversation could be had. Overall, speaking as a voice of OWC was a huge adjustment, since during our conversations with people was not the time to discuss my own opinions on controversial topics.
BRANDON: I am fortunate to be remaining on the amazing OWC team till December. I am looking forward to lots of CABIN field work, as well as helping out on some new and exciting projects. Because I am a recent graduate, when my contract finishes with OWC I will be on the hunt for full time permanent work in the conservation enforcement or environmental field. This position with OWC has helped me to diversify my skills sets in both the environmental field as well as on the communication front. I have no doubt that every skill I have gained or improved on this summer will aid me along my career path.
JESSICA: Following the completion of my contract with OWC, I will be moving back to Cochrane and pursuing full time writing as a fantasy author. I am very excited to move closer to the mountains and my family and pursue my passion. After writing all winter and spring, I will likely enter a season of wildland firefighting. After that, who knows! I might return to my third year at Lethbridge College for Conservation Enforcement now that I’ve completed my diploma, or I might return to full time writing. Maybe I will go to space. Maybe I will disappear into the wilderness with a team of sled dogs and a fishing rod. Honestly, who knows what I’ll be doing going forward, but I am ready to go wherever the wind takes me!
RANDY: Overall, my experience over the summer with doing a combination of fieldwork and outreach activities (surveys and point duties), was fantastic as I am eager to further develop those skills in my career. I am grateful for the opportunities working with OWC over the summer and have learned so much about the watershed. I have especially learned how to engage all sorts of different people and be able to have good relationships with them. It’s something that I will continue to use in the future.
7. Favourite photo you took this summer?
SYDNEY: This photo was taken at Chinook Lake and it’s my favorite because it describes the group perfectly! I told everyone to stand there so I could take a picture, and Jessica was expecting everyone to make a silly face, and it makes me laugh every time! It sums up our summer pretty well. This day was also really fun while we collected garbage around various parts of the Crowsnest Pass.
BRANDON: This was taken facing the Beehive Natural Area. When I am in the mountains, I am in my happy place; I love turning a corner to an even better view. We didn’t know what to expect as we followed the road further west; however, the views did not disappoint.
JESSICA: We had some incredible photo opportunities this summer, but I’d say this one that this photo I took of Brandon is one of my favourites. We were near Livingstone Falls on a 8:00pm wander by the creek, the four of us jumping along rocks. The whole area is composed of giant slabs of rock, and the clouds were bringing in a storm that passed later that night, leaving perfect gaps for the golden sun to shine through. I turned around and shouted “don’t move!” when I saw Brandon admiring the sky before snapping the photo.
RANDY: This photo was taken after we did some swimming at the Oldman River Reservoir. On our return we saw this beautiful sunset just by our campsite. We pulled over onto an approach and snapped some pictures. The smoke cleared a bit enough to see a silhouette of the mountain range with the sun setting behind it. I am a huge sucker for sunsets and I absolutely love how well this photo turned out with the range of colours popping out of it. I could stare at it for hours!
8. Write your own question and response!
SYDNEY: If you could tell yourself at the beginning of the summer one thing, what would it be?
Stop worrying. Everything is going to be fine. Your coworkers are going to be great, you’re going to love surveys, and camping is going to be a blast. Take each workweek one day at a time and everything will work out!
BRANDON: What is your biggest regret throughout the summer?
Not getting a picture with every dog I met! Especially that one baby golden retriever…
JESSICA: What is the funniest thing that happened this summer?
While this summer was full of laughs, my favourite moment is when we were at Livingstone Falls and Randy slipped. He proceeded to slide down the waterfall, fearing for his life and screaming bloody murder, until he splashed into the water at the bottom. He was fine, and we proceeded to take turns going down the waterfall-waterslide! Then he slipped again at the same spot a month later. Priceless :)
RANDY: If you could go back in time and change one thing about the summer, what would you change?
I wouldn’t change much, as the summer was probably one of the best summers that I’ve had. If I were to change one thing, It would be to enjoy myself and take in every moment in the summer more. It flew by so fast!
9. Final message to folks in the watershed?
SYDNEY: I want to say thank you to everyone who is a good steward of the watershed. It was so good to be able to meet so many of you, and I hope that paths may cross once again in the future! As well as all the staff at the Oldman Watershed Council, my two summers with everyone have been great and I will never forget the things I’ve learned and places I’ve been. The Oldman watershed will forever be a very special place to me.
BRANDON: I want to say a special thanks to all our backcountry users for taking the time out of your holiday to talk this summer. I enjoyed and valued every conversation! The Oldman watershed has so much to offer and I find it encouraging to see the passion to protect it from all of our recreationists, landowners, and community groups!
JESSICA: I couldn’t have asked for a better group to work with. Not only have I found three good friends in the other OAs, but OWC as a whole is made up of passionate and welcoming individuals committed to making our watershed a better place. Shannon, Jon, Kallie, and Sofie are all incredible to work with and made sure that we were comfortable, safe, had fun throughout our whole summer, and gained the knowledge and experience we need for the future. You can trust these people to be working in the best interest of our watershed and its users.
RANDY: I am very fortunate to have had a summer position with the OWC. Moving from central Alberta for this job, I have truly fallen in love with southern Alberta and specifically the Oldman watershed. Spending so much time in the backcountry was a great experience, especially with such great company. We explored almost every backroad and went on some hiking trails. I understand now more than ever how beautiful the Oldman watershed is. Thank you for allowing us to come into your campsites over the summer and having great conversations with us. It made our jobs so much more enjoyable talking to people that have lived and/or visited our watershed and it was great hearing all your responses. In addition to working with other stakeholders within the watershed, you all made me feel at home. I haven’t been away from home for this extended amount of time in an area where I wasn’t familiar. It’s been an absolute pleasure!
A heartfelt thank you to Sydney, Brandon, Jessica, and Randy for all of your hard work this summer. We wish you all the best in the future.
Happy Trails!
