Please join us in welcoming our two newest staff members, Shannon Hart and Conlan Donahue, who have joined OWC as Watershed Stewardship Assistants in 2022. Shannon and Conlan will be helping to implement our restoration, stewardship, and education programs this year. We look forward to a terrific year!
Shannon Hart
Shannon was born and raised on her family’s ranch near Claresholm, Alberta, and grew up fishing and camping. As a result, she developed a deep love for both agriculture and the environment. Shannon completed an Ecosystem Management Applied Bachelor’s Degree at Lethbridge College, graduating in 2019. She was heavily involved in the Lethbridge College Ducks Unlimited Student Chapter and is an active member of the Claresholm Fish & Game Club.
In 2018, Shannon worked for the Nature Conservancy of Canada where she participated in weed mapping throughout the Castle and Crowsnest Pass regions; out of this experience bloomed a passion for hating invasive species and a love for telling people about them. Shannon has also worked for several municipalities, including the County of Grande Prairie No. 1, the M.D. of Willow Creek, and Mountain View County. She has participated in the Classroom Ag program, carried out crop and riparian health surveys, and helped organize workshops regarding soil erosion, bio-swales, and general agricultural practices. Through these experiences, she has met many great people and developed a strong passion for public outreach within rural Alberta; Shannon hopes to foster collaboration and understanding between individuals and the environment around them.
Shannon’s family irrigates their cropland directly out of Willow Creek, a tributary to the Oldman River, so she understands the importance of such an essential resource. Living on both Willow and Trout Creek has allowed her to utilize the streams recreationally and agriculturally and appreciate the wildlife and plant species that these bodies of water support. Shannon is less supportive of flooding that ruins pasture fencing but is willing to take the hit if it means that 2022 will be less dry than 2021.
In her free time, Shannon loves exploring southern Alberta and will track down every available book, plant, and coffee shop within proximity. She also likes hiking and searching for plant species to show her friends, who have submitted to the fact that they cannot stop her. Travelling both locally and internationally is a passion of Shannon’s, and she is hoping to do more of each within the next few years. Shannon is looking forward to her summer with the Oldman Watershed Council and is excited to learn new skills, engage positively with landowners and recreationalists, and take some awesome photos of some awesome places.
Conlan Donahue
Conlan was one of 3 brothers raised on a rural residence near Fort Macleod with the foothills and mountains for a backyard. Here, he soaked up a variety of land-based knowledge and skills from community members, farmers, outdoor enthusiasts, landowners, and Indigenous peoples. Conlan is an extroverted individual who loves to connect and bond with others over an appreciation of the outdoors. Having parents that are avid outdoor recreationists, and growing up near the Rocky Mountains, Conlan’s childhood was spent hiking, camping, snowshoeing, snowboarding, biking, and wakeboarding. After graduating from high school in Fort Macleod, Conlan went on to obtain a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from the University of Lethbridge, with training in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), zoology, ecology, hydrology, geomorphology, and chemistry. This package of experiences has facilitated the development of Conlan’s knowledge of the outdoors and instilled a connection between his passions of people and the environment.
Conlan was also part of a collaborative government project focusing on Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and environmental management/ stewardship during his undergrad. He is excited to share his experiences and passions to build new relationships across Southern Alberta with OWC. When he is not working, you can find him hiking and kayaking in Waterton. Conlan fully believes that focusing on education, experiences, stewardship, and research are vital for ensuring the public and decision-makers have the information necessary to protect the function and health of our watersheds.
