Education

Maija Fotr wins Wetland Centre of Excellence student scholarship

Fotr finds success through experiential learning in Aldershot School’s ECO Studies program

May 07, 2025

Maija Fotr with her dog Aspen at Killbear Provincial Park.

Opportunities to work outside amongst a community of supportive peers and teachers made Maija Fotr feel right at home in the ECO Studies program at Aldershot School. The outdoor classroom experience was just the proof that Fotr needed that environmental studies would be a great fit for her.

“I want to be outside; I want to be experiencing nature firsthand and doing field work. That’s what was great about the ECO Studies program, as the program gave me these opportunities,” Fotr explains. “I could do stuff with my hands, but then I also knew the paper side of it.”

The Wetland Centre of Excellence (WCE) at the Royal Botanical Gardens (RBG) in Burlington, Ont. provides students with the unique opportunity to immerse themselves in academic environmental courses (to support their understanding of the nature around them) alongside regular trips to local wetlands, where they learn skills like navigation, canoeing, and camping.

Marsh adventures

Students in the ECO Studies program work closely over a semester. They start out as peers but get to know each other well and bond on outdoor trips.

“Everyone became really good friends,” says Fotr. “And then we got to go on these cool adventures.”

Understanding environmental challenges up close on those adventures made all the difference for Fotr. After discussing invasive species, her class visited the wetland and canoed to see the fishway bordering the highway. Canoeing brought out the competitive side of the class as students raced to paddle across the marsh.

The fishway, designed to keep invasive carp out of the marsh, can only be seen in the distance from the shore, so getting up close provides an entirely different perspective. When they arrived, Fotr explained that you can really see how murky the invasive fish make the water and all the negative impacts on the water, birds and surrounding ecosystem.

Through experiences like these, Fotr watched how students who initially joined ECO Studies for outdoor adventure quickly became excited about the potential of environmental jobs or post-secondary education. She, too, found herself drawn to a future in environmental studies through these immersive activities.

Fotr with her dog Aspen at Copeland Forest in Ontario © DUC

Up close with nature

Fotr describes herself as the type of person who learns best outdoors where textbook learning meets real-world examples. “I really enjoyed it because we learned stuff in class and actually got to see it and inspect it,” she says.

Jason Blair, leader of the RBG WCE, was a great support for Fotr. While she struggled with more academic topics at first, Blair would provide alternate explanations, point out examples in the marsh, and take time to walk Fotr through challenging topics. In-class learning paired with outdoor education brought real-world environmental topics to life.

“We got to look at different plants and stuff that all contributed to that book work and overall, it was an amazing experience,” Fotr explains.

Speaking of Fotr, Blair says she is “always ready to meet new challenges head on” and “is committed to making a difference in whatever capacity she is able.”

Fotr at Georgian Bay, during her time with the Royal Botanical Gardens WCE. © DUC

Next-level learning

Fotr began her post-secondary education at Lakehead-Georgian this September and considers her Canadian forest species course a highlight of the environmental sustainability program so far. “A lot of those concepts that we learned—geology, water testing—is all coming back through university and college work, which is really awesome, ”she says.

Fotr understands the value of time spent in nature and the impact it can have on learning about caring for our environment at any age. “I think we never stop learning, so I want to encourage people to have fun learning. I enjoy learning new things that I can then use to help the environment.”

Considering what she’ll carry forward from her studies, Fotr explains “I think wetlands are really important. They’re such diverse environments in terms of ecosystems and they improve water quality, help with erosion, and are home to so many endangered species.”

“I love helping to maintain and restore wetland habitats and supporting animal and plant species’ survival.”

Winning the 2024 WCE scholarship is a recognition of Fotr’s work in her program and her determination to help the environment. “A lot of time people think, ‘You’re just one person, like how much impact can you have?’ But winning something like this really makes me think, OK, I am making a contribution, and it encourages me.”

Wetland Stewards. Protectors of Biodiversity

Wetland Centres of Excellence engage and empower young people in meaningful nature-based experiences.

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