From the Filed: Summer Positions with Native Plant Solutions

Native Plant Solutions (NPS), is a consulting arm of Ducks Unlimited Canada established in 2001. Their team applies DUC experience working in conservation, research and natural habitat management to restore and create sustainable wetland and upland ecosystems. Seasonal employees join the specialists at NPS during the summer months to support these environmental services.

Tessa Lawrence (she/her)

Conservation technician, Winnipeg, Man.
Bachelor of Environmental Science with a minor in biology

Tessa worked on naturalized storm water retention ponds in and around the city of Winnipeg this summer cultivating native wetland vegetation. To beat the heat, she and the NPS team meet early to discuss tasks for the day. “These include putting up wire fencing around ponds, taking them down, broadcast seeding in or just above the water, spraying herbicides, hand pulling weeds, weed whacking, transplanting cattails and bulrushes, seed collection, and many others,” explains Tessa.

“I’ve worked here for four years, and the highlight of every summer is the people you meet and the relationships you build,” she says. While landscape restoration can be tough work, meeting like-minded people and making lifelong friends and relationships makes it all worthwhile.

Alongside the people brought together by this challenging, outdoors work, Tessa loves the prairie pothole region and considers herself “obsessed with restoring the native prairie grassland.”

Tessa is learning all she can about regenerating native prairie species while working with NPS and has goals to one day work in a more rural setting, continuing to contribute to grassland restoration.

Natasha Hunt (she/her)

Conservation technician, Winnipeg, Man.
4th year environmental science student at Dalhousie University

While working with NPS this summer, Natasha has been helping to establish native vegetation on storm water ponds and conducting maintenance on those sites.

Early in the season, the NPS team carries out prescribed burning, goose control and seeding, before turning their attention later in the season to fence removal, transplanting, weeding and seed collection for seeding in the next year.

Taking part in prescribed burns has been an especially interesting job for the seasonal NPS staff. “We get a chance to bond, and you get to feel like you are doing important work,” says Natasha. “It’s nice to feel trusted with such a hazardous task and it looks cool on a resume!”

Working with Native Plant Solutions this summer has given Natasha a wholenew outlook on conservation and restoration. “The time, money and effort put into creating new storm water ponds each year by the staff at NPS is immense and that helps me have a stronger appreciation for those who have protected our wetlands,” says Natasha. She looks forward to opportunities to be more involved in conservation in the future.