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Training the Conservation Leaders of Tomorrow
03 Dec 2009
Nature Conservancy of Canada and Shell Canada expand unique program
More aspiring conservation scientists will be working to protect some of Canada’s most ecologically significant landscapes thanks to the expansion of a unique internship program. The Shell Conservation Internship Program - opens in new window (SCIP) introduces college and university students to careers in conservation through summer jobs with the Nature Conservancy of Canada - opens in new window (NCC).
A generous $1.5 million investment from Shell Canada Limited will significantly enhance the program over three years. Already it has allowed NCC to nearly double the number of internships offered in the summer of 2009, and NCC is now recruiting - opens in new window Shell Conservation Interns for the summer of 2010.
“At Shell, we know that meeting the demand for energy, while reducing the environmental and social impacts of producing and using that energy, are challenges facing us all. We hope the interns’ SCIP experience will inspire them to find solutions to these challenges,” said Lorraine Mitchelmore, president and country chair, Shell Canada Limited.
The interns gain practical and valuable field experience while working side by side with some of Canada’s best conservation practitioners. The SCIP interns conduct plant and breeding bird surveys, remove alien invasive plants - opens in new window that threaten biodiversity, and engage local communities in conservation action, in addition to many other vital activities.
The funding from Shell allows the Nature Conservancy of Canada to increase its capacity to manage lands effectively during the critical summer field season. The work of the interns makes a tangible contribution to the stewardship of NCC landscapes.
“Shell’s contribution has enabled NCC to significantly enhance its conservation and stewardship capacity. In addition to the conservation results delivered for NCC, the program provides interns with conservation experience highly valued by future employers, including NCC and Shell Canada,” said Kevin Kavanagh, Manager, Conservation Volunteer and Internship Programs, Nature Conservancy of Canada.
With this level of support, Shell Canada is helping to ensure that a new generation of passionate and well-trained conservation scientists will be ready to meet some of Canada’s toughest environmental challenges. These are the conservation leaders of tomorrow who will work to ensure our natural heritage will be there for our children and grandchildren to enjoy.
"The skills I have gathered in 2009 are unsurpassed by any experience I have had to date,” said Todd Brunner, a SCIP intern based in Calgary, Alberta. “They include bird, wildlife, and plant identification, GPS, aerial photo, map and compass use, landowner relations, report writing, applications of mapping software, and many others. These will certainly carry forward into my future work as an environmental professional."
Shell Canada and the Nature Conservancy of Canada have been “natural partners - opens in new window” in land conservation projects for more than 25 years, including the Shell Conservation Internship Program which was launched eight years ago.
Facts:
- SCIP internships offer valuable hands-on experience and a chance to be part of a long-term solution to conserving Canada's natural areas and native species.
- This summer (2009), 31 interns contributed more than 15,000 hours of conservation work to Nature Conservancy of Canada
- 308 properties covering more than 250,000 acres (101,700 hectares) were surveyed or monitored (about 25 times the size of Stanley Park
- Interns gathered information on 108 species and natural communities at risk including: Piping Plover, Spiny Softshell Turtle and Garry Oak ecosystems.
- In 2009 the number of internships nearly doubled (31 vs. 18 in 2008)
- Interns worked coast to coast in 2009: British Columbia 4, Alberta 5, Saskatchewan 4, Manitoba 4, Ontario 5, Quebec 4, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island 2, Nova Scotia 2, Newfoundland & Labrador 1
- More than 150 SCIP internships have been provided since Shell and NCC launched the program in 2002
- Shell Canada has contributed $6.5 million in financial resources, land and mineral rights to the Nature Conservancy of Canada over the past 27 years.
Learn More
The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) is Canada’s leading land conservation organization. Since 1962, NCC has helped to protect more that 2 million acres (800,000 hectares) of ecologically significant land nationwide. www.natureconservancy.cawww.natureconservancy.ca - opens in new window
Shell Canada, operating in Canada since 1911, is one of the largest integrated petroleum companies in the country. A leading manufacturer, distributor and marketer of refined petroleum products, Shell Canada produces natural gas, natural gas liquids and bitumen and is Canada’s largest producer of sulphur.
Shell Canada is a member of the Shell Group, a global group of energy and petrochemical companies, employing approximately 102,000 people and operating in more than 100 countries and territories.
Contacts:
Reena Kudhail
Media Relations Coordinator
Nature Conservancy of Canada
416-932-0050 ext. 252
reena.kudhail@natureconservancy.ca
Ed Greenberg
Shell Canada Limited
403-691-3638
Ed.Greenberg@shell.com