Category: Careers in Parks

Interpreting Ontario: introducing Ontario Parks’ interpreters

Today’s post comes from Cathy Entwhistle, the Natural Heritage Education Leader and Volunteer Coordinator at Bronte Creek Provincial Park.

Reading the title, you might think this blog is about the many languages featured in Ontario.

While Ontario Parks is visited by dozens of different language speakers each year and we do our best to communicate with everyone, the staff we call “interpreters” might only speak one language (or at least, one human language).

In Ontario Parks, an interpreter’s job is actually to interpret Ontario’s nature and history for our many park visitors.

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Sandbanks superhero wins Ecological Integrity Award

We’re proud to announce the winner of this year’s Ontario Parks Ecological Integrity Award: Yvette Bree, our Natural Heritage Education Coordinator at Sandbanks Provincial Park!

Yvette has given decades of dedicated, passionate service, protecting the ecological integrity of one of our busiest parks.
Continue reading Sandbanks superhero wins Ecological Integrity Award

Congratulations to our 2016 Ontario Parks Partners Bursary recipients!

“Protecting the environment is up to us, and it makes me proud to know that for the last six years, I’m been a member of a team committed to doing just that.” — Morgan Miller, student bursary recipient

The summer student workforce is the life-blood of the Ontario Parks summer operating season. Our provincial parks simply could not operate without our student workers.

On November 25, parks staff, corporate partners and students gathered in Peterborough to award the 2016 Ontario Parks Partners Bursaries.

Continue reading Congratulations to our 2016 Ontario Parks Partners Bursary recipients!

5 questions with a park planner

Welcome to our “5 Questions” series! We chat with park staff around the province to give you an inside look at what it’s like to work at Ontario Parks.

Meghan Pomeroy started with Ontario Parks as a maintenance student, and worked as an Operations Technician and Assistant Park Superintendent at several parks before becoming a Park Planner.

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Why I love being a park naturalist

As summer fades, we love hearing from our seasonal students. Today’s post is from Michael Berry, a naturalist at Rondeau Provincial Park.

Two years ago when I applied to be a Natural Heritage Education Assistant at Rondeau Provincial Park, I didn’t really know what to expect. I had visited Rondeau a handful of times as a child, but never imagined I would have the opportunity to work there.

Fast forward to present day where being a park naturalist has changed my life forever!

Why you might ask?

Here are a few of my favourite things about being a park naturalist:

Continue reading Why I love being a park naturalist

5 questions with a northern superintendent

Welcome to our “5 Questions” series! We chat with park staff around the province to give you an inside look at what it’s like to work at Ontario Parks.

Trevor Gibb started with Ontario Parks as a summer student. He worked his way up from park warden to superintendent, earning degrees in geography and education along the way. He now manages Quetico Provincial Park, a vast backcountry park popular with paddlers. Continue reading 5 questions with a northern superintendent

5 questions with an ops tech

Welcome to our “5 Questions” series! We chat with park staff around the province to give you an inside look at what it’s like to work at Ontario Parks.

Rachel Windsor has worked in Ontario Parks for six years. She started as a summer maintenance student for two seasons, then moved over to the park store at Presqu’ile Provincial Park. She trained under the park store manager for a season before taking over that role the following year.

Since 2015, Rachel has been acting in the Ops Tech role, taking the lead on the maintenance team and making sure park operations run smoothly.

Continue reading 5 questions with an ops tech

5 questions with a backcountry ranger

Welcome to our “5 Questions” series! We chat with park staff around the province to give you an inside look at what it’s like to work at Ontario Parks.

Jason Lorbetskie has worked as a backcountry ranger in Algonquin Provincial Park for over 17 years. He is currently a Group Leader for Operations South, where his job duties include supervising other rangers, maintaining trails and campsites, and assisting with all facets of the backcountry program.

Continue reading 5 questions with a backcountry ranger