The Mi’kmaw Conservation Group, together with our funding partners, are pleased to offer hands on learning experiences to youth. These exciting roles blend field work with professional office experiences for unique summer jobs that help students gain valuable skills and knowledge. Summer 2014 will be an action packed adventure as we embark on a field season with more projects in and around the Bay of Fundy Watershed with our largest group of students to date. Stay tuned to this page for more updates as we steadily increase our staff over the next few weeks.
Faith Julien
Faith Julien, was born in Truro, Nova Scotia and was raised in Millbrook First Nation. Faith and her siblings were raised on reserve by her parents, Lisa McDonald and Lorne Julien.
Faith is currently enrolled in the Fitness and Health Promotion Diploma program at Humber College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning, located in Toronto, Ontario. After completing her program Faith would like to transfer into University of Guelph to take a Bachelor of Applied Science in Kinesiology. Faith is very passionate about promoting health and wellness and would like to continue working with First Nation communities in the future.
Faith has been hired as an Aboriginal Leader for the Nova Scotia Youth Conservation Corps, a Clean Foundation initiative. Faith will be coordinating the Mi’kmaw Conservation Group’s community Bio-Blitz events throughout the summer. These events will promote community awareness of environmental protection. She will also be working to develop conservation plans that will help to improve the environmental integrity and management practices of our member Communities
Heather Mills
Heather Mills has grown up in Truro and is now a fourth year student at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish. She is working to complete a Bachelor of Arts degree in Aquatic Resources- Public Policy and Social Research. This program requires her to complete a work term in the summer of 2014 in order to help her assess career possibilities while gaining valuable aquatic-related employment.
She has been hired as Research and Education Officer for the Nova Scotia Youth Conservation Corps and will be the Project Supervisor for Mi’kmaw Conservation Group’s (MCG) project entitled “Migration barrier remediation plan for endangered Atlantic salmon in the Stewiacke watershed”. This project entails assessing and prioritizing stream road crossings and culverts; and, in some cases, remediating those barriers that hinder or prevent the migration of Atlantic salmon. The projects long-term goal is to increase the amount of freshwater habitat that is available for this important endangered species. From this project, she will develop a Senior Research Project that will be completed during her final year of study. She is excited to be involved in this project and to be able to gain valuable hands on experience in the field.
Heather is planning to further education after she graduates next year with the goal of obtaining a career in the environmental sector. She has a keen interest in the environment such as water resource issues, conservation and climate change. She believes that her work experience with MCG this summer will be of great benefit to her education as well as to her further understanding of important environmental issues.
Charles Marshall
Charles Marshall was raised in Millbrook and is a member of Millbrook First Nation. Currently he resides in Truro while he’s not in Antigonish, where he attends St. Francis Xavier University. Charles is fourth year student working toward his Bachelor of Arts degree in Aquatic Resources in Public Policy and Social Research, which also requires him to complete a work term in summer 2014 to explore aquatic-related career options while gaining experience.
This is Charles’ third summer at MCG as a Research & Education Officer Assistant. This summer he will be working on MCG’s Climate Change Adaptation Program project entitled “Preparing Mi’kmaw Communities’ Water Utilities for Climate Change.” The projects intends to help three First Nation Communities (Indian Brook First Nation, Pictou Landing First Nation, and Glooscap First Nation) to identify and address vulnerabilities in water utilities and water sources due to climate change impacts within the Communities.
Charles is preparing to work within resource management once he graduates from St.FX, then plans travel the world backpacking and gaining global knowledge which will eventually assist him with his career aspirations in aquatic resources and conservation. Charles is excited to be back at MCG, and continues to greatly benefit his education through projects, research and Community interaction dealing with resource management and sustainability.
Farrah Stevens
Farrah Stevens is from Pictou Landing First Nation, and has grown up in Halifax, Nova Scotia. She is a third-year Bachelor of Science student at Saint Mary’s University, with a major in Environmental Science.
Farrah has been hired as a Summer Research and Education Assistant with the Mi’kmaw Conservation Group. She is working with the Climate Change Adaptation Program (CCAP) on a project titled ‘Preparing Mi’kmaw Communities’ Water Utilities for Climate Change’. This project is aimed towards identifying and evaluating vulnerabilities of member Communities’ water utilities to climate change, and educating Communities on how to deal with such issues through Photovoice activities and workshops. This will result in developing an adaptation plan to climate change for each individual Community.
Farrah aspires to gain a career in species conservation, water treatment, and habitat restoration after she completes her studies at Saint Mary’s. She is happy to work with the Mi’kmaw Conservation Group, familiarizing herself on current issues on water and climate change in Communities that need support.
Stephen Johnson
Stephen Johnson was born in Truro and Raised in Millbrook, Nova Scotia. He graduated from Cobequid Educational Centre in 2013 and then finished first year Human Services at NSCC during 2013-2014. Stephen is now enrolled for his second year of the NSCC Correctional Services program.
Stephen would like to eventually become a Correctional Officer. He would like to organize correctional programs that can benefit Aboriginal inmates and promote their rehabilitation and wellbeing. He hopes to gain valuable experience with the Mi’kmaw Conservation Group this summer in developing and presenting educational workshops in our member Communities.
As a Research and Education Assistant for Mi’kmaw Conservation Group (MCG), Stephen will be assisting the Research and Education Officers with the Stewiacke Culvert Assessment and Bio-Blitz Projects. He hopes to gain a wide knowledge base of western science and traditional Mi’kmaq themes. He will research, develop and present educational seminars and assist in collecting field data.
In his free time you can find Stephen playing and coaching lacrosse. Stephen plays on the Sackville lacrosse team in the East Coast Jr. ‘A’ Lacrosse league as well as the Nova Scotia team that will be travelling to Regina for the North American Indigenous Games later this summer.
Christian Francis
Christian Francis grew up in Pictou Landing First Nation. He has recently completed a Plant Science Technology program at the Dalhousie University Agricultural Campus in Bible Hill. He plans on returning in September to begin working on attaining his Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science.
Christian has been hired as a Research and Education Assistant with the Mi’kmaw Conservation Group for the summer. He will spend the summer assisting the MCG Research and Education Officers on two research projects related to the Bay of Fundy watershed, the Migration Barrier Remediation Plan and the Bio-Blitz project. In addition to this, he is also tasked with developing and planning education modules for youth at community events.
Christian is looking forward to learning about, and gaining experience in the Environmental sector this summer. He looks forward to being a part of the positive changes the MCG is trying to make and hopes to begin finding his place in this important area of study.
Amber MacLean-Hawes
Amber was born in Halifax and was raised mostly in Upper Stewiacke, and later moved to Truro. She graduated this year with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Dalhousie University and will be returning back to Dalhousie in the fall to start a Bachelor of Science in Health Promotion (Research and Policy Stream).
Amber has been hired as a Summer Student Intern through the Nova Scotia Youth Conservation Corps. Amber will be assisting with the Stewiacke watershed migration barriers project as well as helping plan Community events related to that project.
Amber is looking forward to gaining a wide range of knowledge and experience related to environmental issues among the Communities and how we can work together to create a better environment. She is also excited to find connections and to relate this summer’s work to determinants of health and health promotion. Amber is aiming to go to medical school and hoping to take away the various experiences and gained knowledge learned at MCG to help her in her future endeavors.
Patrick Mahoney
Patrick Mahoney was born in Antigonish, grew up in Truro, and is currently entering his fourth year in a Bachelors of Science program at Bishop’s University, with a major in Physics.
This is Patrick’s second summer at MCG, he is returning as a Research and Education Assistant. Patrick’s project is the “Restoration of the Smalls River and the Fishing Derby Pond with its adjoining Stream,” funded by the Eco Action Community Funding Program. The project aims to improve water quality in the Smalls River and the Fishing Derby Pond along with its adjoining stream, as well as building public awareness about the dangers that result from improper disposal of debris into the two water systems. Additionally, the project will involve engaging youth through a three day Environmental Science camp in Pictou Landing.
Patrick has career aspirations of going into environmental physics or engineering when he graduates from Bishop’s. A lot of his interest in the environmental sector is a product of previous work done with MCG. Patrick believes the work that he is doing with MCG will be a great platform of work experience to build off of, working towards environmental projects of his own in the future.