Back at it Again
Here we are again, back in time for another field season. This summer we’re collecting and comparing vegetation data in a variety of different cut block and fire types all over northern Alberta. We want to see under which types of conditions important caribou foods grow best.
What brings bounce to our step this year is that we have a full summer crew of 6 technicians back amongst our ranks despite the ongoing COVID pandemic. Compared to last year, training was little different. Crews first had to learn how to wear a mask, and quarantine responsibly during training for most of the first day in order to form a bubble/cohort/household for the rest of the field season. Once crews got the hang of this, we were able to proceed to field safety protocols, and then moved on to practicing the fun skills: using field electronics, ATVs, how to drive trucks on dusty or muddy backroads, how to pull and park travel trailers, and learning how to identify the plethora of trees, shrubs and plants that will be awaiting crews in the field.
Crew members became fast friends, forming a strong, reliable group of field technicians that we are proud to have amongst us. We are very happy to welcome back Isaiah and Solène with all their knowledge and experience gained in previous years, and are over the moon to add Nikki, Christian, Janine, and Jesse to make up a team of engaged and highly motivated field technicians.
Meet the Crew!
Nikki Beaudoin
Fav field food: Saskatoons
Likes: Dominating Rummy
Dislikes: Gluten
Isaiah Huska
Fav field food: Nothing, food is for the weak
Likes: Coffee, fresh baked goods, walking off into the woods to live a hunter gatherer lifestyle never to be heard from again, and old happy dogs
Dislikes: Passive aggressiveness, technology that beeps at me, spoiled dairy products
Janine Lock
Fav field food: Anything I can scavenge
Likes: Remembering to mark the truck, beater boots.
Dislikes: Forgetting to mark the truck, alternative protein (swallowed bugs)
Christian Louie
Fav field food: The random mushrooms I find on the way to the field
Likes: Battling northern pike, picking mushrooms, encountering caribou, and eating peanut/krill dried rice with a side of xiaolongboa from a restaurant located on 5555 Gilbert Rd. #150, Richmond, BC at exactly 6:30pm PST every fourth month of the year
Dislikes: Swimming, not being able to fish, fighting Culiseta inornata and pollen from Alnus alnobetula
Solène Williams
Fav field food: Honeycrisp apple.
Likes: Destroying coworkers at wingspan, inspecting lichens and mosses, reliable rain gear.
Dislikes: Every passing day without seeing a mountain lion.
Jesse Shirton
Fav field food: Cold barley soup.
Likes: Birds, winning at crib, and having direct nasal contact when smelling things.
Dislikes: Losing at crib, The Ice Age movie franchise, Nikki.
