Capilano College’s Environmental Field School / Employment Practicum

In the 1990s, many diverse land use issues cause heated debate: logging, landfill, low-cost housing, malls, highways, airports, natural habitats, and abandoned toxic waste sites. The list goes on. The questions posed resist easy answers. Endless public discussion takes place in which one question recurs: "How do we build and sustain communities without destroying the natural habitat?" The Foundation’s Governors believe that education can help stakeholders learn how to build livable communities that protect and enhance the environment, and for that reason they make a special effort to fund programs addressing urgent land use and environmental concerns.

For the past three years, the Real Estate Foundation has been involved with Capilano College’s Environmental Science Program (ESP), a full-year course of study leading to a Post-Baccalaureate Diploma. The relationship began in 1994, when the Foundation’s Governors approved a seed grant to assist with the start-up of ESP’s Field School. The money was used to purchase Geographic Information Software(GIS) and for operating expenses.

In 1995, the Governors agreed to fund ESP employment practicums that addressed a significant land-management issue and that involved a partnership between the College and at least one other non-profit agency, for example a regional government, NGO and/or another post-secondary institution. Since then, the Foundation has granted a total of $159, 855 for practicums: $30,000 in 1995, $64,855 in 1996, and $65,000 in 1997. To date, 25 students have gained valuable field experience as a result. "Partnerships of this kind benefit the College, the students, the communities and agencies involved, and the Foundation," says Tim Pringle, Executive Director of the Foundation.

The Field School and the employment practicum give students the opportunity to develop their skills in project design, field data collection, data interpretation, report preparation, and formal presentation of their results. "Our requirements are strict," says Vicky Troup, Co-ordinator of the Environmental Science Program. "We expect high academic achievement. Students who apply for the Field School and employment practicum must have attained a minimum C plus average over all preceding courses in the Program. Candidates are also individually interviewed. We look for a strong level of interest and commitment, because in our view it is a privilege to do the practicum."

With such rigorous standards, it’s not surprising that students perform so well in the field. They have completed a wide variety of projects, including a forest inventory, a survey of vegetation and wildlife, a review of restrictive covenants, and an assessment of environmentally sensitive areas. Comments from people in the field have been uniformly positive.

"We had two students document water quality and riparian habitat at Brothers Creek, which is an important migratory route for coho," says Jim McCarthy, Director of the British Properities Homeowners Association. "The health of the stream is critical to the continuation of these salmon. The students did an excellent job. Their report will provide us with a database about the environmental factors affecting the stream and recommend future action. We were also successful in getting input and resources from other stakeholders."

Two other Capilano College students spent their time with the Gambier Island Conservancy, assessing environmentally sensitive areas such fish habitats and wet-lands. "They tackled a very difficult project and did extremely well," says John Boon, Conservancy Director.

According to Boon, one of the difficulties of such an assessment is first to determine what the term "environmentally sensitive" really means. "We’re not in the position to state which areas are or are not sensitive," he says. "But given current knowledge and criteria, we can say there are areas that at least should be looked at. The students used the standard description of existing criteria to discover which areas should be considered environmentally sensitive. This information will greatly help us with our official community plan. We don’t have the staff to conduct this kind of study, but we do need the information to persuade public and private partners that further investigation of these areas is needed before development proceeds."

Brian Farquhar of the Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD) also has nothing but praise for the students who produced the report A Biophysical Inventory Study of Colony Farm Regional Park for the GVRD Regional Parks Department. "This practicum was a model of initiative and co-operation," he says. "Initially, we had one student assigned to us, but three got together and applied for a grant to Canada Trust’s Friends of the Environment Foundation. The GVRD also provided some funding and supervision. As well, Burke Mountain Naturalists supplied volunteer assistance to the students’ project work, and the Pt. Moody Ecological Society supported students’ work on water quality sampling."

Farquhar stresses that everyone on the project was impressed with the students’ level of knowledge and their ability to complete the tasks, which included vegetation mapping, water quality sampling, and an inventory of small mammals, birds, aquatic vertebrates, and terrestrial herptiles. "The students compiled base-line information on existing habitats and animal use within the regional park. These data will enable us to move ahead with wildlife habitat environmental work."

Mel Kotyk, Environmental Protection Officer for the District of North Vancouver’s Environmental Department, also applauds the quality of work performed by practicum students. "We’ve had one each year for the past three years," he says. "In 1995, the student addressed the issue of restrictive covenants, updated where they were, and talked to property owners, reminding them that they had a covenant on their land. The focus was on stream corridors and protection of natural areas."

In 1996, a student conducted a forest cover survey for the District. The results were then compiled as a layer in the District’s GIS system in preparation for public consultation. "This helped us update our mapping data so that developers or builders could get current information on the location of heritage trees and steep slopes," says Kotyk. "This year a student solicited community involvement in the formation of tree preservation and forest management policies. For example, in tree retention areas that are sensitive, you need a permit to cut trees more than ten cm. in diameter. On private property, trees more than 75cm. in diameter require a permit to be cut. The student canvassed public opinion about neighbourhood trees and when they should be protected on private property. In effect, this issue is one of private rights vs. neighbourhood values."

These are but four examples of the many projects students have undertaken over the past three years. With results like these, there is no doubt that more agencies will want to sponsor practicums.

The students also seem to be as successful at finding jobs as they are at completing projects. "Two of our students have conducted a survey of graduates," says Vicky Troup. "By and large everyone is doing well. We have grads in every kind of environment-related field. For example, one is an environmental manager, others work for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, another is with the Ministry of the Environment, and yet another works for a large consulting firm. One of our grads, a geologist involved in hydrology, is working in the mining industry, using environmental information to bring a new understanding to that industry."

Graduates are also making inroads abroad. Two of the grads have gone on to work in Iran and Africa. One of the instructors has a CIDA grant to work on curriculum development projects for an institution in Santiago, Chile. "The possibility for further international opportunities is certainly there. As well, we’d like to think there is the potential for a Master’s program sometime in the future," says Troup.