Conservation Areas – Opening Preparations for the 2023 Conservation Areas Operating Season
With the longer days and warmer temperatures of spring comes a familiar reminder for conservation area (CA) staff: May 1st opening day is getting closer. While eyes are focused on opening day, there are many steps required to get Fanshawe, Pittock and Wildwood CAs ready for opening day.
During February and March, we focus on recruitment which is crucial as we cannot operate our CAs without seasonal staff. CA Supervisors began working with Human Resources and Marketing staff to get the various seasonal positions posted and advertised. It should be noted that between the three CAs we annually hire approximately 60 seasonal staff, so the collaboration between CA, Human Resources and Marketing staff is key to getting our staffing message out there. April becomes very busy with interviews and subsequent job offers.
Prior to seasonal staff beginning work, they are involved with an extensive training process which, again, involves collaboration between Human Resources, Health and Safety, and CA Supervisors. Each seasonal staff member receives, as part of their hiring package, training modules to cover off elements of health and safety and the UTRCA Personnel Regulations. These are completed by staff electronically and tracked for completion by Human Resources staff.
Staff will gather at the CA they have been hired at, for a common orientation day and a chance to meet their co-workers. While this orientation day will have a few more elements of training from Human Resources and Health and Safety staff, the focus begins to turn to the CAs themselves. A key part of the day is introducing the staff (new and returning) to their CA and what it has to offer for programs and services as well as receive job specific training.
The final part of the puzzle to getting the conservation areas ready for the May 1st opening is getting “boots on the ground,” the operational side of things. This means having staff work together to develop skills acquired through orientation and training and getting the properties ready. There are sticks to move, garbage to collect, campsites to prepare, grass to cut, tables to move, docks to go on the reservoirs, facilities to open, drinking water systems to start up and get samples to the lab, risk management inspections to undertake, and many questions from prospective patrons to answer.
Key to this operational process is the weather, which at times sees staff still dealing with rain and cold temperatures or high water events, which slows up the timing for work to be completed. Fortunately, the outlook for the remainder of April looks favorable, with conditions perfect for having our CAs in prime condition to welcome patrons back for the 2023 operational season.
Contact: Damian Schofield, Conservation Areas Coordinator