Ecosystem Management Technician

This program highlights a holistic approach to the management of human activity within ecosystems. We will prepare you for an exciting career that can take you where you want to go, either in your home community, in a wilderness environment, or across the globe. Through careful consideration of the needs of society and the environment, you'll help governments, conservation groups, and wildlife organizations undertake environmentally sustainable planning for the future.

Within the program, you'll study ecosystem composition, structure and function in wilderness, rural, and urban landscapes, and acquire a broad range of technical skills, as well as the flexibility to adapt to changing job requirements. As well, you will:

• learn the principles of experimental design and research, and how to apply them to a project of your own
• participate in the monitoring and assessment of aquatic and terrestrial habitats, conduct resource inventories and environmental sampling, and develop plans for the management of public and private landscapes
• conduct field research in partnership with a variety of organizations and analyze data generated by this work
• learn to use Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology to analyze ecosystems at a variety of scales.

• Ecosystem Management is on the leading edge of resource conservation in the 21st century.
• The School of Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences at the Frost Campus encourages small class sizes and provides state-of-the-art technology.
• Dedicated, award-winning faculty provide a challenging and dynamic learning environment in the heart of the Kawartha Lakes region.
• While you learn about ecosystem science and the current techniques of sustainable resources management, you will also develop essential skills in communications, human relations, facilitation, problem solving, dispute resolution, and cultural awareness.
• This combination of skills and knowledge is transferrable on a global scale.

Many of our programs offer the opportunity to earn a second certificate or diploma with just one or two additional semesters of study. Add another specialization to your skill set and increase your career prospects with this unique opportunity.

Learn more here or contact your program coordinator for more information.

The program provides the student with a two-week (80 hour) mandatory field placement. This placement is designed to allow you to apply your skills, demonstrate your abilities and obtain valuable work experience that many employers are looking for.

Certain diploma programs within the School of Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences (SENRS) share some first-semester courses providing students a flexible and interdisciplinary academic start. This allows students to:

• Explore various fields of study within environmental and natural resource sciences
• Discover careers that align with their strengths and interests
• Transfer credits between programs, reducing duplication and saving time

By earning credits that apply across multiple diplomas, students will have the chance to work toward more than one credential without starting from scratch. This also opens doors to a multidisciplinary education, in which students gain a strong foundation in key concepts and practical skills that can be applied across industries.

To help you succeed in this program and career you need:

• the ability to ask questions, solve problems and create sustainable plans
• an interest in understanding how ecosystems and humanity interact
• analytical and creative thinking
• excellent oral and written communication skills
• the ability to work as part of a team
• good organizational ability
• cultural awareness/sensitivity
• excellent interpersonal skills
• volunteer or work experience in such areas as conservation, parks, greenspace projects, public education about the environment, or habitat restoration is an asset.

As a Technician, you'll find work in careers such as:

• resource management technician
• urban forest management
• geomatics technician
• aquatic/terrestrial biologist
• environmental education
• land use planning
• restoration technician
• watershed technician
• environmental consultant, and others.

You'll work for conservation authorities, parks departments, private consulting firms, municipal/provincial/federal governments, non-governmental organizations, First Nations communities, or stewardship organizations. Positions can be found across Canada and around the world. Willingness to relocate for work, and taking the initiative to develop contacts in the field greatly enhances the opportunities available to you.

As a student in this program you will be required to:

• Participate in field activities, sometimes in remote areas, including walking several kilometers over rough terrain, carrying heavy gear, and working in all weather conditions such as rain, deep snow and extreme temperatures.
• Participate in activities that require reading, interpreting and creating maps using Geographic Positioning Systems and Geographic Information System software, topographic paper maps and aerial photographs.
• Identify landscape features, rocks, minerals, soil layers, flora and fauna, including microscopic plankton and invertebrates for the purposes of habitat assessment. Identification of these elements of the ecosystem will be based almost exclusively on live and/or preserved specimens, objects or samples, maps and photographs etc.
• Apply verbal and non-verbal communication techniques in a team context to resolve conflicts and achieve project goals.

Plan to spend about $925 in the first year and $525 in the second year for the cost of books, supplies and field camps.

The Indigenous Perspectives Designation (IPD) is an option available to students in this program. To qualify for an IPD, you must take and successfully complete a series of required Indigenous Studies courses as well as participate in a minimum of four approved co-curricular Indigenous events or experiences. Your transcript will indicate the IPD upon graduation, a designation that provides you with a comprehensive understanding of Indigenous cultures, histories, traditions, and contributions to our shared society within the context of your program of study. The IPD provides a valuable skill set sought after in today's employment sector.

• Participate in resource management planning based on knowledge of relevant government structures, policies, terminology and legislation.
• Effectively communicate the foundational principles of Ecosystem Management in a variety of formats, including oral, written, computer-based and other technologies, to a variety of audiences.
• Work effectively with a wide variety of sampling tools and technologies to accurately collect, organize, analyze, interpret and communicate ecological and spatially geo-referenced data.
• Respect a variety of worldviews and perspectives on ecology, sustainability, and the role that humans play within ecosystems at the local, regional, and global level.
• Apply the scientific method and the principles of scientific inquiry to complete collaborative research studies on ecosystem dynamics and ecosystem function at a variety of spatial and temporal scales.
• Develop oral and written communication skills in the completion of proposals and grant applications to secure resources for the implementation of ecosystem management projects.
• Apply current and emerging protocols to study ecosystem biodiversity, composition, structure and function.
• Develop conflict resolution, facilitation and negotiating skills to work effectively with others in a collaborative, solutions-based environment to prevent and/or mitigate the impacts of human activity within ecosystems.
• Prepare internal reports and field records, documenting information accurately and in a timely manner, in compliance with industry and government regulations, established policies and procedures.
• Operate and maintain tools and equipment appropriately, in compliance with industry safety and operating standards, ensuring optimum health and safety of self, team members and the environment.

Students applying to Ecosystem Management Technician must meet the following requirements:

• OSSD including Gr 12 C English and Gr 12 C Math

Windows (ideal) or Mac computer. Information about hardware requirements can be found on the ArcGIS Desktop system requirements page.