Banff’s international volunteers help out in Jasper
Go International Conservation volunteers travel from far and wide to help Banff National Park during the summer and fall months each year.
Part of an innovative and exciting international voluntourism program, these visitors volunteer on a wide variety of special projects and opportunities. Jasper National Park occasionally becomes a recipient of these eager and willing volunteers and was fortunate to have them in the park twice this September.
On Sept. 18, they helped the visitor experience staff install many of the newly minted signs into Wilcox Creek campground.
From Sept. 24–26, these volunteers returned for an overnight trip and participated in some invasive weed pulling at Lake Annette, trail clearing at Pocahontas Mine trail, and most importantly, contributed to the final stages of completing the Fire Escape trail re-route.
Although they’re based in Banff, a trip to Jasper is often one of the highlights for these volunteers, as they experience what the Canadian Rockies are all about!
Collaboration creates successful Learn to Camp 2014
Parks Canada’s exciting Learn to Camp program returned to Jasper National Park Sept. 19–21, providing 50 new Edmonton residents the chance to experience the joys of a national park up close and personal.
Many of the newcomers have a refugee background and would not have the opportunity to access a park like Jasper if it were not for the collaborative work of many staff and volunteers from a variety of important partners.
From the sleeping bags that kept the newcomers warm to the bus that brought them here, the program wouldn’t have happened without the following groups and individuals:
- Brewster Travel Canada provided all transportation services for three days to and from Edmonton (without which, this would not be possible);
- Edmonton Catholic Social Services organized the new Canadians, their logistics and their meals;
- Alberta Junior Forest Wardens provided some help and a workshop about fire making;
- Mountain Equipment Co-op donated the tents, provided workshops and helped throughout the weekend;
- Alberta Parks provided two interpreters to help from Miquelon Lake Provincial Park near Edmonton;
- The Edmonton Garrison of Canadian Forces loaned 50 sleeping bags and liners for use;
- Elk Island National Park provided the tents and the sleeping pads;
- The Friends of Jasper National Park provided the breakfast on Sept. 21;
- Local resident Monika Schaefer came out on Sept. 20 and jammed with our new Canadian participants;
- And five international student volunteers, who were part of two previous Learn to Camp programs near Edmonton, came to help out.
Parks Canada
Special to the Fitzhugh
