EDMONTON WELCOMES PLT CANADA’S GREEN RIDE CAMPAIGN, BRINGING AWARENESS TO GREEN JOBS IN THE FOREST SECTOR

June 17, 2019

When Zac Wagman rolled into Edmonton on the Green Ride for Green Jobs, he didn’t imagine the police would want to take his bike for a spin. But that’s what happened when he and his brother Nick pulled up at the Alberta Legislature Building on June 13.

“I’m riding a wooden bike. It attracts a lot of attention. A couple of police on bikes came by our event and asked to go for a ride. So of course, I said yes,” Zac said.

Zac is the Green Jobs Manager at Project Learning Tree Canada (PLT Canada). He was hosting an event recognizing and celebrating local youth and employers who are participating in the Green Jobs program in the Edmonton area.

Green Jobs include positions in ecosystem and wildlife management, recreation and interpretation, conservation and research, and more. A midday event at the Alberta Legislature featured 20 youth, program partners, drop-in visits from members of the public and two bike enthusiasts with the Edmonton Police Service. The media were also on hand to cover the event. (Read the CTV story)

Zac’s stop in Edmonton also included a visit to the Canadian Forest Service’s Northern Forestry Centre. Zac met staff and shared stories from the Green Ride as well as answered questions from staff.

“Forests are a huge part of our identity as a country. They offer all kinds of benefits, from wood products to carbon storage to providing clean water, and they are home to environmentally sustainable careers. At the same time, forests are a relatively less known green career option for youth. But forests offer incredibly varied and rewarding sustainable careers, which is why supporting the Green Ride is so important,” said Michael Norton, Director General at Natural Resources Canada.

Zac is riding a wooden bicycle from Montreal’s Picolo Vélo. The Green Ride for Green Jobs started on May 13 in Victoria and is set to finish, 8,750 km later, in St. John’s, on September 24. (video)

“This journey is an amazing opportunity to connect with youth and employers, and the road ahead will bring many more of their stories to life. The Green Ride has been a valuable way for PLT Canada to connect to communities and people working in the great outdoors. The diversity of people and opportunities available for youth exploring a career in the great outdoors is what excites me,” Zac said.

Zac is visiting 50 PLT Canada Green Jobs employers, in over 100 communities, across nine provinces. He is also profiling youth working in green jobs and sharing their experiences on social media to highlight the types of careers that exist in the forest, conservation and parks sectors and the pathways to those careers. (Instagram and Twitter)

“Ducks Unlimited Canada strives to inspire youth around conservation and sustainability. Thanks to funding provided through PLT Canada, we are offering valuable work experience to young people who are interested in jobs in the great outdoors,” said Karla Guyn, Ducks Unlimited Canada CEO and Chair of the Project Learning Tree Canada Board. “Initiatives like the Green Ride for Green Jobs underscore the significance of investing in work experiences for youth, while shining light on their future careers and the future of their environment.”

Event partners included Ducks Unlimited Canada, Alberta Forest Products Association, Millar Western, Inside Education, and the University of Alberta, as well as Natural Resources Canada. The Green Jobs program is funded in part by the Government of Canada’s Youth Employment Strategy.