YOUTH CONSERVATION OPPORTUNITIES
Change your life, Change the world
Passionate about nature and eager to make a difference? Welcome to the Youth Stewardship Program, where youth aged 15-30 can reconnect with the environment, meet like-minded peers, and gain hands-on conservation experience.
Tailored for high school students (15-18) and young adults (19-30), our program offers exciting one-day workshops focused on real conservation projects. High schoolers can earn community service hours and connect with peers who share their passion for nature. Young adults can deepen their knowledge of environmental studies while forming social connections.
Join us and become a steward of nature, making a tangible impact and helping protect our planet for YOUR generation!
Workshops
Each workshop is a free one-day event. We provide:
- Safety training and equipment.
- Transportation from the Barrie Library or Orillia Library to our office (optional).
- Transportation from our office to the selected Nature Reserve (optional).
We currently have openings for drop-ins to participate in our Wildlife on Roads program, where we conduct road surveys. If you're interested, please reach out to Alysha Henry, Youth Stewardship Coordinator.
High School Workshops
Are you 15-18 years old? Earn your community service hours while making a difference! Learn about Trail Cameras, help with Wildlife on Roads monitoring, and remove fencing to Release the Wild!
Young Adults Workshops
Are you 19-30 years old and interested in protecting natural landscapes and wildlife in our region? Gain valuable knowledge and hands-on experience in conservation while meeting new friends who share your passion. After each workshop, unwind and socialize at a local pub or café (optional). Alternative rain dates are available for each workshop. Each workshop requires a minimum of 3 participants to run.
Focus Areas
TRAIL CAMS
We invite the youth to explore the secrets of the wilderness through this workshop and trail trip. This is your opportunity to become a wildlife documentarian- your trail camera setup will contribute to the documentation of the reserve’s biodiversity.
Release the Wild
Join us in the journey to release the wild! Are you passionate about fostering a harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature? If so, we invite you to join this mission to 'literally' remove barriers for wildlife, allowing them to roam freely within their natural habitats.
Wildlife on Roads
Youth will document and submit data on wildlife crossing roads. The Couchiching Conservancy uses this information to identify crossing points, assess success rates, and evaluate the impact of road design on wildlife.
Angela Rehhorn Commemorative Project
Change your life, Change the world
Angela Rehhorn
This project has been made possible through Commemoration Fund for the Victims of the Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 Tragedy, which honours the Canadian victims and their families.
One victim was Angela Rehhorn, who grew up in Orillia, attended Patrick Fogarty Secondary School, and went on to study Marine Biology at Dalhousie University. Angela was a dedicated Conservancy volunteer and engaging with youth, fostering their relationship with the land and guiding them to actively contribute to conservation.
We will never know the long-term impact she would have made in the field of Conservation, but we hope that this project will inspire youth in our community to become Conservationists. Something that would have given her great satisfaction
Angela Rehhorn's motto, "Change your life. Change the world.", remains a guiding principle for our efforts. Through this project, we endeavor to honor her memory by making a meaningful impact.
IN THE NEWS:
Meet Your Mentor
"Alysha, helped us start the school year off right by coming to our Environmental Science class to run a Wildlife on Roads workshop. Throughout the entire day Alysha ignited sparks of curiosity with her inquiry-based approach and expertise in identification- the perfect way to start a course!"
- Steph Miller, Simcoe Shores Secondary School, 7th Fire Rama
