Zac and Nick Wagman of Project Learning Tree arrive in North Bay on their wooden Picolo bicycles as part of a cross-Canada trek to promote environmental jobs for youth. Greeting Zac and Nick were NBMCA Board Chair Chris Mayne, Nipissing-Timiskaming MP Anthony Rota, North Bay Deputy Mayor Tanya Vrebosch, and NBMCA's youth staff who were funded, in part by the PLT grant, Julie Falsetti, Nathaniel Perry, Elaine D'Agostino, and Ella Kozman with Troy Storms (Lands & Stewardship) and Sue Buckle (Communications and Outreach).
(North Bay – July 29, 2019) Zac Wagman arrived in North Bay this morning on his wooden bicycle, part of his four-month long cross-Canada cycling venture Project Learning Tree’s (PLT) “Green Ride”. He is stopping in North Bay to meet with youth working at the North Bay-Mattawa Conservation Authority thanks to a PLT Green Jobs funding grant.
Wagman, PLT Canada’s Green Jobs Manager, is cycling more than 8,750 km over four months, from Victoria, B.C., to St. John’s, Newfoundland, on a Montreal-made Picolo Vélo wooden bicycle. Along the way, Wagman is visiting up to 50 PLT Canada Green Jobs employers, in over 100 communities, across nine provinces.
“It has been an amazing journey so far, biking across Canada, meeting youth working in Green Jobs. These are great jobs that can lead to fantastic careers in the forest and conservation sectors,” said Wagman.
Wagman 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.
The $22,800 grant from PLT helped NBMCA hire four youth who are working on lands and stewardship initiatives including the Restore Your Shore program which helps property owners plant trees and shrubs along their streambank or shoreline to help prevent erosion and support aquatic habitats.
“Not only are these youth gaining valuable experience and insight into watershed management, they’re making a significant contribution to our lands and stewardship initiatives throughout our region. We’re grateful for the Green Jobs funding which has made these jobs and watershed programs like Restore Your Shore possible,” said Troy Storms, NBMCA’s Manager of Lands and Stewardship.
Students working at NBMCA under Green Jobs grant include Julie Falsetti, Nathaniel Perry, Elaine D’Agostino and Ella Kozman.
The Green Jobs initiative is funded by the Government of Canada’s Green Jobs in Green Spaces Youth Employment Strategy. Nipissing-Timiskiming MP Anthony Rota, as well as Deputy Mayor Tanya Vrebosch and NBMCA Chair Chris Mayne were on hand to welcome Wagman to North Bay and show appreciation for supporting youth jobs in North Bay at the NBMCA.
About Project Learning Tree Canada:
Project Learning Tree Canada (PLT Canada) believes in a society that values and benefits from sustainably managed forests and the great outdoors. PLT Canada is committed to using the outdoors to engage youth in learning about the world around them—in rural, Indigenous and urban communities, and using trees and forests as windows on the world to inspire action. Project Learning Tree is an initiative of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative. https://www.mygreenjob.ca/ https://pltcanada.org/index.php/news-releases/plt-canadas-green-ride-for-green-jobs/
About the North Bay-Mattawa Conservation Authority:
NBMCA was founded in 1972 by the Province of Ontario and its 10 member municipalities. A non-profit organization, the NBMCA works closely with the public to balance human needs with environmental needs throughout the region’s watershed. The NBMCA is one of 36 Conservation Authorities who are members of Conservation Ontario. Restore Your Shore is an NBMCA stewardship initiative.
You can follow NBMCA on facebook.com/NBMCA and twitter @theNBMCA
For more information, contact:
Sue Buckle, Manager, Communications & Outreach (705) 474-5420 ext. 2010