HOW TO GET THERE
Typical pathway
A typical path starts with high school courses in science, biology, geography, math, and communication. Many students then take a college or university program in environmental studies, wildlife conservation, fish and wildlife technology, or natural resources. Some people also build experience through outdoor work, volunteer projects, field research, or seasonal jobs with conservation or wildlife organizations. Employers may want strong observation, physical fitness, report writing, and people skills, and requirements can vary by province, employer, or the specific role. Some positions also involve extra training in safety, enforcement, or field procedures.
THE WORK
What you may do
Legacy duties
- Generate public awareness of fish and wildlife conservation and regulations
- Conduct patrols by truck, aircraft, boat, or on foot, to ensure compliance with the provincial and federal statutes relating to fish, wildlife and the environment
- Investigate complaints, arrest violators, prepare briefs and present evidence in court
- Issue licences, export documents and special permits and collect royalties assessed on fish, wildlife and timber resources
- Implement and supervise approved techniques in preventing or overcoming damage caused by wildlife
- Perform resource protection duties
- Gather resource data by making inventories of fish, collecting water samples and assisting biologists in scientific research
- Supervise or provide firearms safety training courses and trapper education courses.