Today’s blog was written by Justin Sallans, Discovery ranger at Grundy Lake Provincial Park.
As someone who has always loved nature, working as a Discovery ranger at Grundy Lake Provincial Park was the perfect choice for me.
Not only did I get to live and work in the park, but I also had the opportunity to share knowledge I had gained through my post-secondary studies.
I worked with a team of ten interpreters who all had the same goal: to provide high-quality interpretive experiences for park visitors.
Helping others discover nature
Grundy Lake offers various types of Discovery programs including interpretation stations (or drop-ins), guided hikes, children’s programs, and amphitheatre presentations.
Each program is designed to educate visitors on the uniqueness of the park and encourage them to continue their learning journey even after the program.
Grundy Lake is also one of few parks that offers the Learn to Fish program!
Every day (and program) is a little different
After having completed an extracurricular reptile field survey course in May, one of my favourite programs to run was a drop-in station on the reptiles that call the park home, such as the Blanding’s Turtle and the Northern Watersnake.
I got to share what I had learned about these often-misunderstood creatures and get park visitors excited about reptiles.
Another fun part of my job was participating in the park’s special “Spirit Night” amphitheatre program. Held twice a year, this program is a theatrical skit focused on life in the park with changing content every year.
It was a big change for me to be the person on stage, but the event was a fun way for staff like myself (not just Discovery) to work together and apply our interpretation (and acting!) skills. Reaching crowds of up to 300 people, it’s a program you don’t want to miss!
Discovering visitors’ interests
As a Discovery ranger, I also had shifts working in the Discovery Centre, which is full of animal skulls, taxidermy, and flora and fauna that can be found throughout the park.
My favourite thing about working there was seeing how excited kids were to see, feel, and learn about the creatures in the park. Not to mention hearing about the different animal sightings and park stories that people had to share.
Expanding my love of nature
For me, the most exciting part about being a Discovery Ranger at Grundy Lake was assisting with the Blanding’s Turtle radio tracking project, a new addition to their ongoing turtle monitoring project.
Each Discovery ranger spent one day per week tracking the tagged turtles. Locating the turtles was not always easy!
While radiotracking the turtles, I saw things one wouldn’t normally see living in an urban area.
For example, one of my favourite field finds was one of the only four carnivorous plants found in Ontario: the Northern Purple Pitcher Plant.
I was even lucky enough to see a pair of Sandhill Cranes up close and hear their calls for the first time! It was one of the highlights of my summer.
Taking the leap
As a Discovery ranger at Grundy Lake, not only did I get to work with a great team of nature enthusiasts and learn about nature, but I also got to assist with the park’s turtle monitoring project, which was a dream come true.
Looking back at my summer with all the skills and knowledge I gained, I’m glad I took the jump.
If you’re someone who wants to share their passion for nature with others, then working as a Discovery ranger may be for you!
Learn more about jobs with Ontario Parks and how to apply on our careers page.