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| Did
you know traditional Inuit hunters travel
great distances across the land without
ever using a map? These hunters also
do not use compasses because they are
too close to the North Pole for the
compass to work properly. The hunters,
relying on their substantial knowledge
of the land, navigate by observing and
memorizing the scenery like the shapes
of the snowdrifts in the winter and
the shapes of the bushes in the summer.
Western science, by contrast, relies
on the collection of geographic data
and information for navigation. Geographical
Information Systems (GIS), for example,
are computer systems, which interact
with satellites that allow people to
collect and analyze thousands of pieces
of information—like latitude, longitude,
altitude, and topography—to produce
maps and to help navigate long trips
across the land. What do you rely on
for your information about the land?
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Wondering
if a job related to land is for you?
If the majority of these statements
apply to you, you could be headed
for a job that involves land.
- I
want to help protect and preserve
the land and its resources for future
generations.
- I
like being outside, going for hikes,
and camping.
- I'm
interested in the stories told by
my Elders about living off the land;
about trails and trap lines; about
camping, hunting and fishing areas;
and about plant and mineral resource
areas, archeological sites, and
sacred or traditional areas. I'd
like to do a job that helps protect
these areas.
- I
like learning about how the land
once was and how it has changed.
- I'm
fascinated by the land—what
I can and can't see, and all of
its potential. I want to know more
about its history and evolution,
and how we can use the land responsibly.
- I
am interested in learning about
new technology like satellites,
mapping, and information.
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If
you're working towards a job related
to the air stream, get started right
now. Here are some things you can
do:
Explore your interest:
- Shadow
someone working a land-related job,
like a geologist, a remediation
scientist, a land use planner, a
Global Information System (GIS)
analyst, or a survey technician.
- For
more information on job-shadowing,
see the tip sheet on Gaining Related
Experience in the Career Journey.
- Go
hiking and camping with your family
or friends, with the Boys and Girls
Club, with Girl Guides or with Boy
Scouts.
- Find
out how the natural resources in
your community have changed over
the last 10 years. Have forests
become smaller? How much land has
been taken over by industrial developments?
What has the impact of human activities
been on the local wildlife populations?
Show
your personal commitment to planning
and building a better future:
- Help
protect our natural resources. Conserve
natural resources by walking, biking
or taking public transportation
instead of driving. Use recycled
paper and monitor the amount of
garbage you and your family produce.
- Organize
a group of friends to clean up a
river, stream, beach or natural
park. Invite everyone in your community
to participate. Ask local businesses
to donate garbage bags and lunch.
Or apply for funding through EcoAction
of Environment Canada. Contact your
local newspaper and tell them about
your efforts.
Start
developing the experience and knowledge
required for a job in land use:
- Ask
the Elders in your community about
traditional place names, traditional
camping grounds, and bird and mammal
migratory routes. Keep track of
this information in a database such
as Access. Find out how to plot
this information onto a map. Are
there patterns in the data that
you recognize?
- Look
up the following summer camps: Ghost
River Rediscovery and Actua Canada.
Get involved in their summer programs
through local cultural centres,
research stations, post-secondary
institutions, and science centres.
Search for other camps near you.
- Look
for summer jobs or volunteer positions
at national or provincial parks,
at your local community centre or
with your band office. Find out
from people in the field what concerns
need to be addressed and what you
can do to protect the environment.
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Check
out the following:
Movies
All these movies are about GIS
Bourne Identity
Mission Impossible 2
Black Hawk Down
Run Lola Run
Goldeneye
Grey Owl
The Lion King
Documentaries
A Place on Earth, by Wendell
Berry
Wolfsong, by Louis Owens
Just a Dream, by Chris Van Allsburg
Books
Canadian Geographic and National Geographic
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