As a summer student working for Tolko Woodlands in High Level, Alberta, May was an exciting month. Each day we learned something new as we were taught what a day in the life of a forestry worker could look like.
The first week on the job consisted of some light reading and learning about Tolko’s history. We toured the Tolko mill and got an inside look at the machines and the processes within. The mill tour was a great way to start the job because it helped us understand the value of the work and the importance of our jobs as summer students.
My job this summer is doing layout, which is also called operations. Layout is one of the first steps that needs to be done to start the logging process. My job is to observe planned cut blocks; I check the quality of the conifer stands, ribbon existing water courses that run within and adjacent to the cut block, and make comments for future contractors about the overall vegetation and access to the cut block. GPSing water courses is one of the most important aspects of the job. It ensures that the watercourse will receive the appropriate protection when the logging machines begin operating in the winter.
In order to access the planned cut blocks, we are required to either take quads or argos into the bush, which we pull using our work trucks and trailers. In far and hard-to-access blocks, helicopters may also be needed. Argo, quad, helicopter, and trailer training was our last training for the remainder of May, which we completed in our compound yard and the field. This was when the real fun began!
I really enjoy getting to operate the quads and argos because they add a little bit of an adventure to the workday. When we set out for the day on quads and argos, it makes us really feel like a team and I know everyone enjoys being together on these specific days.
May was a month of learning and growing as a team, and as the summer goes on, I continue to learn every day. I look forward to sharing my experiences for the rest of the summer!
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