Eligibility

This position is funded through the Work to Grow program, which has a goal of diversifying and strengthening the nature sector. As such, this opportunity is only available to individuals who identify as Black, Indigenous, People of Colour.

Before applying, please note that you must meet all following requirements to be eligible for the program:

• Between the ages of 15 and 30
• Legally entitled to work in Canada
• A Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or have been granted refugee status
• I identify as Black, Indigenous, and/or a Person of Colour

The Opportunity

Trees are incredible beings that provide food, shelter, and medicine to animals and humans alike. They attenuate rainwater and run-off; improve air quality; reduce air temperature; sequester carbon dioxide; and improve well being. Furthermore, planting trees and forests, even on a small scale, can restore vital habitats for plants and animals, and thus address the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss. Trees can do all of this for our cities; we just have to plant them and let them grow.

Municipalities across Canada plant trees every year, so it is crucial that they have the right policies to ensure their protection and survival, such as strong urban forest management plans. Equally as important is ensuring that the trees are planted equitably throughout the city, not just in high income, predominantly white neighbourhoods as existing research demonstrates. Therefore, this position is focused on supporting groups in cities across the country to advocate for strong tree policies and equitable planting, and has two focuses 1) research and 2) supporting organizing efforts to put the research into practice.

Research efforts include identifying examples of strong urban forest management plans and policies, eg. tree protection by laws. The work also includes developing and delivering presentations and supporting documentation so the knowledge can be easily shared. Research will also include investigating and finding ways forward for issues we hear during meetings with the nature network. For example, successful examples of cities navigating the tension between providing housing and protecting the urban canopy.

This work will directly feed into organizing efforts that support the Reforestation Nature Network Organizer, and can include identifying nature and social justice groups in cities for outreach; scheduling and supporting the facilitation of meetings; and supporting coalition building efforts. This is a virtual position that can be done remotely.

The Organization

Nature Canada connects the dots between local action and systemic change. For more than 80 years we have been Canada’s voice for nature. We work to ensure solutions to the dual crises of biodiversity loss and climate change is a government priority. We facilitate mobilization among our extensive nature network of more than 900 organizations, and support partners in advancing work on the ground.

Description of Duties

• Research urban forest plans, policies, and issues
• Developing presentations and supporting documents that can be delivered to nature network members to support learning
• Identifying groups for outreach via our database, google, and social media platforms
• Scheduling and supporting the facilitation of virtual meetings
• Supporting efforts to build coalitions
• Track relationships systematically in our database (Salesforce)

Qualifications and Skills

• Proven experience conducting research
• A people person that is comfortable speaking in front of groups
• Outreach and engagement experience is a strong asset
• Knowledge of and interest in municipal urban forestry issues is a strong asset
• Passionate about tackling racism and equity
• Experience advocating for issues you care about, even as a volunteer is a strong asset
• Strong problem-solving skills
• Comfortable using the Google Drive suite of tools
• Work independently and as part of a team with strong project focus

To Apply

To apply for this position, please send a resume and a one-page cover letter describing your motivations for applying for this job to info@naturecanada.ca with “Urban Forest Position” in the subject line. Please ensure you meet all of the eligibility criteria as listed above.

Deadline to apply: January 16, 2022. Interviews will take place virtually January 19 & 20.

The Details

• Expected start date: January 25 or February 1, 2022
• Contract end data: March 31, 2022