Do you think your
choice of job could
make a difference to
the environment?

Conservation Officer

Have you ever been out canoeing and spotted a moose standing silently at the water's edge or seen an eagle circling overhead? If you enjoy seeing wildlife and like being outdoors, maybe a Conservation Officer is the job for you. Sharon Benjamin is stationed in Dawson and she conducts her patrols by air, boat, truck, 4-wheeler and snowmobile. “To do this job, you must be able to drive all types of equipment.”

Sharon can identify all big game, game birds, fur bearers and fish in the Yukon. She studies wildlife and collects information about their habitat, food, and the way they live. Sharon has a lot of contact with people too, talking to them about wildlife and about hunter safety.

Sharon wanted a job that would allow her to work outdoors and “travel by land, water, or air to observe wildlife.” Being a Conservation Officer has also given her the opportunity of staying in her home community. “I wanted to work in the north and be stationed in northern communities.”

Sharon views her work as having a natural connection to the heritage and life-style of her people. She explains, “I am from a small, native community where the people still practice their traditional way of life. The land and the management of our renewable resources is very important to our people.”

“I feel committed to my job. I believe it is important to preserve the environment and wildlife. I want to protect it so that it will be available to future generations. ”