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Conservation Officer
At a Glance

Imagine it is barely dawn and the warm morning temperature promises that today will be another
scorcher, even at your remote station. You jump into your four-wheel-drive Jeep and start off
down an old logging trail. You are a conservation officer and today you are headed to a section in
the northeast part of your patrol. You have been receiving reports of campfires in that area, even
though there is a complete fire ban in the district. With the dry summer conditions, campfires are
extremely dangerous: one errant spark could start a blazing forest fire. This morning you hope to
find the group responsible and stop them before they light another fire.

As one of a small group of conservation officers in this district, you know the area fairly well. From
reports received, you have a good idea where this group is. You head out to that area and find
campers boiling water for their morning coffee over an illegal fire. You explain to the group the
dangerous consequences of their campfire and issue them a ticket. They seem receptive enough,
but since you will be in the area all day, you make a note to visit them again in the evening, to
make sure they don’t start any more fires.

In the meantime, you make your rounds among the area’s few residents. Part of your job as a
conservation officer is to build strong relationships with the public, so you work hard to maintain a
friendly rapport with your neighbours. Often they are your eyes and ears in areas where you can’t
be everyday, so they report illegal activity such as campfires and poaching. By enforcing the
campfire ban and laws prohibiting wildlife poaching, you are working to ensure the conservation
of Canada’s environment.

Conservation officers have a variety of responsibilities, including promoting compliance with

environmental legislation through public education, public involvement, and awareness.
Conservation officers are often responsible for enforcing provincial and federal environmental
regulations and have the authority afforded that of a peace officer as outlined under the Criminal
Code of Canada. Conservation officers are always on call to respond to public complaints and
protect our natural resources.

Job Duties

Duties vary significantly from job to job, but the following list includes typical job duties one might
encounter as a conservation officer:
ƒ Patrol natural areas to ensure their conservation and protection.
ƒ Enforce all environmental legislation, including issuing tickets and subpoenas.
ƒ Check hunting and fishing parties for licences, bag limits, and compliance with safety
regulations, for example boating safety, firearm safety, and snowmobile and ATV safety.

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ƒ Investigate complaints of non-compliance with natural resource laws, including pollution of

waters, destruction of fish and wildlife habitat, importation of endangered or non-native
species, and poaching reports.
ƒ Prepare files for court briefings, continuity of evidence, and consultations with the Crown
Prosecutor.
ƒ Administration of Crown land, including road allowances, land issues, intercept feeding,
and lake stocking.
ƒ Advise the public on safety issues, for example campfires and potentially dangerous wildlife.

Work Environment

Conservation officers work in a variety of locations, including:

In the field:
ƒ Patrolling areas and investigating complaints
ƒ Monitoring and enforcing compliance with environmental regulations, and issuing tickets to
offenders
ƒ Responding to emergency situations

In the office:
ƒ Doing paperwork and documenting complaints and actions taken
ƒ Communicating on the phone and in meetings with government departments and the
public

Education

If you are a high school student considering a career as a conservation officer, you should have
strong marks or an interest in:
ƒ Biology
ƒ Physical Education/Outdoor Education
ƒ Legal Studies
ƒ Geography
ƒ Mathematics

In most cases, the minimum education requirement to work as a conservation officer is a technical
diploma.

If you are a post-secondary student considering a career as a conservation officer, the following
programs are most applicable:
ƒ Renewable Resource Management
ƒ Natural Resource Management

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ƒ Law
ƒ Fish and Wildlife
ƒ Ecosystem Management
ƒ Biology and Environmental Studies

In most cases, conservation officers must pass a criminal record check and a physical fitness exam.
They may also be required to take weapons and defence training and should consider taking a
diploma in law enforcement or the equivalent.

Career Opportunities

Most conservation officers are employed by federal or provincial/territorial agencies responsible for
environmental legislation and enforcement.

Resources

Canadian Wildlife Federation

http://www.cwf-fcf.org

Parks Canada
http://www.parkscanada.pch.gc.ca/parks/main_e.htm

North American Wildlife Enforcement Officers Association

http://www.naweoa.org

NOC: 2224

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