Galiano Conservancy Association on Galiano Island, British Columbia is seeking a Sustainable Food Systems Technician!
ABOUT Galiano Conservancy Association
A Food Forest is a multi-layered diverse garden in which every plant serves several interconnected purposes. The plants are chosen for several reasons of which include food production, nitrogen-fixing, creating mulch for soil building, and feeding pollinators. In an effort to mimic a natural forest the plants are grown in various layers: Canopy, shrub, herbaceous layer, vining layer, rhizome layer and ground cover. A Food Forest needs less inputs including time, water and fertilizer in order to sustainably produce food and other products.
The Food Forest can be a busy place! There are groups of kids taking part in programs such as People, Plants and Pollinators and The Future of Food, as well as adult education programs such as our spring and fall Herbal Harvest workshops, the Forest Gardens-they grow on you workshop and our regular composting education programs.
We harvest in season produce such as greens, herbs, edible flowers, root vegetables and berries regularly in order to supply local restaurants, and caterers with a diversity of locally adapted crops. We also harvest throughout the season to produce our Forest Garden Tea brand, which can be purchased at the Millard Learning Centre and at the Loose Leaf Tea and Papery in Sturdies Bay. We harvest the herbs at peak ripeness, then dry, blend and package on site. We currently have 7 different varieties of tea that are available seasonally.
The Food Forest is also home to our plant nursery which features over 60 varieties of Native and Food Forest friendly plants.
The Food Forest site had very compacted soil, but it also had great sun exposure, wind protection and water drainage. In terms of resources, there were a good amount of rotting logs. Hugelculture beds seemed like the perfect option for our situation. Hugelculture beds are no dig raised beds that rely on a gradual decay of wood as a consistent source of nutrients, moisture and heat. The process of building a hugelculture bed involves building a big trench, filling it with rotting lots, covering it with the soil available on site and then covering that in mulch. Other nutrient rich materials like compost, seaweed and leaves are always welcome. Soil aeration increases as branches and logs break down and the logs act like as sponge and hold water over dry periods. Rainwater is stored in the logs and is released during drier times. The method has worked well for us as our Food Forest is a hot site and most of the plants have survived drought like conditions with the help of this set up.
Our Mission:
To protect, steward and restore Galiano Island ecosystems by creating a network of natural areas where a healthy environment, learning and a love of nature flourish.
DESIRED QUALITIES
This position will require physical, social, and intellectual work. The candidate must demonstrate a capacity for leadership, the ability to work effectively both as part of a team and independently, and a willingness to learn and engage themselves in hard work.
Applicants must be prepared to live on Galiano for May through August, spend long hours outside doing physical labour, and be available periodically for work on weekends. The applicant must have current Standard First Aid, or be willing to obtain it before coming to Galiano.
As the Sustainable Food Systems Technician, you will work independently and in a team on a variety of projects related to sustainable food production and plant propagation. Primarily, you will be responsible for assisting the Sustainable Food Systems Coordinator to operate an active plant nursery and forest garden (food forest), and their associated social enterprises. This position involves an average of five days of work each week, including some evenings and weekends, based out of the Millard Learning Centre (10825 Porlier Pass Road) on Galiano Island.
This position is partially wage subsidy funded, and to meet the funding criteria, applicants must be between the ages of 15 and 30 and be either Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or a person with refugee status eligible to work in Canada. A criminal record check may be required, and will be arranged before arrival.
Because the Galiano Conservancy conducts activities at a variety of locations throughout Galiano Island, a class-5 driver’s license is required and access to a reliable personal vehicle/transportation is strongly preferred.
TASKS & RESPONSIBILITIES
- Propagation and care for native and edible plants
- Soil building and soil care
- Caring for the forest garden and operation of a mechanical/computerized watering system
- Garden harvesting
- Harvesting, processing and blending herbs for tea
- Maintenance and operation of demonstration-scale compost systems
- Identification of native species and forest garden plants
- Removal of invasive plants from protected areas
- Native/edible plant and forest garden (including added value) sales at Saturday market
- Conducting tours for visiting groups
- Assisting with restoration activities and monitoring resulting ecological responses
- Recording Food Forest and Nursery data in spreadsheets
- Assisting with trail building, Species at Risk monitoring and education programs
JOB DETAILS
Term: 17 weeks, with up to one week off (560 hours over a 4 month period)
Start Date: May 6, 2024
Hours per week: 35 Hours per Week
Wage: $21.58 / hour ($20.75/hr + 4% Vacation Pay)
Accommodation: The successful candidate is responsible for securing rental housing on Galiano Island from May through August, as well as for all transportation costs when commuting to and from work (10825 Porlier Pass Road). The Galiano Conservancy can help identify rental housing opportunities through our local contacts
TO APPLY
Submit your cover letter and resume to jobs@galianoconservancy.ca by midnight on Wednesday, January 31st, 2024 with the job title* in the email subject line. Please ensure cover letter and resume files are submitted in pdf format following these naming conventions:
SURNAME_FIRSTNAME-CoverLetter.pdf
SURNAME_FIRSTNAME-Resume.pdf
Due to the volume of applications received, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Shortlisted candidates will be sent interview invitations by February 6th. Although we prefer to interview applicants in person, remote video conference (Zoom) interviews can take place as an alternative for candidates who are unable to be physically present.
Thank you for your interest, and we look forward to receiving your application.
Deadline to apply: January 31, 2024
When applying, please mention you saw this posting at youngagrarians.org
LEARN MORE ABOUT Galiano Conservancy Association
Website: https://galianoconservancy.ca/about/job-opportunities/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/galianoconservancy
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/galianoconservancy/