Earthquest (Canada) for the Environment

I spent 4 weeks on the FMBP course in August 2023. During this time I learnt to identify over 20 families of vascular plants and was additionally trained in the use of GIS software. This experience subsequently assisted me in obtaining a job in the conservation sector in my home country. During my stay , Dave wasaninc iredibly knowledgeable and helpful teacher and also welcomed me into his community which supported me when being so far away from home. I would recommend his courses to anyone.

Wasn't sure what to expect from this experience but exceeded all my hopes. Dave is a kind and generous instructor who made me feel very welcome in Canada and introduced me to his family and friends so that I felt integrated into a community. On top of this he is extremely knowledgeable and I felt I came away with more practical knowledge of plants than ever taught in my biology courses at university. Hopefully I can continue this going forward. The lodge where you stay is comfortable and right next to the beach and Dave charges extremely reasonable prices for rent and fuel etc so you can budget accordingly. With Dave I got to explore so many field sites in Ontario as well as manitoulin island and Pelee island, and I feel in love with the area and the kindness of the people. I will definitely be back, thanks again Dave ! Ellie

This course, held locally in Ontario, exceeded my expectations. Dave is incredibly knowledgeable, an enthusiastic and generous instructor. I have built the foundation I wanted and learned so much more.

Dave was very knowledgeable and patient. I learned so much and I loved how the practical meshed with the theory. I'm a hands on learner so his approach of the classroom being in the field worked perfectly for me.

Field Botany Mentorship Program - an excellent opportunity to increase your skills in field botany and surveying practices. I particularly enjoyed the work with species at risk and applying ELC throughout each trip.

The time I spent working alongside Dave was valuable in increasing my knowledge on plant families, genera, and general surveying methods. I learned a lot about the environmental industry, whether it was consulting itself, or the process of restoring at-risk species, and it was very useful to interact with someone who as experience in these fields as well. It was quite helpful for guiding my goals, and for knowing the next steps in bettering my skills and becoming more qualified for a job in the environmental industry. It felt nice to re-immerse myself into field ecology and conducting botanical surveys, and I am happy to have taken the time throughout the summer to learn more about the plants in our backyards and see some of the rare plant populations that exist in southern Ontario.

I graduated in 2015 with a BS in Biology and a BS in Environmental Science with the hopes of getting into Environmental/Ecological Consulting or ecological Research but that hasn't happened. I have field experience from my undergraduate course work but that wasn't enough. This course not only provides valuable Bat Identification and survey information but it also helps navigate the policy and law side of consulting as well as provides unique field practice I've not found anywhere else.

Good training provided you don't have technical issues. I group did expect a little time on actual training we didn't count on having so many set backs. although we did get to develop our trailer park outline as to how we should structure are design in the near future Thanks Dave Mike

Great teacher and excellent program. I learned more than expected and the hands on field trip justified the learning experience. My goal was to introduce myself to the GIS platform however it provided above and beyond training.

I took this course 2 years ago. The content was good and the instructor was passionate, informative, and willing to answer questions. After the course, Dave offered a volunteer opportunity, which allowed me to gain further experience and build my resume. This course opened doors to jobs in my field as many require GIS including the permanent job I just obtained. Even though I have not had to use GIS since the course, I feel like the knowledge will come back easy and I still have my notes.

I took this course two years ago because GIS was becoming popular as a requirement for many jobs in my field. Dave was a great instructor - informative, willing to answer questions, and passionate. He provided a volunteer opportunity after the course, which allowed me to use the GIS skills and build my resume. I have since applied to jobs where GIS was either a requirement or an asset and just obtained a full-time position. Even though I have not used GIS in two years, taking the course opened possibilities for me and I feel that I simply need a refreshed and will be good to go. The GIS course was worth taking and I highly recommend Dave.

Lots of excellent information. Very hands on. Itinerary could have been more clear. Definitely recommend this course. Need better Health and Safety prep (i.e understanding of peoples allergies, limitations was not discussed). Course work and discussion work was clear and required.

As an Earthquest (Canada) For The Environment alumna (Field Assistant Trainee 2000) I participated in a biological field survey of the Bruce Peninsula, Ontario, Canada. It was an overwhelming positive experience. We tented near our field site and conducted flora/fauna surveying as we hiked along the Bruce Peninsula. The Senior Instructor and Field Assistant were welcoming, helpful and skilled. Clearly they loved what they were doing and loved teaching. Participant's health and safety were paramount. Working together as a team to reach the survey goals fostered a spirit of cooperation and created a positive working environment. While there weren't many opportunities to social with residents of the area, the majority of those interactions were positive.

Great experience, the experience of doing the emergence count and hearing them on the unit was super interesting. Seeing the spectrum of the calls was cool too. Would have been nice to have an exercise where you had ten minutes to try to figure out what species the call belongs to then discuss it. Other than that, it was great.

It was an amazing course. Dave is a phenomenal botanist and he truly knows his plants, birds, and wildlife. He was very meticulous in examining my herbarium specimens and when administering the tests.