Dustin Forster looks off into the distance while representing the Natural Resource Compliance program during a field trip to the coulee. Photo by Elise Duncan.

The clues are easy to miss, unless you know where to look. A patch of disturbed soil and patterns of tracks that don’t belong and a subtle shift in the land signals something isn’t right. For students in the Natural Resource Compliance program at Lethbridge Polytechnic, scenarios like this turn the outdoors into a classroom. This is where learning means stepping into the role of an investigator and putting what students have learned to the greatest test.

The program is a blend of environmental science and criminal justice, focusing on scenario-based learning, including three weeks dedicated to field work per semester. Students are trained to uphold environmental laws while protecting land, water, wildlife and cultural resources. Students learn to detect, investigate and respond to real-world environmental violations. Putting them in the field helps them build the skills they’ll need for careers as conservation officers, environmental inspectors and other frontline protectors of our natural resources.   

 Gordan Cox is the chair of Environmental Science and Criminal Justice, explaining what the field work looks like for students. “The field trips are set up so that the students are doing scenarios where they’re checking anglers in a compliance scenario. In one they get to compliant about a cougar kill, where they’re having to complete investigations, take evidence and interview people.”

But the job goes beyond the environment itself. Much of the work involves people, educating the public and preventing issues before they escalate, along with handling tense situations in the field. “There’s a lot of working with people when you’re doing compliance,” said Cox, “Along with a lot of education on prevention and de-escalating situations. So, communication is the most important skill when entering this field.”

That focus on learning vital communication skills is woven into the program just as much as the field work is. Whether they’re simulating conversations with anglers, responding to reported incidents or working through complex scenarios. Each one of these experiences builds their confidence in handling everything the job may have in store.

Dustin Forster is completing his final year of studying the Natural Resource Compliance program. When reflecting on his experiences throughout his field trips and excursions, he explains how this program shapes how he sees the world of conservation. “It’s one thing learning something in the classroom, but going down in the coulees makes you realize how important everything is and really just puts things into perspective for me.”

For Forster, the experience of the field works helps him better understand the importance and lets him imagine the bigger picture of what it means to protect the things he has grown to love.

Together, these experiences highlight what sets the Natural Resource Compliance program apart. With combining the hands-on scenarios with real-world applications, it creates strong communication skills. Having the students leave with more than just knowledge, but also being prepared for what comes next. It is a stepping stone into a career; it’s a foundation for protecting natural resources and ensuring they’re preserved for the future generations.