POSITION DETAILS

Title: Welland Orchard Assistant

Term date: July 2, 2024 - August 23, 2024

Hours/week: 30 hrs per week
Wage: $ 21.00 per hour

This job is funded by the Canada Summer Jobs grant. Applicants must be between 15 - 30 years old, and be Permanent Residents/Canadian Citizens to be eligible.

ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY

LifeCycles cultivates healthy communities by bringing people together to grow, harvest, and share local foods. Working in urban gardens and orchards, we are reimagining the way that we live and eat in cities. We believe that food is at the heart of thriving, diverse communities and a healthy planet. Our programs distribute fresh local produce to community members and service agencies, while mentoring the next generation of food leaders. Through transformative learning experiences, we strengthen our connections with each other, the food we eat, and the land it comes from. In doing so, we are building a more resilient and equitable food future.

Our projects operate on unceded Coast Salish Territories, specifically the lands of the Lekwungen and WASÁNEC peoples. For more information about what we do, visit: www.lifecyclesproject.ca 

OVERVIEW

The Welland Legacy Park houses a community orchard that is among the largest & most diverse in Canada. Together with the Town of View Royal and dozens of volunteers, LifeCycles is working to create a new model of public park stewardship, protecting and nurturing this local treasure. 

The park was once the backyard of Rex Welland, a well known local conservationist. For over twenty years Rex transformed his yard into a mixed orchard featuring more than 150 fruit trees & vines, and built a collection of 100 varieties of rare heritage apples. Rex was passionate about native bees and took meticulous notes on their habits and life cycles. To ensure the orchard would be used as a public resource Rex placed the land in trust with The Land Conservancy and gifted the property to the Town of View Royal. LifeCycles is humbled to be a part of this legacy. Rex’s passion, enthusiasm and dedication to ecosystem health inspired many, and with the help of our many volunteers we are working to build a public park that fulfills his dream.  

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES: 

This person will report directly to the Welland Coordinator, and sometimes work with the Fruit Tree Project Manager as directed by the Welland Coordinator. 

Orchard Management

• Assist with orchard maintenance at the discretion of the Welland Coordinator 
• The position will primarily involve outdoor work and will require the ability to lift 20-30 lbs as well as move a wheelbarrow up and down a significant slope, walk, kneel, or squat, bend, and shovel. 
• Orchard tasks will include: 
• General maintenance work (flipping compost, hauling soil, etc.) 
• Weeding 
• Assist with summer pruning of fruit trees
• Irrigation maintenance 
• Assist with holistic management of fruit tree pest and disease concerns  
• Orchard inspections (checking for newly broken branches, diseased, dying, stressed trees, weeds taking over, correctly identifying weeds versus intentional plants, etc) 
• Assisting with organizing workshop events and other LifeCycles events such as the Community Sharing Day
• Assist in the coordination and management of Welland Legacy Park supplies and tools
• Coordinate with the Welland Coordinator and Fruit Tree Project Manager to harvest and distribute excess fruit
• Manage compost toilet system safely & to a standard befitting a public park

Program and Volunteer Coordination

• Help run 1 volunteer work party by-weekly in coordination with the Welland Coordinator
• Assist the Welland Coordinator in the preparation and execution of monthly Workshops
• Assist in the execution of grant funded tours and other projects
• Assist in the creation of educational signage that pertains to our ongoing programming
• Attend LifeCycles staff meetings, as necessary 

QUALIFICATIONS: 

• Able to work independently and as part of a team
• Methodical, detail oriented, and observant
• Open to working some weekends
• Experience working in a physically demanding setting
• Willingness to work hard for the satisfaction of a job well done in all weather conditions
• Experience in fruit tree care, gardening/landscaping/farming and volunteer/event coordination preferred. At a minimum, a strong interest in learning about fruit tree care
•  Awareness of food security issues and sustainability on Vancouver Island and in BC

Please send applications by email to Alex at by June 14th, 2024. 

Please email your application resume and cover letter (ideally as one pdf) with the subject line: “Welland Orchard Assistant”. 

**Please include your last name in the filename(s) of your application materials.**

LifeCycles Project Society is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage women, people of Indigenous ancestry, people of colour, LGBTQIP2SA individuals and members of other diverse communities to apply for careers with our organization. 

We also understand that statistically, marginalized groups will only apply for a position if they meet 100% of the qualifications while dominant groups will apply when they meet only 60%. We encourage you to apply even if you do not feel that you meet 100% of the above job description qualifications.

LifeCycles runs programs on unceded Coast Salish Territories, specifically of the Kosapum, Songhees, and WASÁNEC Peoples.

We thank everyone for their interest, but only those selected for interviews will be contacted.