Ashley Tkachyk
Hinton,Alberta
Summary
Passionate naturalist knowledgeable about recreation and conservation values. A big picture thinker with Government of Alberta regional and field level operational experience that will be an asset to the Land, Ecosystem and Conservation team. Strong communication and relationship building skills with 8 years of internal and external recreation and resource management connections having been built, and continuing to do so.
Overview
14
14
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Park Ranger Team Lead
Government Of Alberta (Parks Division)
10.2022 - Current
- Educated visitors on park rules and legislation to protect natural resources while creating a safe, enjoyable environment for all visitors.
- Increased park safety by conducting regular patrols and addressing potential hazards in a timely manner.
- Submitted project request forms, inclusive of Phase I Environmental Assessments to the infrastructure stream to address recreation resource management issues.
- Managed risks and mitigated potential issues through proactive planning, monitoring, and timely decision making.
- Reviewed and provided feedback on permit requests, dispositions and proposed research and collection activities.
- Managed the park visitor data collection program in the Hinton District, inclusive of obtaining three provincial pilot counters in conjunction with the Forestry and Parks Business Development Division.
- Trained new park rangers in all operations and policies while offering ongoing mentorship and assistance with duties.
- Led and/or supported emergency response efforts during natural disasters or medical incidents, ensuring visitor wellbeing (2023 Rock Lake Flooding evacuation and 2023 Edson Fire evacuees).
- Maintained trail systems through regular inspections and repair work, ensuring safe access for visitors.
- Worked with the RIU to develop a portal map, to be used through Field Maps, that would tie into existing Provincial layers and allow for useful and available data collection related to recreation and resource management.
- Put together signage orders related to regulatory, advisory or emergency management for the District.
- Enhanced District Emergency Response Plans and the Rock Lake Flood Response plan, distributing and training permanent and seasonal staff.
- Promoted a positive work environment by fostering teamwork, open communication, and employee recognition initiatives.
- Initiated, led the working groups and final role out of RACI matrix (project management tool) for William A. Switzer PP, Pierre Grey Lakes PP and Sulphur Gates PRA which allowed the team to identify gaps, develop solutions to address historical challenges and resulted in an immediate improvement in district stream working relationships.
- Built close, collaborative relationships with regional resource management and infrastructure teams to address planning and resource management needs.
- Planned and led wildlife coexistence solutions to address beaver activity negatively impacting parks infrastructure.
- Maintained current knowledge and understanding of both Parks and Protected Area Legislation and Public Lands Legislation and initiatives (i.e., Crown Land Recreation and Conservation Strategy, Trails Act).
- Reviewed management plans and interim management directives to ensure on ground recreation and resource management was meeting established expectations.
- Participated in stakeholder meetings and built relationships with industry members who operate in and around the Hinton District Parks and Protected Areas (i.e., Coal Branch).
- Acted for the Area Manager as requested, participating in Director led management meetings.
- Active member of the Park Ranger Seasonal Hiring Committee, Seasonal Park Ranger Training Committee and Provincial Aquatic Invasive Species Standing Committee.
Casual Instructor
Portage College
09.2021 - 01.2023
- Taught Water and Wetlands (NRES107) and Reclamation (NRES210) for the Natural Resource Technology Diploma Program
- Position involved working closely with staff and students, preparing weekly for upcoming lecture material and labs, marking assignments/quizzes/exams and completing administrative reporting (i.e. attendance, syllabus)
- Improved student comprehension by incorporating diverse teaching methods and materials.
- Boosted student performance by providing individualized support and targeted feedback.
- Increased student motivation by developing engaging lesson plans that catered to various learning styles.
- Taught content about the Government of Alberta stakeholder and first nation consultation process in relation to the oil and gas industry, mining, protected area management and the supports of the Aboriginal Consultation Office (ACO)
- Took an additional content creation contract that focused on updating the reclamation and environmental law courses for 2024-2025 and creating two 8 hour courses for permaculture principles.
Ecologist
Government Of Alberta (Parks Division)
05.2016 - 10.2022
- Obtained environmental clearances, permits, certificates and approvals from local, provincial and federal agencies.
- Restored native habitats through invasive species removal and native plant reestablishment efforts.
- Assessed environmental impacts of proposed projects for compliance with provincial and federal regulations.
- Managed grant-funded restoration projects, ensuring timely completion within budget constraints.
- Managed the integrated pest management program for the Parks and Protected areas in Northeast Alberta, including, collecting GIS information with Collector App and Avenza and processing with ArcMap.
- Successfully obtained a three-year innovation fund grant for removal of invasive species using bioremediation (goats).
- Managed various restoration plans including hazard tree removal, tree planting and land restoration projects (i.e., installing pond levelers and beaver deceivers, monitoring and removal of dwarf mistletoe blow-down at Moose Lake Provincial Park, right of way slumpage along the causeway to Sir Winston Churchill PP).
- Increased awareness of regional ecology among decision-makers through presentations at conferences, workshops, or meetings.
- Collaborated with interdisciplinary teams to develop sustainable land management strategies.
- Developed a hazard tree removal strategy for the northeast District and an accompanying regional training program.
- Performed environmental site assessments on infrastructure and maintenance programs, providing mitigative and remediation recommendations.
- Served as subject matter expert (SME) on environmental regulations and policies, for example reviewing and providing feedback on the draft Trails Act policy.
- Conducted site visits to evaluate erosion, identify root causes and devise remedies.
- Reviewed Online Research and Collection applications and generated site specific conditions based on legislation and internal policies.
- Prepared RFP Packages and acted as the contract manager on a hazard tree removal program with disaster recovery funds following the 2016 Horse River Fire at Gregoire Lake Provincial Park.
- Participated in public consultations related to park planning.
- Participated in First Nation Consultation and the working collaborative meetings to create a Terms of Reference for the five co-managed wildland parks in northeast Alberta.
- Seasonally budgeted, hired, trained and supervised aquatic invasive species watercraft inspection and terrestrial invasive species crews.
- Produced ad hoc reports and documents for senior team members, including briefing notes to the Minister.
- Strictly followed Occupational Health and Safety reporting and documentation.
- Built relationships with cross ministerial departments, internal and external subject matter experts, and various stakeholders.
- Assisted the resource stewardship branch with field work including caribou DNA surveys, caribou mortality investigations, ungulate surveys, linear disturbance restoration.
- Member of the Provincial AIS Standing Committee, Cross Ministry Invasive Species Working Group, Provincial Diseased Bison Working Group, Parks AIS Task Team and Parks Conservation Ecology Working Group.
Environmental Coordinator
Lexin Resources Ltd.
02.2014 - 04.2016
- Obtained environmental clearances, certificates and approvals from local, provincial and federal agencies.
- Responsible for managing budgets, progress and federal and provincial reporting for a reclamation portfolio with over 200 lease sites.
- Responded to landowner inquires or concerns.
- Responsible for EPEA reporting deliverables to the AER (NPRI reporting, wastewater and soil/ groundwater monitoring) and verified data and accuracy of third party reporting.
- Coordinated 2015 and 2016 Certificate Of
- Recognition (COR) program.
- Assisted with incident tracking, cause/trend analysis, participating in tailgate meetings and monthly OHS meetings, and creating and distributing monthly EHS newsletter.
- Trained in Emergency Response Plans (ERPs) and participated in full scale training exercise.
- Experienced in using Site View, CS Explorer, Power View, Abadata, GeoScout, and AF.
Environmental Site Assessor
Stantec Consulting
02.2011 - 02.2014
- Conducted Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessments for commercial, industrial and mid/ upstream oil and gas facilities and produced associated technical reports.
- Supervised field restoration activities (mainly Turner Valley and Bragg Creek area), monitoring contractor program compliance, completing daily tailgate meetings and collecting soil and ground water samples.
- Competent in chain of custody reporting for laboratory sample analysis.
Junior Environmental Scientist
Equilibrium Environmental Inc.
05.2010 - 02.2011
- Generated data gap analysis reports.
- Conducted Phase II Environmental Site Assessments for oil and gas facilities throughout AB, BC and Sask.
- Participated in in-house laboratory studies looking at the transportation of boron through soil mediums.
NSERC Intern
Natural Resource Canada
09.2009 - 05.2010
- Labeling and archiving marine sediment cores, collecting specimens for carbon dating and preparing cores for X-ray imaging.
- Drilling rock samples and conducting rock property analysis (i.e., resistivity, impedance, magnetic susceptibility, density, conductance and natural remnant magnetics).
- Collecting ocean gas hydrate data.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Environmental Science
Royal Roads University
Victoria, BC09.2009
Diploma - Environmental Technology
Southern Alberta Institute of Polytechnic
Calgary, AB08.2008
Skills
- Project Management
- Communication
- Conflict Resolution (De-escalation)
- Environmental Education
- Incident Management
- Relationship building
- Public Speaking and engagement
- Restoration Ecology
- Indigenous knowledge, respect and appreciation for the consultation process
- Microsoft 365 Suite, including Planner and One Note
- GPS Field Collection and Data Processing with ArcMap
- Strong working knowledge of Provincial and Federal Legislation, policies, directives and strategies pertaining to recreation and resource management
Languages
English
Native or Bilingual
Affiliations
- Alberta Invasive Species Council- Board of Director
- Search and Rescue Alberta - Volunteer since 2016
Certification
- ArgGIS Pro; ESRI 24 hr Course
- Facilitation Skills for Trainers (January 2023)
- ICS 100
- ICS 200
- Basic Emergency Management (Nov 2022)
- EEB Boat Operator Course
- UTV Certification (valid to Aug 2025)
- ATV Certification (valid to Oct 2026)
- Snowmobile Certification (valid to January 2026)
- Chainsaw Level 2 (valid to May 2025)
- Intermediate First Aid Level C/AED (valid to Oct 2026)
- Wilderness First Aid 40 hrs (valid to Oct 2026)
- Crucial Conversations (April 2019)
- D.A.V. De-escalating aggression and violence (April 2023)
- Class 5 Drivers License
- Industrial and Landscape Pesticide Applicator (valid to June 2027)
Timeline
Park Ranger Team Lead
Government Of Alberta (Parks Division)
10.2022 - Current
Casual Instructor
Portage College
09.2021 - 01.2023
Ecologist
Government Of Alberta (Parks Division)
05.2016 - 10.2022
Environmental Coordinator
Lexin Resources Ltd.
02.2014 - 04.2016
Environmental Site Assessor
Stantec Consulting
02.2011 - 02.2014
Junior Environmental Scientist
Equilibrium Environmental Inc.
05.2010 - 02.2011
NSERC Intern
Natural Resource Canada
09.2009 - 05.2010
Bachelor of Science - Environmental Science
Royal Roads University
Diploma - Environmental Technology
Southern Alberta Institute of Polytechnic
- ArgGIS Pro; ESRI 24 hr Course
- Facilitation Skills for Trainers (January 2023)
- ICS 100
- ICS 200
- Basic Emergency Management (Nov 2022)
- EEB Boat Operator Course
- UTV Certification (valid to Aug 2025)
- ATV Certification (valid to Oct 2026)
- Snowmobile Certification (valid to January 2026)
- Chainsaw Level 2 (valid to May 2025)
- Intermediate First Aid Level C/AED (valid to Oct 2026)
- Wilderness First Aid 40 hrs (valid to Oct 2026)
- Crucial Conversations (April 2019)
- D.A.V. De-escalating aggression and violence (April 2023)
- Class 5 Drivers License
- Industrial and Landscape Pesticide Applicator (valid to June 2027)
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