Jessica Hayes (Courtesy of Jessica Hayes)

Jessica Hayes

Jessica Hayes is the natural area manager for the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) in central Alberta. She works to manage and carry out stewardship tasks on NCC properties and conservation easements in the Red Deer River Natural Area.

Jessica earned a bachelor’s degree in environmental and conservation sciences from the University of Alberta. She is currently working on a professional specialization certificate in ecological restoration through the University of Victoria. Prior to joining NCC, she worked as an environmental consultant for three years. During the summers she has also worked in vegetation management with Starland County and the Municipality of the Crowsnest Pass.

Jessica loves spending time outside on the farm, gardening and hiking. She also enjoys camping and visiting the mountains in the summer and ice fishing, baking and sewing in the winter. She has also become interested in seed collecting and learning to grow native plants.