shoreLINES: Stories from our guides and guardians

Following My Path: How the Indigenous Employee Training Fund Opened Doors

By: Candace Deschamps

I navigate each day between two worlds: the world of my professional role as a Parks Canada employee and the world of my identity as an Indigenous woman connected to my ancestral territory, where every experience is an opportunity to learn, build relationships, and continue my journey of reconnection. This balance shapes how I approach my work, how I continue to grow, and why this path matters so deeply to me. My story is rooted in land, community, and responsibility, but it is also about growth, healing, and finding my voice through opportunity.

Wait…that’s a moth?!

By: Michael Bohms

Jack and Trent have been contributing to iNaturalist for several years, but in 2025 they teamed up to conduct focused moth surveys at Fort St. Joseph. While some plant and animal observations are easy to identify, others can be much more challenging. In one instance, Trent believed he had photographed a hornet or a wasp before it flew away. A closer look at the image, however, revealed furry legs, feathery antennae, and the absence of the characteristic “wasp waist”. Sure enough, it was not a wasp at all, but a Clearwing moth. This fascinating group of moths has evolved over millions of years to closely mimic other species, helping them avoid predators and survive in plain sight.

Bead Island’s Living Treasure Hunt

In July 2025, the resource conservation team at Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area (NMCA) had the joy of executing a Bioblitz event. Nestled between bigger and well-known St. Ignace Island and Simpson Island lies a small, less studied land mass by the name of Bead Island. The island itself was small but mighty; with a perimeter of just under 5km, but the surface is wild and untamed, with sheer cliff faces and deep ravines. 

A Legacy in the Land: Four Generations at Pukaskwa National Park

By: The Otiquam Family

For the Otiquam family, Parks Canada is more than a workplace. It’s a family legacy rooted in the land along Lake Superior and carried forward through four generations. That story began decades ago, when Kristy Otiquam’s grandfather helped cut the original boundary of what would become Pukaskwa National Park. Within that line, he maintained traplines that supported his family, never knowing that his work would help define a park; a tradition that would endure through generations.