Kristen MacLeod and Morgan Wadden began volunteering as Wilderness Property Guardians only this past summer, but their love of nature and highly specialized navigation skills have already made a big impact on the protected old forest in the Mabou Highlands.

Both Kristen and Morgan grew up in Cape Breton and remain deeply connected to the island. They also both pursued biology degrees at Cape Breton University, although Morgan transferred to St. FX partway through and finished a degree there in kinesiology. After graduating, he worked at a physical therapy clinic in Dartmouth; after four years, he realized that the clinic schedule wasn’t giving him enough time to himself – or time to be outdoors.

During that time, he met Kristen, who had finished her biology degree and gotten a job as a marine mammal observer for the seismic exploration industry. She describes this job as a “glorified whale watcher”; her role was to mark when marine mammals (like whales) came within a certain distance of the vessel she was aboard and shut down the operation in order to protect the animal. “The whole time was spent on the bridge of the ship,” she explains. “A huge windowed space looking out over the ocean, and a huge sense of freedom.” She fell in love with the sea.

But she did not want to work for the oil and gas industry. The captain she had been working with introduced her to the Canadian Coast Guard College – the only one in Canada, and it just so happens to be in Cape Breton. “It seemed like the right fit for me,” she says.

Inspired by the comparative freedom he felt Kristen had in her marine mammal observer role, and by her pivot to the Coast Guard, Morgan also decided to apply to the College. Kristen was accepted to the navigation program right away, while Morgan was accepted the following year. They’ve both now finished the training program and are active as navigation officers and certified Chief Officers in the Canadian Coast Guard.

While their home port is St. John’s, they still live in Sydney. “We travel back and forth, with four weeks on, four weeks off,” Morgan explains. “We work five months a year, but it’s twelve-hour days, seven days a week, and you’re really immersed in it. But when you’re off, you’re really off, and that gives us the freedom to do the activities we like.”

A big part of what they like to do is explore the outdoors, especially on Cape Breton. “We’re both vegan cyclists, we’re bird enthusiasts, we very much appreciate wildlife and all that stuff,” continues Morgan. Kristen grew up with a particularly strong connection to the west coast of Cape Breton, having spent all of her childhood summers near Chimney Corner; her family’s 100-acre property in the Mabou Highlands has been passed down through her father’s side of the family since their arrival from Scotland. Just two or three years ago, the pair were inspired to walk the perimeter of the property, “to change it up from going on the hiking trails,” as Morgan describes it. “You don’t really feel like you can do that on other people’s property.” They were struck by the beauty of the untouched forest.

Just a few months later, they heard a story on CBC Information Morning about the Nature Trust’s Wilderness Property Guardians program and immediately decided to sign up. “It was so aligned with our values already,” says Kristen. She was also drawn to the chance to explore: “All these untouched places that we wouldn’t have known about or had access to!”

They found the onboarding process quick and smooth, and after their initial field training this past spring they volunteered to focus on the Mabou Highlands. They have already monitored three properties in that assemblage and participated in a big “monitoring blitz” organized by Nature Trust stewardship staff later in the summer. “They knew we were up for a challenge that day,” says Kristen, “and we went off the beaten path for sure.” In a single day, Kristen and Morgan covered four separate Mabou Highlands properties, bushwhacking off the trail network.

“We’re super excited to be exploring old growth forest,” Kristen continues. “A lot of the properties we’ve explored are so untouched, so pristine, you can really just feel the power in a forest that is so old. It’s really special to just be Morgan and I and the woods.” She also reiterates that their unusual schedule allows them to really dedicate their time to their passions, including nature. “We can really dive headfirst into whatever volunteer opportunity comes our way.”

“We just feel like we’re going out and having fun,” Morgan adds. Kristen agrees. “If you like nature at all, you’re really joining a group of like-minded individuals. Everyone’s pulling toward the same goal, and it’s so much fun.”

We’re so grateful to Kristen and Morgan for all of their volunteer work – and their infectious enthusiasm. Learn more about our Wilderness Property Guardians program!