Thomas and Susanne Abe are on an adventure of a lifetime.
This young dynamic couple chose to travel more than 6,000 kilometres from their home near Frankfurt, Germany for an opportunity to improve their fluency in the English language, travel across Canada and volunteer with Canadian biosphere reserves.
Why did the young couple choose Canada over any other country? The young couple recalls discussing their life plans one evening and concluded that they would like to spend one year travelling abroad. Having visited Canada briefly a few years earlier, the couple agreed Canada's vast landscape and wilderness would provide them with invaluable knowledge.
So, at the end of March 2011, Susanne and Thomas quit their jobs, put all their belongings in storage, sold their cars and flew to Toronto to begin their one-year journey. It was their goal to see the country while offering their volunteer services to the many biosphere reserves along the way. It was the most effective way for the couple to develop a deeper appreciation for the landscape, culture and ecosystem.
The couple began their journey by visiting the Georgian Bay and Long Point Biosphere Reserves before heading east to explore the majestic beauty of the Maritimes and visit the Southwest Nova Biosphere Reserve in Nova Scotia. While visiting in Eastern Canada, the couple assisted the Norfolk Land Stewardship Council and its conservation partners with the planting of Carolinian tree species to recreate oak savannah and to provide windbreaks on field edges.
After six months of travelling across Eastern Canada the couple visited the grasslands in the southern portion of Saskatchewan and the Rocky Mountains before arriving in the Hafford area and the Redberry Lake Biosphere Reserve Oct. 5.
The visit was not random, as Susanne's father, Karl-Friedrich Abe is the head of administration for the Rhoen Biosphere Reserve in Thuringia, Germany. Incidentally, a partnership contract by the heads of the Biosphere Reserves for Redberry Lake (Sask.),Georgian Bay (Ont.), Charlevoix (Que.) and Rhoen (Germany)was signed in 2007 creating a lifelong connection amongst those involved.
In the Redberry Lake Biosphere Reserve, the couple has had the opportunity to revise the website and update the Facebook fan page.
"The Redberry Lake Biosphere Reserve is very appreciative and grateful for all the volunteer work that Thomas and Susanne are doing while on their visit with us," commented John Kindrachuk, executive director of the biosphere reserve.
"We encourage everyone to visit our updated website and join us on Faceboook to see what they have been doing."
They are also involved in the Redberry Lake Watershed Agri-Environmental Group Plan (AEGP), which is a project encouraging livestock producers to implement sustainable management practises at the farm gate level. Thomas and Susanne have accompanied Rachel Turnquist, AEGP technician, to two independent livestock producers who are considering joining the program.
"It is so exciting to see all the different kinds of land use and to be able to talk to the people to learn more about environment-friendly farming," said Susanne.
"One big difference between German and Canadian biosphere reserves is the way they are funded. In Germany, the government funds the biosphere reserves and gives them a certain amount of stability, the Canadian biosphere reserves mostly have to apply for single projects. Less money comes from the provincial or federal government," added Thomas, " because of that the Canadians have had to do a lot of the work by themselves to save money for the project itself!"
Twenty-nine year old Susanne is educated and experienced in the nutritional science and health field. She is enjoying her introduction to many ethnic foods including her most recent opportunity of making perogies. Twenty-eight year old Thomas is educated in political science but has been able to expand on his photography skills while travelling. They appreciate the vast sparsely populated landscape, the wildlife and the newfound friendships that have been created.
"Travelling through Canada is like travelling 10 different countries. It was and still is an incredible experience for us," explains the couple.
"We have seen so much wildlife," commented Susanne, explaining that wants yet to see a beaver.
To date it has been an incredible experience one that Thomas and Susanne will not soon forget.
"We are so glad to have both Thomas and Susanne here to support us with their help," says Kindrachuk. "And maybe they can add another experience to their collection: a winter in Saskatchewan!"
From Saskatchewan, they will head west to visit the two biosphere reserves on Vancouver Island before exhausting their visa and departing for Germany in April.
