These in-their-own-words pieces are told to Patricia Lane and co-edited with input from the interviewee for the purpose of brevity.

Jacob Gerard helps communities protect the wild creatures they love. The 23-year-old wildlife biologist, storyteller and photographer from Ajax, Ontario, has created a beautiful web-based story map called Neighbours of the North, exploring Churchill, Man.’s relationship with polar bears and beluga whales. The resource is available to the northern community as it navigates its growing importance to the Canadian economy. Closer to home, Jacob equips schoolchildren in his region with tools to discover and connect with the wildlife in their local wetlands.

Tell us about your work.

After spending three summers as a research assistant in Churchill, I produced a resource reflecting the community’s passionate connection to polar bears, belugas and the environment that sustains them. I wanted to respect the balancing act required between protecting wildlife and recognizing the economic benefits they bring through tourism.

Churchill faces real pressures. Climate change, potential industrial development and over-tourism may pose serious risks to wildlife and sustainable ecotourism. The ice-free season is lengthening, forcing polar bears ashore earlier and keeping them there longer as freeze-up dates grow later each year. Human-polar bear interactions are increasing as bears spend more time........

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