Anna Smith

Raised in the Yukon, Anna developed a deep connection to the land and a passion for the environment from an early age. This love for the North and its ecosystems led her to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Northern Environmental and Conservation Science at the University of Alberta in partnership with Yukon University. During and after her undergraduate studies, Anna worked with the Yukon Government as a Fish and Wildlife Technician, gaining extensive experience in ecological monitoring and contributing to research and management efforts aimed at conserving northern wildlife and habitats.

Now a Yukon-based master's student in the Northern Systems Conservation Co-Lab at the University of Alberta, Anna is researching how human disturbance affects the density and distribution of jëjik (moose), a cultural keystone species in the Klondike Plateau. In collaboration with Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in First Nation and the Yukon Government, she uses remote camera traps and autonomous recording units to assess disturbance in an industrial landscape. Her research aims to integrate ecological data with the conservation priorities of Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in First Nation to inform regional land-use planning and support their stewardship of the land.

Beyond her studies, Anna is an avid outdoors enthusiast, spending her free time skiing, mountain biking, hiking, and camping, in the Yukon’s vast wilderness with her dog, Benny.