Jimmy MacDonald is a professional paddling & wildlife expedition guide, leading trips across the country and around the world in the polar regions. Despite his passion for travel and exploring new environments, his favourite place to be is up in Northern Saskatchewan, Canoeing and Kayaking in the waters of Treaty 10 – the traditional home of the Woodland Cree and Dene people.
His passion as an outdoors-person and expedition guide has been developing over the last 15+ years, sharing these wild spaces with others and gaining a better understanding of the environment we live in and the interconnectedness or various regions & cultures. Exploring the lakes and rivers of the Canadian Shield and the Arctic regions has shown him first hand changes in wildlife patterns, and the sensitivity of these environments to human impacts. Jimmy firmly believes that the best way to preserve and protect our wilderness is to enjoy it first hand, giving each of us a stake in its well-being. This grass roots conservation mentality guides Jimmy’s personal efforts in protecting our environment.
Adventuring into these unique wilderness environments has allowed Jimmy, as an hobbyist photographer, to capture images of the wild spaces and animal encounters. He feels that by sharing these photographic moments and experiences people will be inspired to visit and feel more connected to the land which he feels so passionate for. Jimmy is often found behind the lens; but admittedly, he has a reputation for missing the ‘best’ shots when getting caught up simply enjoying the interactions in the moment.
In this past few years Jimmy has been exploring the Antarctic waters and learning about impacts on the marine ecosystems and the ice sheet. Working as a guide alongside active researchers & scientists, he is able to educate visitors on how our daily lives in the Northern hemisphere may be having noticeable impacts on one of the world’s last pristine environments.
During the changes in the seasons, you can find Jimmy enjoying a slower pace at home, in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. He takes this time to enjoy the nature that affected him as a youth, steering him towards this path in life.