Maura McKeough, a wood conservator working inside the lab at Fortress Louisbourg, tests the wood found in old buildings and tools discovered at the historic site. (TERA CAMUS / Staff)

Bits of wood pulled from the earth whisper their secrets to Maura McKeough.

The fragments and splinters may not look like much, but they reveal plenty about the life of generations past, says the wood conservator, who has worked at Fortress of Louisbourg for 16 years.

Ms. McKeough analyzes and restores any pieces of wood from buildings, furniture and caskets unearthed by archeologists at the 18th-century site.

"It makes history that much more real. It brings it all home," she says of examining pieces of the past.

One of just two wood conservators in Atlantic Canada working for Parks Canada, Ms. McKeough also restores and cares for the antique wood furniture on display at the reconstructed fortress.

Her favourite are armoires, large, often ornate cabinets or wardrobes.

"There is a lovely little one that has a heart engraved in it and I often get very sentimental about it," she said in an interview recently.

"There is another one that is just a massive Louis XIV. It just towers over me. It is well over 12 feet. You think, my goodness, how would they get it here."

The furniture in each setting must be cared for differently. For instance, the wood contained in the governor's wing, which would have been regularly polished by servants, is maintained in a different manner than furniture in the fishing shacks, where furniture would have been sparse and heavily worn.

Part of Ms. McKeough's job also involves identifying species of wood found at the site.

"I'll identify the species of wood so that they can tell what was growing in the area, or if it was imported from France," she said.

Ms. McKeough holds a bachelor's degree in history from Mount Saint Vincent University and a master's degree in museum management from the University of Leicester in England.

After getting her education, she had to apprentice with a wood conservator in Dartmouth for three years.

"I like that about the job. It is in the land between craftsmanship and science. It straddles both."

Does the work of conservators interest you? Read on.

NATURE OF THE WORK
Museum curators plan exhibits and the acquisition of museum and gallery artifacts. They also research, interpret, organize and maintain collections for museums and art galleries. Conservators preserve and restore cultural and historical artifacts and artistic works, with the goal of preserving each item for future generations.

SKILLS
To work in this field, you need excellent administrative, research, organizational, writing and planning skills as well as intellectual curiosity. You should have supervisory skills and the ability to work with people of all ages, including other staff. A knowledge of computer systems, literature and current information sources is also important. Conservationists require a good understanding of chemistry. Being able to speak and write French would be an asset in some positions.

EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS
Conservators require a master's degree in art conservation or completion of a three-year diploma program in conservation technology and several years of experience in conservation work.

Curators may require a bachelor's or master's degree in museology (museum studies) or art history, but a degree in a field related to their specific area of work (i.e. art, history, science) is usually essential.

WORK PROSPECTS
This is a very small occupational group in Nova Scotia. In the coming years, few openings will be available in these fields and only applicants with the highest qualifications will be serious candidates for these openings. Demand for this occupation is heavily influenced by government funding for museums and special exhibits.

LABOUR MARKET INFORMATION