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Canada’s future conservationists take on Oak Hammock Marsh
Local teens learn how to be green in their future careers
Oak Hammock Marsh, Man., August 11, 2009 – 16-year-old Dustin Jeffress, of Beebe, Arkansas is sharpening his skills for a career in the world of conservation, while enjoying a fully-sponsored trip to learn about some of Manitoba, Canada’s world-class wetlands.
Jeffress is one of two participants from the United States who joins 10 other Canadian teens at Ducks Unlimited Canada’s (DUC) 15th annual Great Greenwing Adventure in Manitoba from August 8-14. He was selected from a wide range of enthusiastic teens from DUC’s sister Greenwing camp in Arkansas for a Canadian adventure of a lifetime to learn more about conservation.
“Conservation is important to me because it keeps ducks where I can hunt them,” Jeffress who is an avid hunter said. “It also protects the sport for future generations.”
This elite group of future conservationists will visit Oak Hammock Marsh and Delta Marsh in Manitoba this week, studying wetlands and waterfowl alongside some of the country’s top wetland biologists. And although there’s plenty of fun planned, the experience will help give Jeffress the skills and knowledge that will provide a great advantage for him in future studies and work endeavors.
Past Great Greenwing Adventure participants have gone on to careers in science, conservation and resource management. Brandon Hicks, a 2007 participant who has gone on to study the environment in post-secondary school, and this summer worked on one of DUC’s field research teams in Saskatchewan, said that the experience will have a huge impact on everyone, no matter what path they follow in life:
“One of the huge problems today, with younger society, is that we don’t have a connection with the natural world. But once you see the wonders of nature and what it has to offer, you can’t detach yourself from it. The Great Greenwing Adventure was an amazing week; one of the really huge things that’s happened in my life…it definitely opened doors for me.”
Nathalie Bays, education coordinator for Oak Hammock Marsh and an organizer of the Great Greenwing Adventure couldn’t agree more. “The beauty of this camp is that we’re out there creating relationships with nature,” she said. “Our goal is to raise awareness about wetland and upland conservation, but getting hands-on is the way to do it. Then, the desire to conserve just falls into place.” Bays said the group will learn wilderness skills and wetland ecology through activities like bird banding, invertebrate sampling, radio telemetry, geocaching, decoy carving, camping, canoeing, fishing and much more.
As for Jeffress, he’s looking forward to trying his hand at monster cat fishing and skeet shooting this week. “I always wanted to come to Canada, but I didn’t expect it to be through this,” the aspiring diesel mechanic said. “It’s a great opportunity to see a new place.”
The Great Greenwing Adventure runs until August 14, based at Oak Hammock Marsh in Manitoba.
For more information, contact:
Leigh Patterson, l_patterson@ducks.ca
Corporate Media Relations Specialist
Ducks Unlimited Canada
Tel: (204) 467-3306
