Jessica Coburn – Volunteering with DUC – A Bright Future in Conservation

Jessica Coburn first began volunteering with Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) less than one year ago because she was eager to get some volunteer experience on her resume. She has discovered that volunteering with DUC is about something bigger – it is about the future of wetlands, not just in her local community and across Canada, but across the continent. For an outdoor enthusiast like Coburn who enjoys hiking, snowshoeing and ocean fishing, this kind of impact is very important.

Coburn is a stay-at-home mother who had been attending DUC fundraising events in Prince George for three years before she became a volunteer. She is now an active member of the DUC Prince George fundraising committee and devotes time to soliciting community donations for the event’s live and silent auctions. At 22, she is the youngest member of the committee. She has brought her enthusiasm, new ideas and new contacts to the table for the event. Through her dedication, Coburn is securing a bright future in conservation.

“I like to spread the message about the work of DUC,” says Coburn. “It is about conserving wetlands which are home to waterfowl but also so many others species of wildlife. It is so important that we work to keep them here.”

“Jessica is an avid outdoor enthusiast with a lot of confidence and energy,” says Ken Ferris, DUC fundraising manager in British Columbia. “Although she is one of our newest and youngest volunteers, she fits in very well and has already made a great contribution. Younger volunteers like Jessica bring a new perspective and a renewed exuberance to our fundraising efforts.”

“National Volunteer Week is our chance to honour our nearly 7,000 volunteers across Canada, and in particular, our young volunteers who are introducing a whole new generation to DUC,” says Loraine Nyokong, DUC national director of fundraising and membership. “Volunteers like them are the ‘rising stars’ of our organization. The fact that they recognize the importance of wetland conservation and are spreading the word is fantastic, not only for DUC, but for all Canadians.”

“The work that we do to help out DUC is rewarding and inspiring,” says Coburn. “It is not just about today, it is about further down the road – for our children’s children.”

With the support of volunteers like Coburn, DUC recently completed its Wetlands for Tomorrow campaign – the largest conservation fundraising campaign ever undertaken in North America. Working alongside Ducks Unlimited, Inc. in the United States and Ducks Unlimited Mexico, DUC contributed to waterfowl and wetland habitat conservation, water quality as well as recreational and learning opportunities for people of all ages.

DUC could have not achieved these conservation goals without the generous support of its volunteers and supporters. Coburn and other conservation-minded individuals like her from across Canada will continue to be the driving force behind ongoing efforts to stop wetland loss.