Kylie and Cole Wasiuta – Volunteering with DUC – Three Generations of Conservation

Brother and sister team Cole and Kylie Wasiuta from Springfield, Man. are third generation Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) volunteers. Kylie, 20, is a champion horseback rider and her younger brother Cole, 19, works for their father’s construction company. Both are well-versed and well-spoken on issues of conservation. They became involved with DUC at a very young age through their parents and grandfather, and are now keen volunteers in their own right.

The two siblings were both participants in the DUC Greenwing Program for youngsters. They went on to have regular visits to Oak Hammock Marsh – home of the DUC head office and an extensive interpretive and educational facility. Currently, they are actively involved in helping organize the DUC Springfield fundraising dinner. The Wasiutas help out in any way they can – sorting auction products and selling tickets at the event – all to help raise much-needed funds for wetland conservation projects.

“Living in harmony with the land is part of our lifestyle,” says Kylie. “It is a part of who we are. My brother and I grew up hunting and fishing with our dad and grandpa, spending countless hours and weekends learning about the importance of wetlands. Being involved with DUC is important for our local area and for our wildlife. We understand that because we have been raised with it.”

“Kylie and Cole are remarkable youngsters with a true passion for the outdoors,” says Mark Williams, DUC fundraising manager in Manitoba. “Young people, like Kylie and Cole, are integral to the future of DUC and the conservation of Canada’s wetlands.”

“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.”

“Our parents instilled an outdoor ethic in us,” says Cole. “We feel fortunate for that and want to give something back. Volunteering with DUC is one way to do that.”

With the support of volunteers like the Wasiutas, 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. The Wasiutas and other conservation-minded individuals like them from across Canada will continue to be the driving force behind ongoing efforts to stop wetland loss.