Treasuring Alberta’s wilderness and waterways through a commitment to conservation

Volunteering with Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) has been an important part of Carla Guenard’s life for over 20 years. It’s a commitment and a cause that’s woven into the fabric of her family, from her relationship with her husband Kevin Guenard — who was named DUC’s National Volunteer of the Year last year — to the way she’s raised her kids.

Kevin was the one who initially inspired Carla to get involved with DUC. “He was invited to go to a Ducks Unlimited meeting with a friend and came home so excited about the organization’s mission. His passion was contagious and it made me want to get involved, too,” she says.

Guenard spent her own childhood immersed in nature. “I grew up in B.C. and was always outdoors. We lived in a very small town, we didn’t have video games or smartphones. We had our imaginations and our bikes. We were skiing, hiking and camping,” she says. “These kinds of experiences make you realize how special these places are. Over time, it made me understand that conservation is really about protecting the places and wildlife that we all enjoy.”

Passing a love of nature to the next generation

When Guenard started her own family, she wanted to impart her love for nature to her kids and make sure they understood the importance of conservation. The family would regularly take all-season trips out to Kananaskis and tour national parks in the U.S. where she taught her children to respect the wilderness.

“We showed our kids how to be mindful of their footprint and that what you take in, you take out. They were involved with everything, Sparks, Guides, Beavers, Cubs, Scouts — they did it all,” she says. “That connection to the outdoors was instilled in them and now that they are adults themselves, they still love going out camping and fishing.”

Guenard’s kids are grown and there are fewer family adventures on the calendar, so volunteering with DUC is another way to spend quality time with her husband. “It’s a good way to keep us doing stuff together,” she says. “We’ve been together for almost 40 years. I think you’ve got to find something you both have a passion for, and that’s why we both do it.”

Finding her place at DUC

Guenard began attending DUC events when her husband joined the Chinook Drakes committee in Calgary, Alta. Eventually, Kevin became chair of the committee and Carla started spending more time helping out with the initiatives he was working on.

During her time volunteering with DUC, Guenard has worn a lot of different hats but because of her career in finance, she found that being a treasurer was the best volunteer role for her. She is currently treasurer for the Chinook Drakes chapter and the Alberta Provincial Council. Guenard has also helped out in different capacities with numerous DUC events for several chapters throughout the province, including the Calgary Duck and Run and the Calgary Shoot, the sportsman show and Alberta Gaming, Liquor & Cannabis (AGLC) raffles.

For Guenard, using her talents to give back to the waterways and woods she’s enjoyed her whole life is the most rewarding part of volunteering with DUC.

“Seeing the end result of our fundraising efforts is always gratifying for me. It’s nice to raise as many funds as we can,” she says.