Passing a passion for conservation on to the next generation

Terry Olsen’s connection to Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) runs deep. Spending time in nature was an invaluable opportunity to bond with his father who was an avid outdoorsman who loved to fish and hunt.

“Ducks Unlimited was something I grew up with,” Olsen says. “I lost my dad when I was 18, I was really young. He brought me to the outdoors and taught me to look after wildlife, and that meant so much to me.”

Turning inspiration into action

Inspired by the way his father raised him, conservation has become a personal mission for Olsen. He has been volunteering with DUC for over 40 years, sitting on the Thunder Bay committee, serving as chair on several regional committees in Ontario and supporting many DUC initiatives across the province.

In addition to volunteering with DUC, Olsen is also involved with the North Shore Steelhead Association and the Northwestern Ontario Sportsmen’s Alliance. He also previously led an ambitious project to restore the elk population in northern Ontario, reintroducing and monitoring a new herd in the region.

Olsen is particularly proud of his work with DUC’s former Green Wing program. “Both of my kids did Green Wing,” says Olsen. “I liked doing it because kids whose parents weren’t into hunting or fishing were introduced to what Ducks Unlimited does.”

Hands-on conservation at work

Another initiative that’s close to Olsen’s heart is DUC’s nest box program. “Each year a bunch of us still get together to clean out the duck boxes here so they’ll come back and nest again,” he says.

For Olsen, seeing the tangible impact conservation work has on local ecosystems is one of the most rewarding parts of volunteering with DUC. “I participated in a project at Mission Marsh where we did a rehabilitation of Canada geese goslings and ducklings,” he remembers. “I was very proud of that project because we saw way more adult Canada geese along the waterfront of Lake Superior.”

Keeping the community connected

Olsen has worked hard over the years to maintain an active DUC presence in Thunder Bay. When the Thunder Bay DUC committee disbanded, Olsen continued to throw volunteer appreciation dinners to keep the community engaged. Today, with support from his family and fellow volunteers, the committee is back together and the Thunder Bay fundraising dinner is going strong.

Olsen is particularly passionate about getting young people out into nature and educating them about the importance of conservation. His drive to make sure that DUC would be there for the youth in his community kept him going despite the committee’s challenges.

“I always say, if your kids are busy hunting, fishing or learning about wildlife, they are out of trouble,” Olsen says. “I tell the young people at our dinners that they are the future and if they want to enjoy the outdoors, they need to give back so it stays beautiful.”

He believes that getting young people outdoors can give them a greater sense of purpose and help them find their place in the world. “A lot of kids have been struggling because life has been so fast and difficult. They are looking for something to do that encourages them, that has a positive impact,” he says.