CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — Charlottetown Rural High School recently became the first Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) Wetland Centre of Excellence in Prince Edward Island.
School alumni joined teachers, students and DUC representatives, as well as many donors, to celebrate decades of work on conservation education at the school and the new partnership.
Tom Duffy, manager of Atlantic Canada operations for DUC, said Charlottetown Rural is now part of a national network of schools and community partners that engage students in wetland conservation through action projects, student-to-student mentored field trips and outreach activities in their communities.
Duffy, also an alumnus of Charlottetown Rural, said the school has been offering a course in conservation for 50 years. The program has shaped many students into conservationists with strong environmental ethics.
“What we hope students take with them is why they need to consider the environment in every future decision they make in their future, whether they go into construction, banking politics or teaching,” said Duffy.
Wetland Centres of Excellence schools and education partners introduce students to conservation by creating long-term action projects using a local wetland. In this case, the Heritage Creek wetland and trail system will be the classroom and Island Nature Trust is the educational partner. The Heritage Creek wetlands have received support from the school and local businesses for many years and the new program will continue to enhance those efforts.
The Wetland Centre of Excellence program helps motivate young people to support wetland conservation through their own projects in their communities. Students take action by monitoring water quality, banding birds, installing nest boxes, planting trees, building boardwalks and trails.
DUC currently has 23 Wetland Centres of Excellence across Canada, with more than 750 students engaged annually in wetland studies and conservation projects.
