Wildlife boot camp
Saturday, August 29, 2009 (14:43:41)

Posted by WpgJim

Petersfield teen digs in at Oak Hammock Marsh camp

By Hayley Brigg

A local teen had the chance to fuel his inner conservationist last week.

Zachary Clemons, a 13-year-old Grade 8 student from Petersfield, spent a week-long excursion at Oak Hammock Marsh Aug. 11-14 after being selected to participate in Ducks Unlimited Canada’s (DUC) 14th annual Great Greenwing Adventure.

Clemons, along with 10 other youth from across Canada and two from the U.S., were handpicked by DUC to participate in an all-expenses-paid trip to Oak Hammock from for what DUC calls the ‘eco-adventure of a lifetime’.

“It’s an opportunity for kids who may already been involved and interested in the environment to build on and foster that interest,” said Rick Witsherd, education manager for Oak Hammock Marsh. “The hope is that eventually they might go on to pursue studies or careers in the environmental or conservation field.”

The group spent the week visiting not only Oak Hammock Marsh, but Delta Marsh north of Portage la Prairie to work alongside University of Manitoba biologists, learning how to study wetlands and waterfowl.

“They’ve been able to do some really great things like participating in a small bird and waterfowl banding program,” said Witsherd. “They’ve even had the opportunity to learn how to use wildlife radio telemetry.”

In addition to the educational side of the camp, the students had the opportunity to have fun, learning how to make decoys, use a GPS system, canoe, skeet shoot and do water and invertebrate sampling.

Clemons said he was encouraged by his parents to apply for the camp, submitting a personal essay detailing his experience with environmental-related activities and explaining why he felt he deserved to be selected.

“Conservation is important to me because I want it to be around for my children and grandchildren,” he said. “I respect the wetlands in my area and I enjoy going duck hunting, especially at Netley Marsh. I always make sure that when we hunt, we only leave our footprints behind.”

For Clemons, he says the experience he had at the camp was not only an enjoyable one, but it ignited a more profound interest into pursuing a environmentally-related career.

“I want to become a conservation officer,” said Clemons. “I have always thought about being one but this has made me want to do it a lot more.”

Source: http://www.selkirkjournal.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1713417