Background
Duncan Sinclair is motivated by the desire to instil a sense of shared responsibility for the environment in young people. As a high school teacher at the East Elgin Secondary School, that’s exactly what he gets to do by teaching students about the importance of wetlands. Duncan lives in Aylmer, Ontario, about 40 kilometres southeast of London, Ontario.
Taking action
Duncan started the Environmental Leadership Program at the East Elgin Secondary School. The program combines physical and co-operative education, with students taking part in camping trips and working towards certifications in canoeing and first aid, for example.
One component of the Environmental Leadership Program gives high school students the opportunity to deliver the Marsh Quest Wetland Education Program, also created by Duncan. Through this initiative, high school students educate over 500 primary school students on the value of wetlands and the importance of their conservation. The students are engaged through classroom settings and hands-on learning in a local wetland where activities include looking for marsh wildlife.
Duncan fundraises thousands of dollars annually to support these initiatives.
Achieving results
The comprehensive courses designed by Duncan have led to greater awareness around the importance of wetlands and fostered leadership skills in high school students.
In the long run, Duncan hopes that students will be encouraged to conserve and protect wetlands, resulting in:
- Habitat protection for a diverse range of species
- Improved water quality
- Flood mitigation and ground water replenishment
- Improved recreation and tourism
Ducks Unlimited provides support to the Environmental Leadership Program and has designated East Elgin Secondary School a “Wetland School of Excellence”.
The Environmental Leadership Program has also received international recognition, most recently with the Ramsar Wetland Conservation Award in 2011.
