Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) and BMO have announced a funding partnership for wetland education in Canada and recognized the innovation of Fredericton High School students. Over the next five years, BMO will donate $300,000 to DUC’s national Wetland Centres of Excellence program.
“BMO has three guiding values: innovation, learning, and collaboration,” said Nada Ristich, director of Community Giving at BMO Financial Group. “With these values at the core of the Wetland Centres of Excellence program, we are proud to support this initiative and be part of a team that’s helping youth across Canada discover their passion for conservation.”
“The Wetland Centres of Excellence is a transformative and inspirational program that has already helped 100,000 young Canadians build a deep understanding of the importance of our environment,” said Ristich. “The Centres serve to foster invaluable leadership and collaboration skills. We’re excited to partner with Ducks Unlimited to help ensure even more young people can benefit from the program.”
“We’re overjoyed to have BMO join us in this effort. For 80 years DUC has been leading in wetland conservation, and we’re happy to be a catalyst for young people to engage with their community,” said Merebeth Switzer, DUC national manager of education. “The students we meet are truly exceptional and bring innovative approaches to conservation challenges. We look forward to them taking on the role of much-needed wetland ambassadors.”
The announcement was made at DUC’s Conservation Centre in Fredericton where students from Fredericton High School, a designated Wetland Centre of Excellence, were on hand to demonstrate and discuss environmental action projects they undertook through the program.
