Olds College (OC) has just signed on to run a course on wetlands for Ducks Unlimited (DU) Alberta.
Tracy Scott of DU made that announcement during Dinner Party in the Wetlands, a fundraiser held at Olds College's wetlands on Aug. 24.
“It's called decision-making for wetlands management and it's targeted at folks who work in industries whose decisions impact wetlands, but they don't necessarily have the information and background,” Scott, an OC alumnus, said.
“This is another innovative thing that Olds College is doing, partnering with us to deliver educational programs to folks who otherwise wouldn't have gotten that.
“I couldn't be happier with being able to come back to my college and be able to be part of teaching.”
Scott said a lot of people think DU preserves and restores wetlands only in order to create or preserve habitat for ducks.
“That's true to a point. But most of our members and volunteers and supporters are concerned about wetlands because they're important to society,” he said.
“If you look at all the ecosystem services that wetlands provide: water quality improvement, flood mitigation, groundwater recharge, biodiversity – the list goes on and on,” Scott said.
He added that the contribution wetlands make by removing phosphorus and nitrogen from water runoff is “phenomenal.”
Scott said the existence of the wetlands and the college's efforts to promote them is very important.
“Olds College is drawing attention to wetlands,” he said. “People who may never get out in the country and see a natural wetland are being exposed to wetlands here and learning about them, and that does a lot of good for conservation of natural wetlands as well.”
He thanked Olds College for partnering with DU on the wetlands course.
“I'm looking forward to where we can take these partnerships in the future,” Scott said. “It's just great.”
"This is another innovative thing that Olds College is doing, partnering with us to deliver educational programs to folks who otherwise wouldn't have gotten that."TRACY SCOTTDUCKS UNLIMITED
