Atlantic, Education

Tantramar student Anna MacKinnon wins DUC scholarship

MacKinnon shines bright thanks to learning and mentorship in DUC’s wetland-based program

November 24, 2023

Anna MacKinnon poses at Hopewell Rocks in New Brunswick.

Like many residents of Sackville, N.B., Anna MacKinnon has a close relationship with wetlands. She grew up in and around the Tantramar Marshes, where she was free to explore and play. It may sound strange to some, says MacKinnon, but wetlands “feel like home.”

“The whole town learns about and protects our wetlands, it’s part of our identity,” says MacKinnon. “I don’t remember a time when wetlands weren’t a part of my life.”

When MacKinnon entered high school, she jumped at the chance to volunteer through the DUC-partnered Tantramar Wetland Centre of Excellence program. Being a wetland field trip leader for the community seemed like a perfect fit for her. It was a chance to learn hands-on conservation skills and improve her public speaking, all while spending time in the Tantramar Marshes.

Hip wading heroes

MacKinnon will always remember her first morning as a volunteer. It was early September of her Grade 9 year. Her class climbed into canoes with two longtime volunteers, Bill and Ned, who were setting out to band waterfowl. She had to stay in the boat, but watched in awe as they strapped on waders and went out to band, record and release ducks in the marsh.

“I remember thinking, I want to be like them,” says MacKinnon. “I want to put on waders. I want to band ducks. This is what I’m meant to do.”

MacKinnon would go on to volunteer every year of high school. She learned everything from canoeing and bird banding to nest box building and delivering wetland field trips.

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Even though I’m nervous for the future, I’m also really excited that I’ll be able to do my own work and see my own change in the world.

Anna MacKinnon

Mentors matter

When it came time to apply for post-secondary education, MacKinnon felt unsure of her path forward. She wanted to continue learning about conservation, but she didn’t know where she should go or if she could get in. She often turned to her WCE leaders, Kathleen Bowser and Lena Gallant, for advice.

“I didn’t have any kind of plan, and that made me nervous,” says MacKinnon. “Kathleen and Lena were supportive. They encouraged me, wrote great recommendation letters and signed me up for more volunteering to improve my résumé.”

The support she had from her WCE leaders boosted her confidence, and MacKinnon started looking around at different college programs. She attended fairs and toured campuses to find the best fit for her. In the end, she applied and got in to her first choice at Maritime College of Forest Tech.

“I’m so grateful to Kathleen and Lena,” says MacKinnon. “They were a major part of why I applied for college and helped me get in.”

A future in conservation

MacKinnon started her first year at Maritime College of Forest Tech this fall. She’s looking forward to hands-on learning and getting certified in different forestry practices. She’s happy to see that many of her classes also focus on animal and plant ID and environmental protection.

“I feel like my courses are all hyper focused on what I want to do,” says MacKinnon. “I’m passionate about forestry, environmental conservation and wildlife preservation, and I get to take courses in all of these things. I’m over-the-moon excited.”

MacKinnon says meeting like-minded people is another reason she’s looking forward to school. She can’t wait to talk to and work alongside students and teachers that are passionate about the same things. It makes her excited when she thinks about making a difference for forests and wetlands.

“Even though I’m nervous for the future, I’m also really excited that I’ll be able to do my own work and see my own change in the world,” says MacKinnon.

“It feels powerful to be able to do that.”

DUC is proud to support Anna MacKinnon as one of our 2023 WCE Scholarship Winners. We wish her all the best with her future endeavours and can’t wait to see her shine bright in the field of forestry and conservation.

Wetland Centres of Excellence: Where the future thrives

DUC-partnered Wetland Centres of Excellence engage and empower young people in meaningful nature-based experiences.

Learn more about the centres

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