Pat Shea Smith, volunteer in the forest with loppers, 2014 CV Event (Photo by NCC)
Pat & Errol Smith
When asked why they volunteer with the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) year after year, Pat and Errol Smith’s answer is a beautifully simple one: “Volunteering grows on you. We can see that we've made a difference, one small piece of land at a time. It’s so rewarding!”
Pat and Errol began volunteering with NCC in 2011, and since that time have become integral members of the NCC team in Alberta. Since they became volunteers, they have attended more than 75 Conservation Volunteers events across Alberta and in Saskatchewan and even assisted with administrative projects at NCC's Calgary office.
Errol Smith, volunteer in the forest with loppers, 2014 CV Event, Zajes (Photo by NCC)
Pat and Errol were first awarded the Golden Glove in 2014 for their enthusiasm and efforts throughout the Conservation Volunteers season. This award is given to the volunteer(s) who attends the most events each year. In 2014, they both took part in 11 hands-on conservation projects.
They received the award again in 2015 and 2016.
“We want to give back because we cherish the outdoor opportunities we have in Canada. This is a chance to be outside and do something useful. We want to help reduce human-caused impact on our wildlife and environment, and we’ve learned lots about our environment and conservation in the process.”
Together, they’ve removed hazardous fencing from steep prairie coulees, dismantled an old grain bin attracting bears in the Waterton Park Front, pulled countless invasive species at multiple conservation sites across the province and helped harvest willow live stakes on a chilly November day so they could be used for riparian restoration projects in the spring. In Alberta and Saskatchewan, this remarkable couple has helped care for over 20 different conservation properties, contributing more than 200 combined hours to conservation.
“Volunteering with NCC has exposed us to a huge resource of knowledgeable, interesting people. We love those chats that just occur when you’re working outdoors with great people. We’ve learned many things we didn’t know before.”
"We’ve never met anyone we didn’t like at an NCC event. Everyone rolls up their sleeves and gets in there like a dirty shirt. The team work is amazing."
