Wildlife conservation initiative fundraiser on Earth Day

Once, Jessy Dion’s dream was to get to the Rocky Mountains. Now that he’s lived in Jasper for three years, he’s heading off to Africa to be a volunteer in a wildlife conservation program for 12 weeks starting in August. “I conquered the Rockies, so I think I’m ready to step up to the next dream,” Dion said.

Growing up in Portneuf, in rural Quebec, Dion said he has always appreciated the natural environment, especially the wildlife that he’s grown up around, and his aim is to help the rest of the world share his view.

“I love it and appreciate it and also I want to share it with people and I don’t want to keep it for myself,” he said. “I want the next people coming to see what we see too – the same behaviours and animals.”

Dion said he thinks Jasperites have it pretty easy because “we are well-educated, we have money and it’s pretty easy to maintain and care for animals.” But in Africa, he said, it’s a different story.

Getting to work closely with South African communities, educating them on topics like poaching and how to live harmoniously with the natural wildlife is what Dion thinks will be a highlight of his experience.

During Dion’s 12-week adventure, he will work for the African Conservation Experience (ACE) which has two aims: to give volunteers the opportunity to experience conservation work in Southern Africa and to provide financial support and information exchange for conservation projects in Southern Africa.

“For six weeks I’ll be with the game capture team, send them (animals) towards big enclosures and get them into trucks and move them somewhere else. The other six weeks I’ll be working at a rehab centre for animals,” he said adding that the conditions might be a little tough but he’s more than ready for the challenge.

During his time with the game capture team, Dion said he will be camping with his group which will consist of “vets, helicopter pilots, the team on the ground and they hire a lot of locals over there – so we work totally with the communities and then from there we’ll be moving a lot around Pretoria, the capital of South Africa.”

For Dion, this experience is just another step along his path in wildlife conservation. He said he hopes to use his experience in the future, and while he’s not totally sure where he wants to end up he said “conservation will have a big place in my life in the future.”

Once he returns to Jasper, Dion said he hopes he’ll be able to go into schools and do some presentations about his experience in South Africa. “For people who don’t really know what’s happening over there, Africa might have changed and maybe we need to bring another perspective to people here,” he said. “Bring some awareness and let people believe and think that we still can co-exist with wildlife.”

To raise money, Dion will host a presentation evening on Earth Day, April 22, at the D’ed Dog Pub to give people more information about what he’ll be doing and hopefully raise some money to help support his decision. The Something about Maries will also be playing to help support his cause. Dion must raise $10,000 for his trip, not including a connecting flight to London.

In an effort to raise money he is also selling canvas bags that can be purchased at Jasper Camera and Gift, Our Native Land, Rocky Mountain Monogram and the Bears Paw Bakery for $12. The bags were made in Alberta with the help of Rocky Mountain Monogram Ltd.