What does good stewardship look like? Well, for many, it’s what’s embodied by the North American Wildlife Management model: a belief that fish and wildlife are for the use of citizens and that hunting is one of the best available tools to connect people to the land, raise funds to protect it and manage population levels for both hunters and the environment. In Canada, the Canadian Wildlife Federation represents 12 provincial organizations, including the BC Wildlife Federation, and, collectively, they work to give wildlife a voice by advocating for anglers, hunters, outdoor recreationalists, firearms owners and recreational shooters. And their voice is strong. For hunting and conservation. Neil Fletcher’s a passionate believer that people and nature should not be separated and this vegetarian – yes, you heard that right – leads BCWF’s work on wetlands, working to empower communities to protect, conserve and restore them for the benefit of people and nature. He sits on the board for the Wetland Stewardship Partnership and liaises with the Ministry of Environment, the Canadian Wildlife Service, Ducks Unlimited and BC Naturalists to protect help protect biodiversity. With a bachelor of science and a masters in resource management, Neil can often be found speaking to students or wearing a pair of hip-waiters, navigating the muck of a wetland to collect data for his latest restoration project.