Function First: Wetland Function & Stewardship

A collaborative program that brings communities together to learn about wetland health, wildlife habitat, and long-term stewardship through practical learning.

ABOUT THE PROJECT

Understanding our Wetlands

The “Function First” initiative is a community-led wetland conservation and education project
designed to enhance public understanding of wetland function, structure, and stewardship through
practical, place-based training. Function First: Community Training on Wetland Function, Structure, and Stewardship aims to strengthen the link between wetland health, migratory
bird habitat, and community resilience by engaging youth, educators, and land users in field-based
mapping, ecosystem literacy, and stewardship planning.

The project is being submitted for consideration under the Wildlife Habitat Canada (WHC) Community-Based Conservation Grant and is aligned with the North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP) and the Eastern Habitat Joint Venture (EHJV) priorities.

LEARN MORE GET INVOLVED

A group of Mallard ducks taking flight from a shallow, muddy wetland area, with a Canada Goose in the blurred background.

By combining knowledge-sharing, hands-on training, and community participation, Function First promotes long-term awareness and action toward protecting New Brunswick’s vital wetland habitats.

Project Partners

The Need for Wetland Literacy

Effective conservation starts with understanding not just where wetlands are, but how they work. This project matters because it strengthens the critical link between wetland health, migratory bird habitat, and community resilience through practical, place-based training. This project matters because it:

Clarifies wetland function and structure
by translating ecological concepts into accessible learning tools , we help communities assess wetlands by both physical structure and ecological function, moving beyond simple observation to deep understanding.
Equips educators with field-ready toolkits
Teachers and land-based programs receive a “Function & Value” toolkit , complete with species ID cards, function charts, and cultural perspectives to support classroom integration and outdoor learning.
Empowers youth through hands-on stewardship
Through participatory mapping and the “Floodplain Stewards” certification, students engage in real-time data collection, fostering a new generation of leaders in local conservation.
Supports long-term community resilience
The project supports long-term conservation outcomes by embedding wetland literacy and monitoring into community networks , while aligning local efforts with broader waterfowl conservation goals.

By engaging youth, educators, and land users in ecosystem literacy, we are building a regional “Wetland Stewards Network” dedicated to protecting these vital habitats for generations to come.

Eastern Painted Turtle Canada Wetlands - New Brunswick

Anticipated Impact

The Function First: Community Training on Wetland Function, Structure, and Stewardship project will create lasting change by equipping youth, educators, and communities with the knowledge and confidence to protect New Brunswick’s vital wetland ecosystems. Through hands-on learning, participatory mapping, and the development of educational toolkits, the initiative will help foster ecological literacy, increase stewardship capacity, and embed long-term monitoring into community networks across the region.

Ossekeag Creek Hampton New Brunswick Canada (late Summer) - Wetlands

Project Objectives

The Function First initiative is built upon a dual foundation: increasing practical knowledge of vital ecosystems and building long-term community capacity for stewardship. Our objectives are to make wetland knowledge accessible, practical, and action-oriented for everyone involved. This project aims to:

1. Improve Local Knowledge and Literacy
The project aims to improve local knowledge of wetlands through function-first inventory mapping. We translate complex ecological concepts into accessible and engaging learning tools for a wide audience, including schools and land-based programs.
2. Build Educational and Stewardship Capacity
We work to build educational and stewardship capacity among youth, educators, and Indigenous communities. This is achieved by equipping educators with materials and training to facilitate outdoor learning focused on wetlands.
3. Support Long-Term Conservation
The goal is to support long-term conservation outcomes by embedding wetland literacy and monitoring into community networks and classrooms. The training modules and materials will be used for future camps, teacher professional development, and nature-based programs, creating a lasting connection between students, communities, and ecosystems.

Wetlands are some of the most valuable ecosystems we have. They clean our water, reduce flooding, and store carbon. They facilitate biodiversity by hosting several species of waterfowl, vegetation, insects, and others that call wetlands home. Yet many are being lost or overlooked because people don’t always understand their role or how to look after them.

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Our Vision for the Future

Through the Function First project, we aim to:

Empower the next generation of conservation leaders.
Expand wetland literacy across communities and classrooms.
Strengthen partnerships for long-term habitat stewardship.

Acknowledging Our Supporters

With deep respect, we recognize the knowledge shared by Indigenous communities and the support of our conservation partners.

American Wigeon - New Brunswick Wetlands

Frequently Asked Questions

The primary goal is to build wetland literacy and community capacity for stewardship across the Wolastoq (Saint John River) watershed and adjacent areas in New Brunswick. We achieve this by teaching people to understand wetlands not just by where they are, but by how they function ecologically, and by equipping youth, educators, and land users with practical tools for mapping, monitoring, and protecting these vital habitats.

Our project is unique because it uses a “function-first” approach to inventory and mapping. This means we focus on assessing the ecological services a wetland provides (like flood control, carbon storage, and water quality) in addition to simply identifying its structure. This practical, hands-on training empowers local communities—including students and Indigenous communities—to actively participate in the science of conservation, creating lasting stewardship capacity.

We are creating a bilingual (English for now) “Function & Value Toolkit.” This resource includes educator guides, lesson plans, species identification charts, function assessment indicators, and Indigenous cultural perspectives on wetlands. The toolkit is designed for easy integration into classrooms and outdoor learning programs to promote practical ecosystem literacy.

Wetlands are incredibly valuable ecosystems—often called “nature’s kidneys.” They perform essential services that benefit both people and wildlife:
– They clean and filter water, acting as natural purifiers.
– They reduce flooding by absorbing and slowly releasing storm and snowmelt water.
– They provide critical habitat for countless species, including migratory waterfowl (like Mallards and Northern Shovelers), marsh birds, amphibians, and turtles.
– They store carbon, playing a role in climate change mitigation.

There are several ways to participate:
– Volunteer: Join our field activities, including wetland mapping sessions and data collection.
– Educators: Use the “Function & Value Toolkit” in your classroom or outdoor program.
– Join the Network: Youth and educators are invited to join our regional “Wetland Stewards Network” to continue learning and advocacy efforts.

All educational resources, workshop materials, and event details will be available through a dedicated online platform hosted by the United Spirit Nature Network (USNN).

Get Involved

Interested in partnering, or learning more? We’d love to hear from you and chat with you more about this amazing project. Feel free to email us or fill out the form and we’ll get back to you!
Email: coordinator@usnn.ca