Sportsman of the Year

Lloyd Goode

There aren’t many aspects of modern life that haven’t been caught up in the frantic process of globalization. We are learning that business, finance, communications, the price of milk—these basic aspects of 21^st century living are rooted in the notion that all of the world is becoming integrated.

Curiously, this is old, old news to duck hunters. Even the oldest quack chaser knows that the birds that wing over his decoys are international ambassadors—breeding in Canada, storming through the Carolinas, wintering in Central America. Duck hunters understand that there are no meaningful boundaries to a mallard. And that efforts to conserve waterfowl should know no bounds.

And no North Carolina duck hunter exemplifies this concept as well as Lloyd Goode. With almost 28 years of service as an unpaid volunteer to Ducks Unlimited, Goode has dedicated almost half his life to the preservation of wetlands and waterfowl in North Carolina and across North America. He conceived of the Band the Billfish Tournament out of Morehead City that has sent more than ¾ of a million dollars to wetlands conservation. He most recently has served as State Chairman of DU for 3 years, during which he took a leave of absence from his business to volunteer full time. He originated the Sound CARE program that ties specific wetland projects in North Carolina to the breeding ground habitats that have been identified to supply our state with migrating birds. Under Goode’s leadership, Sound CARE has raised nearly $14 million dollars and it is on target to meet its goal of raising $27 million to conserve 70,000 acres.

Goode’s visionary leadership has resulted in more programs and projects than I could possibly tell you about. But I have a pretty firm idea that Goode isn’t interested so much in ticking off accomplishments as he is making sure that conservation work gets done. Because he knows what all duck hunters know: The sight of just one flight of mallards or canvasback or wigeon—wings set, feet down, committed—make all the commitment of conservation worthwhile. Lloyd Goode is the 2007 Governor’s Sportsman of the Year.