As most of you have seen or heard of this issue that has caused quite a stir between the duck hunting community in this state. Especially with our over 7000 members we have in Louisiana.
In the July LDWF commission meeting, it was voted to give all of the state license funds to DU. Delta has been given a portion of the money since 2003. There were many rumors that our proposals were weak and so on. Our programs are stronger than ever as was our proposals! These rumors are false and we have been setting the record straight with all our volunteers since. Delta has also questioned how DU could get 100% of the funds when only asking for 75%. Two years ago Delta received $167,000.00 from our great state. This money means a great deal to all our programs.
Since this meeting many of our volunteers have been talking to State Representatives, Senators, and Robert Barham himself. Delta has been looking into how all of this took place as well.
Anyway, I writing to tell you that a public hearing has been set to investigate the process of the appropriation of these funds. The date is set for November 5th and Rob Olson will be flying down. Bryan King will be there and we inviting all of you to ride down to Baton Rouge that morning with your Delta shirt on if you can. We would like to have as much Delta support there as possible. The time is set for 9:30 a.m. and the location is yet to be determined.
The following is a letter from Delta:
Dear Louisiana Delta Waterfowl Volunteer,
As you likely know, Delta has been the recipient of Louisiana funds generated by hunting license sales since 2003. The decision making body that awards these funds is the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries (LWF) Commission. For the first five years, Delta received roughly $115,000 per year in support of predator management. For the last two years, the LWF granted funds to Delta in the neighborhood of $167,000. These funds were used to support Adopt A Pothole (AAP) and Alternative Land Use Services (ALUS) policy work in Canada to enhance and conserve waterfowl habitat. This partnership with Louisiana has been instrumental to the success of these programs. Louisiana has been our largest state conservation partner and we have been extremely grateful for their generous support.
On 8 July 2010, the LWF Commission met to hear proposals from both Delta and DUC (Ducks Unlimited Canada) to allocate the license sale proceeds for the next two years. Delta’s proposal requested 50% of the proceeds for our work on ALUS and AAP— similar to the grant we received for the past two years. After reviewing proposals by both Delta and DUC, senior LDWF staff made the recommendation to the Commission that 100% of the funds should be given to DUC. After a series of motions and proposals, the Commission voted 4-3 in favor of granting DUC 100% of the proceeds for the next two years.
While we are certainly disappointed with the result, we are just as concerned about how the decision unfolded. Senior LDWF staff members were guests of DUC to tour projects in Saskatchewan last September. While Delta has extended similar invitations (during the breeding season), LDWF staff chose not to see how their investments in ALUS and AAP were being used to benefit breeding ducks. As such, we are concerned that LDWF staff could not fully grasp the progress that had been made in the most recent grant period nor were they in a position to fairly evaluate our future work.
We strongly believe that Delta’s programs represent the innovation that is much needed to address the continuing loss of wetlands and low duck production in Prairie Canada. Adopt A Pothole is not only the most cost effective way to permanently conserve wetlands across the Canadian Prairie Pothole Region, it is also the largest easement program. In addition, AAP is the only easement program which focuses on the small wetlands that are most vulnerable to loss and the most important to duck production.
Finally, ALUS is the potential fix for Canada’s long-term and ongoing habitat and duck production problems. It is clear after seven decades of conservation programming in the Canadian Prairies that a CRP-like policy initiative is needed to address habitat loss at a large scale. Delta’s suite of programs represent new approaches that provide real hope for Louisiana duck hunters; primarily, that there is a pathway to a healthier Canadian “duck factory” and larger fall flight.
We wanted to provide this information to you as you are an important part of Delta Waterfowl in Louisiana. While we are disappointed in this setback, we are determined to continue to press on and re-submit a proposal to the LWF Commission in two years.
Thank you for all you do on Delta’s behalf!
Sincerely,
Rob Olson John L. Devney
President Senior Vice President
Rumor has it that DU and some state 'good ol boys' meet behind closed doors. Some deals where made, to the effect that DU would do some 'habit improvements' to their private land. That wouldnt happen ,now would it?
