Milestone 30 years in the making means more habitat, hunting opportunities
Since 1984, Ducks Unlimited has successfully conserved more than 5 million acres of waterfowl habitat in the United States, according to a release.
“Ducks Unlimited’s mission of wetlands conservation continues to be driven by science to deliver the best possible outcomes for waterfowl in the highest priority landscapes,” said Paul Schmidt, DU’s chief conservation officer. “Our team is proud of what we have accomplished and we look forward to conserving the next 5 million acres as efficiently and effectively as the last.”
DU considers habitat conserved if it is under an agreement lasting at least 10 years, or is owned by a public agency assuring its long-term dedication to wildlife, the release states.
“This monumental conservation milestone would not have been possible without the continued help and support of our state and federal agency, corporate and volunteer partners in the United States, Canada and Mexico,” said Dale Hall, DU’s CEO. “This is another important step to fulfill Ducks Unlimited’s vision for wetlands sufficient to fill the skies with waterfowl today, tomorrow and forever. It’s always great to celebrate an achievement like this, but we have much more work to do in the United States and across the continent.”
Thanks to the contributions of millions of DU supporters, more than 13 million acres have been conserved in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. DU restores or enhances habitat using direct management practices such as improving water control and hydrology, or establishing native vegetation.
Although DU often protects and restores or enhances the same land multiple times, those acres are only counted once.
