Ducks Unlimited Annual ReportNo.

For gener ations , migr ating waterFowl have awed and inspired us with their innate

ability to Fly thousands oF miles across the continent and arrive at one speciF ic

pr airie pothole or winter haven. whether heading north For the spring or south

For the winter , these b irds seem to have an internal Flight plan, and so does ducks

unlimited. our plan is to conserve the most critical and threatened wetlands and

waterFowl habitats on the continent. last year , du made great progress toward that

goal , and this year , we’re taking Flight toward even greater achievements .

A Bird’s Eye View

Ducks Unlimited’s members and volunteers are one of our greatest strengths. Few organizations have such

a committed and dedicated group of supporters. In part, that’s because DU supporters have a deep and

personal understanding of wetlands and waterfowl. For many, it’s a passion rooted in early mornings on

the marsh with good friends, good dogs and hopefully a good hunt. It’s a feeling, a tradition, a heritage

we all want to preserve, and we’re determined to do that through long-term habitat conservation.

Fiscal Year 2007 marked DU’s 70th anniversary and ushered in a new era of habitat conservation.

Looking back, we do so with a new perspective— a bird’s-eye view, so to speak. From this vantage point, we see more than 12 million acres conserved, thanks to generations of concerned sportsmen and other conservationists. But we also see more native prairie plowed and wetlands drained every day.

Looking ahead, we see new horizons and opportunities for Ducks Unlimited. We also see new challenges. Urban sprawl and population growth are putting increasing pressure on the land and tapping our water resources to near depletion.

We’ve seen how the face of conservation can change. We understand the dynamics at play. And we have a plan to meet those challenges head-on. It’s called Wetlands for Tomorrow, the largest conservation campaign in history. In this, our second year of the campaign, we’re well on our way to raising the $1.7 billion needed to conserve some of the most critical and threatened habitats on the continent.

We’ve highlighted a few of these habitats in this report. Places like the Prairie Pothole Region, where DU is conserving some of the most productive waterfowl breeding grounds in the world. Places like

the Gulf Coast of Louisiana, where we’re on the front

lines of a battle to prevent further wetland loss and

conserve those that remain.

Across North America, DU is making measurable

progress in all of our priority areas. Last year, we

raised $213 million to restore and protect more than

230,000 acres of critical habitat in the United States

alone. But we know our work is far from complete.

Every year, we continue to lose 80,000 wetland acres

across the country.

Ducks Unlimited is uniquely positioned to reverse

that trend. As the world’s largest wetland and

waterfowl conservation group, we have the

international network, internal infrastructure and

scientific knowledge to achieve our conservation

mission. Most importantly, we have the passion and

the people to get the job done.

That passion and commitment were palpable at our

annual convention in May, when we elected a new

board of directors who promise to catalyze even

greater conservation achievements for DU. We also

introduced DU’s “Flight Plan,” a five-year business

plan to guide DU through our Wetlands for Tomorrow

campaign and beyond.

DU’s conservation work continues to include on-the-ground habitat projects with private landowners and public agencies, as well as a growing focus on public policy. As we’ve seen, decisions made in Washington about the farm bill, the Clean Water Act and other federal programs have a profound effect on millions of acres, millions of waterfowl and our ability to conserve habitat.

DU is an ambitious organization, always pushing ourselves to do better and do more. As we launch into this new era of conservation, we look back with pride on our first 70 years. We look forward with anticipation, knowing that as we grow, we will become even more efficient and effective. We want you with us all the way, because on the horizon we see abundant habitat filling the skies with waterfowl today, tomorrow and forever.

Sincerely,

Bruce LewisPresident

D. A. (Don) YoungExecutive Vice President

2

WaterfoWl are eff ic ient b irds . they don’t Waste energy on unnecessary tr avel .

they don’t spend time on trivial things . they concentr ate only on What benefits

them most: food, survival and reproduction. every Wing beat, every turn taken by

a migr ating duck has a purpose .

such is the World of ducks unlimited. With limited time and funding, We focus on our

business plan to guide us — our miss ion to conserve the most important and threatened

habitats on the continent. every dollar spent, every project undertaken is carefully

considered to ensure the greatest benefit for the longest time . it ’ s that guiding

principle that led du to identify sever al “priority areas” for our conservation Work.

according to high-tech mapping and on-the-ground research, these are some of the

most critical habitats on the continent. they’re also among the most endangered.

The Flight Plan

It’s a peaceful spring morning on the prairie of South Dakota. A cool breeze

lifts a pintail hen as she twists and dives in midair, eluding six amorous pintail

drakes with her acrobatic flight. With every drop and turn, she tests her suitors

in a courtship flight that could make a Blue Angels pilot swoon. She stops, dives,

flips and spins hundreds of feet above a blanket of flowing grass. The drake who

best matches her flight will likely be the lucky mate she chooses.

Prairie Pothole Region

Pintails on a courtship flight.

Selecting a mate, though tiresome and wild, is the easy part. The real challenge lies in successfully hatching a brood in a world of tractors and broken prairie. In the distance, a black plume of smoke serves as a reminder of the danger and destruction that waits on the prairie below. The smoke comes from a four-wheel-drive tractor methodically plowing up native prairie that, until now, couldn’t be farmed; prairie that has hatched thousands of generations of pintails— all gone in a plume of smoke one peaceful South Dakota morning.

It’s a tragic scene that’s increasingly common, particularly in the Prairie Pothole Region where the majority of North America’s waterfowl breed. This region got its name from the miles of grassland pocked with wetland “potholes” left by receding glaciers more than 10,000 years ago. For breeding waterfowl, it’s an ideal landscape for nesting and rearing their young.

Unfortunately, the grasslands of the Great Plains are dwindling and with them go waterfowl. In the

U.S. portion of the Prairie Pothole Region, more

than 78 percent of the original grassland nesting

cover is already gone. Northern pintail populations

have also plummeted. Even during recent wet

years when other duck species have multiplied,

pintails have failed to rebound. Researchers can’t

say exactly why, but prairie loss is one likely

culprit, and it’s running rampant today.

Despite these changes and challenges, all is not

lost. Nearly 23 million grassland acres remain in

the pothole country of Montana, North Dakota

and South Dakota, and native prairie is still

the most abundant nesting cover in the region.

But time is running out to conserve it. Recent

research conducted by DU and partners shows

that some areas will lose half of their remaining

grassland during the next 34 years.

Thankfully, we have a solution—and it’s one that

appeals to ranchers and farmers. Today, more than

700 landowners are hoping to protect a combined

total of more than 367,000 acres. Unfortunately,

DU lacks the funding to meet this demand. The

prairie’s best hope for conservation lies in direct

conservation efforts like DU’s North American

Grasslands Conservation Initiative, launched

as part of Wetlands for Tomorrow. Through this

initiative, DU is working with the U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service (USFWS) to purchase perpetual

grassland easements from landowners across the

Dakotas and Montana. Last year, DU worked with

private landowners and the USFWS to conserve

more than 59,000 acres in the Missouri Coteau, a

region of the prairies known as the best habitat for

breeding waterfowl. Since the inception of DU’s

first grassland conservation initiative, Grasslands

for Tomorrow, DU has permanently protected

more than 670,000 acres with conservation

easements on the prairies.

Grassland conservation is more than a passion for Wendi Rinehart. It’s a way of life. As a rancher in

South Dakota, she leads by example, placing conservation easements on her own ranchland and encouraging

others to do the same. As a spokeswoman for grassland conservation, Rinehart has turned the heads of state and

federal officials, and helped Ducks Unlimited work with other ranchers to conserve critical waterfowl habitat.

To help support DU’s grasslands conservation work, visit

www.ducks.org/grasslandinitiative

8

SEEING IS BELIEVING

Nothing compares with experiencing the Prairie Pothole Region firsthand. Whistling wings and courtship calls. Sapphire wetlands nestled in an endless sea of grass.

Thanks to the generosity of three donors, the public can now revel in the sights and sounds of the prairie on DU’s newest property, the Coteau Ranch.

It started when Saf and Betty Peacock, two longtime waterfowl hunters and DU supporters, donated 160 acres next to the 6,500-acre Davis Ranch, which was also protected, in part, with major funding from the Peacocks.

“Conservation is important to us,” Peacock explains. “When we felt we were able to make a major contribution to conservation, our friend Frank Bellrose told us the best thing we could do for ducks was to help preserve land in the Missouri Coteau, so that’s what we did.”

The Peacocks weren’t alone in their conservation mission. Adjoining their donated land were two parcels of prime waterfowl breeding habitat that were for sale. The owner of one parcel decided to donate his property to DU. A philanthropist then bought the second ranch and donated it to DU as well. Both donors requested no recognition.

As a result, 2,500 contiguous acres of some of the best duck breeding habitat in the world are conserved forever. On what we now call the Coteau Ranch, DU is restoring native prairie, increasing nesting habitat and setting an example for land stewardship.

Coteau Ranch is open for public hunting, and features an interpretive trail for visitors. It’s a place for education, research and inspiration. A place to showcase the best habitat and the best of DU’s conservation work.

A place for the ducks.

The Prairie Pothole Region once formed the core of the largest grassland-wetland ecosystem in the world. Today, croplands are replacing native habitat that’s nearly impossible to restore.

Western Boreal Forest

Flying low over the Western Boreal Forest of northern Canada and central

Alaska, you can imagine the vast wilderness that our ancestors encountered

as pioneers in North America. Mile upon mile of spruce and aspen forest is

broken only by sparkling lakes, pristine wetlands, meandering rivers and some

of the largest inland river deltas in the world.

A lesser scaup glides through boreal waters.

Spanning some 1.8 million square miles, the Western

Boreal Forest annually hosts up to 41 percent of the

continent’s breeding waterfowl—including 12-14

million ducks—making it the second-most important

waterfowl breeding area in North America. Even more

birds flock to the region when the prairies are dry.

But today, the boreal landscape is changing. Forest

products companies have secured timber rights to

the majority of the commercially harvestable timber

in the southern boreal forest. In other areas, petroleum

production, oil sands mining and hydroelectric

development could also threaten boreal wetlands and

other wildlife habitats.

While the impacts of natural resources development

are readily apparent, a more insidious threat possibly

faces waterfowl and other boreal wildlife: climate

change. Temperatures in parts of north-central

Canada are predicted to increase by as much as

4 degrees Celsius—among the largest increases on

the continent. This warming trend will likely cause

more frequent drought and flooding. Vegetation

zones and wildlife species may shift northward, and

as much as 60,000 square miles of the forest may

become suitable for small grain farming.

Through its Western Boreal Forest Conservation

Initiative, DU is laying the groundwork for large-scale

conservation efforts in this region. DU and partners

are working with resource extraction companies and

natural resource managers to ensure that development

activities are conducted in a sustainable manner that

will not harm wetlands and waterfowl populations.

DU is also working with indigenous citizens, govern-

ments and industries to secure large blocks of protected

habitat throughout the Western Boreal Forest.

To prepare and plan for the future, DU is creating

a comprehensive habitat inventory of the region.

DU biologists and mapping specialists are conduc-

ting extensive air and ground surveys to verify

satellite images, classify wetland habitats, determine

water chemistry and monitor waterfowl populations

throughout the spring, summer and fall. Additional

research will study the importance of these habitats

to waterfowl and other wildlife, as well as the poten-

tial impact resource development will have on boreal

wetlands. This information will help DU prioritize,

plan and deliver conservation work throughout the

Western Boreal Forest.

To help conserve vital habitat in the boreal forest, visit

www.ducks.org/borealforest

For years, Clarann and Stephen Petersen struggled to farm a drained wetland basin on their family farm

in the Boreal region. Originally, the wetland was drained to drill an oil well on the property. Tired of

fighting nature with little results, the well site was reclaimed and the Petersens contacted DU about

restoring their wetland. They couldn’t be happier with their decision. Today, waterfowl and other

wildlife flock to the Petersen’s wetland. Their two sons, Matthew and Ben, are home-schooled

and say the wetland is a science lab in their own backyard.

12

PHILANTHROPIST IN THE FOREST

On a crisp winter morning in 1948, Ruel and Jane Johnson took their young son, Bill, on his first hunting trip. It was the beginning of a lifelong commitment to waterfowl and conservation. For the Johnsons, waterfowl hunting was a way of life; conservation, a passion and an ethic they hoped to instill in their son. Leading by example, Ruel supported DU for 25 years before he passed away in 1983, but his conservation legacy lives on in his son.

Bill Johnson knows from experience that successful conservation must be comprehensive conservation. Habitat is crucial at every point in the waterfowl life cycle. That’s why Johnson, who lives in California, has generously supported DU’s work in the Western Boreal Forest. He also supports a conservation easement in Alberta, a wetlands restoration project in Idaho and a land acquisition opportunity in Utah.

“I chose to start with the boreal forest because this one habitat impacts millions of ducks and geese, and we have a unique opportunity to conserve it in its natural state right now,” Johnson says. “The boreal forest is especially important to pintails in the Pacific Flyway. Considering their current population predicament, I wanted to do something for pintails in particular, which is why I supported the projects I did.”

Johnson hopes his gifts will catalyze more contributions to each of these projects. DU typically leverages private gifts with public funding sources, raising five to seven times the original donation. Johnson says this leveraging ability is one of the main reasons he supports DU.

“Ducks Unlimited does a great job of conserving waterfowl habitat,” Johnson says. “They also use the money very effectively—the majority of their money goes into actual conservation work versus overhead.”

Like his father, Johnson is leading by example to keep his family’s conservation ethic and hunting traditions alive.

A DU biologist conducts a ground survey of waterfowl in the boreal forest. Results will help identify habitat needs of boreal birds and sensitivities to nearby forestry practices.

Like metal to a magnet, waterfowl flock by the millions to the Mississippi River

every year. It’s the largest river in North America, with a watershed covering

41 percent of the lower 48 states. Likewise, more than 40 percent of the

continent’s waterfowl annually funnel into the river’s southern basin, known

as the Mississippi Alluvial Valley (MAV). Millions stay for the winter.

Millions more follow the river farther south to the Gulf Coast of Louisiana.

Mississippi Alluvial Valley

A mallard makes his approach.

In its natural state, the Mississippi was a wild and

winding river that flooded almost every winter,

inundating millions of acres of forested wetlands and

open marshes. This created a paradise for wintering

waterfowl. The legendary swamps, bayous and flooded

forests of the Mississippi Alluvial Valley provided a

perfect combination of food and shelter for the birds.

Over the years, the mighty Mississippi has been

partially tamed. In the name of progress, flood

control, agriculture and development, its course has

been straightened, its swamps drained and its channels

deepened. This has caused an almost unprecedented

loss of wetland habitat crucial to migrating and

wintering waterfowl. Wetlands also trap runoff,

filtering contaminants before they reach the river.

In areas where wetlands have been drained, nutrients

pass directly into the Mississippi River and flow

downstream into the Gulf of Mexico. These excess

nutrients have created a vast area of hypoxic water in

the Gulf known as the “Dead Zone.”

But all is not lost. While extensively altered, the MAV

remains a winter haven for millions of ducks and geese.

It’s the most important wintering area on the continent

for mallards. Many other waterfowl species including

pintail, wigeon, green-winged teal and gadwall winter

here in spectacular numbers.

Ducks Unlimited recently completed a landscape ana-

lysis of the MAV. Using satellite imagery and remote

sensing technology, DU mapped and classified all the

remaining waterfowl wintering habitat in the region.

The results of this work show that most of the MAV’s

remaining waterfowl habitat is currently unprotected

and vulnerable to loss or further degradation.

Armed with this information, DU is working on long-

term solutions to conserve habitat for waterfowl in the

MAV. Conservation easements are one of the most

effective tools to permanently protect habitat here. To

date, DU has secured nearly 90,000 acres of habitat

with conservation easements in the MAV. More than

2,300 acres were secured last year alone. To complement

these easements, DU also helps restore and manage

lands enrolled in the federal Wetlands Reserve Program

and on state and federal lands. Through permanent

protection plans and comprehensive conservation

solutions like these, DU is making great strides toward

conserving an extensive habitat base for wintering

waterfowl in the MAV forever.

Wade Litton understands what it takes to ensure the survival of his hunting heritage. It’s something he

learned from his father, and something he’ll pass on to the next generation. It’s a balance. It’s knowing that

giving is equally as important as taking. He’s grown up around farming and now holds a position in the family

business, Wade, Inc. Litton understands that while the earth provides sustenance, it’s our responsibility to

sustain nature’s resources. Our hunting heritage–indeed, our livelihoods–rest in the balance.

To help conserve vital waterfowl habitat in the mav, visit

www.ducks.org/mav

16

HOPE IN THE VALLEY

Waterfowl and waterfowl hunting are engrained in the history and culture of the Mississippi Alluvial Valley (MAV). From the ducks of Memphis’ Peabody Hotel to Nash Buckingham’s stories of hunting the Delta, it’s a region known for wetlands and waterfowl. Generations of hunters ventured into the swamps and forests of the MAV, establishing traditions and conservation ethics that are still revered today.

It’s that way of life, those memories and traditions, that prompted Orrin Ingram III to join Ducks Unlimited in its conservation mission.

At age 12, Ingram’s father’s health problems prevented him from taking his son hunting. But that didn’t stop Ingram.

“I just bummed off of Dad’s friends and invited myself on their hunts,” Ingram recalls. “They gave Dad so much grief that he eventually bought some hunting land in the MAV.”

Ingram has hunted there ever since. The land is near Kentucky’s Ballard County Wildlife Management Area, an 8,200-acre refuge open to public hunting. It’s a habitat close to Ingram’s heart, which is why he wanted to help conserve it. Ingram knows how difficult it is to find a good hunting spot if you don’t own private land, so when the opportunity arose, he jumped at the chance to improve public hunting opportunities.

“It’s really important to make sure everybody has a good place to spend some quality time outdoors,” Ingram says.

According to Chris Cole, DU’s director of conservation programs in Kentucky, there are plenty of opportunities to restore public habitat in Ballard County.

“There are roughly 20,000 publicly owned acres in Ballard County alone,” Cole says. “Thanks to Orrin’s donations, we’re going to work all over those areas, and the vast majority of that land will be open to public hunting.”

In the MAV, DU staff works with public partners and private landowners to restore degraded wetlands and conserve existing habitats in perpetuity.

Louisiana’s nicknames say it all. License plates call it the “Sportsman’s Paradise.”

Millions know it as “America’s Wetland.” Others call it the “Bayou State.”

Any way you put it, Louisiana is a land entrenched in its outdoor heritage,

and rightfully so. The state’s rich marshes and coastal lagoons are among

the most important ecosystems in America, influencing the entire nation’s

economy, environment and culture.

Louisiana’s Coastal Wetlands

A gadwall searches for his next meal.

At its mouth near the southern tip of Louisiana, the

Mississippi River once built productive new marshes

by depositing rich soil carried from the heart of

North America. Every flood created new wetlands,

while the Gulf of Mexico reclaimed old ones.

It was a dynamic system balanced by marsh creation

and loss—until now.

Today, Louisiana’s coastal marshes are disappearing.

It started when man tamed the Mississippi River.

The rich sediment that once spread along the coast

forming new marsh is now redirected by levees off

the continental shelf in the Gulf of Mexico.

Compounding the problem are miles of canals and

ship channels that allow saltwater to flow into

the interior of the marsh, killing wetland plants.

Subsidence and erosion are also eating away at

Louisiana’s coast. Every day, the Gulf devours about

50 acres of coastal wetlands. That equates to the loss

of an area roughly the size of one football field every

30 minutes. Then there’s climate change, which could

raise sea levels and further stress the system.

If the current rate of loss continues, an additional

800,000 acres of wetlands will disappear by the year

2040, and the Louisiana shoreline will advance inland

by as much as 33 miles in some areas.

It’s not too late to save America’s wetland, and the

habitat is too valuable to ignore. Approximately

40 percent of all the coastal wetlands in the lower

48 states are located in Louisiana. Each year, as many

as 10 million ducks and geese flock to these wetlands.

Joining them are herons, egrets, ibises and spectacular

roseate spoonbills.

Along the coast, birds find a smorgasbord of aquatic

vegetation, seeds, tubers and invertebrates on which

to feast during the winter. The food fuels their

migration north, sending them back to the breeding

grounds in prime condition for nesting.

But waterfowl aren’t the only beneficiaries of

Louisiana’s wetlands. More than 30 percent of the

nation’s commercial fish harvest and 25 percent of

our energy supplies originate along Louisiana’s coast.

Most marine species in the Gulf of Mexico use the

state’s coastal wetlands at some time during their life

cycle. The marshes also serve as a first line of defense

against hurricanes by diminishing storm surges.

Scientists estimate that one mile of marsh can reduce

a storm surge by about one foot.

Ducks Unlimited is launching an unprecedented effort

to curb Louisiana’s wetland loss. Through Wetlands

for Tomorrow, DU has pledged $15 million toward

this effort, and we are already making progress. Last

year, DU conserved more than 20,000 wetland acres

in Louisiana, bringing the total to nearly 240,000 acres

conserved in the state. Still, we know we have a long

way to go before America’s wetland is safe.

Kent Frelich, a fisherman from Empire, Louisiana, sees the damage from erosion firsthand.

Not only are his nets pulling up fewer shrimp daily, but more alarmingly, he says they’re pulling

up more and more “chunks of marsh” that are being eaten away by coastal saltwater.

To help conserve vital waterfowl habitat along the louisiana coast, visit

www.ducks.org/lacoast

20

SAVING SPORTSMAN'S PAR ADISE

Ducks Unlimited is committed to restoring Louisiana’s

marshes and preventing further loss.

Through the Louisiana Coastal Conservation Initiative,

DU is teaming with state agencies such as the Louisiana

Department of Natural Resources to complete significant

restoration work along the coast. On the public policy front,

DU is advocating large-scale Mississippi River diversion

projects, which would modify levees and allow water and

sediment to flow back into marshlands, restoring the process

that historically built Louisiana’s coastal wetlands.

Ducks Unlimited is and will continue to be a conservation

leader in Louisiana. Combining our engineering and

scientific expertise with other partners, we’re tackling large-

scale restoration efforts, while simultaneously implementing

smaller-scale projects to improve management capacity.

For example, DU is constructing earthen terraces that

reduce saltwater intrusion and help re-establish native

grasses in wetlands. We’re also installing water-control

structures to help restore natural water and salinity levels

in coastal marshes. Through these and similar projects,

DU is making a difference in Louisiana, and you can help.

Louisiana's coastal marshes are under attack on two fronts. Man- made canals and shipping channels combined with erosion and subsidence claim about 25 square miles of marshland each year.

California’s Central Valley

Dense fog regularly forms during cool winter nights in the Central Valley

of California, where temperatures rarely dip below freezing. In the serenity

of a quiet marsh, you wouldn’t know that the ecology of this vast valley is in

deep trouble. As agriculture and urban development expand in the region, water

is becoming an increasingly rare commodity.

A cinnamon teal enjoying clear waters of the Central Valley.

Flanked by coastal mountains and the Sierra Nevada

range, the Central Valley was once a wet world of

serpentine streams and rivers, sprawling lakes, lush

grasslands and wetlands annually fed by mountain

runoff and seasonal flooding. Over the years, more

and more people have settled in this fertile landscape,

and today, the Central Valley’s vineyards, orchards

and fields produce one quarter of America’s food.

As agriculture and industry took hold, the Central

Valley suffered extensive wetland losses. Of the

4 million wetland acres that once existed in the

region, only 9 percent—or about 350,000 acres—

remain intact.

Despite such drastic losses, the Central Valley remains

a haven for waterfowl. In fact, intensive agriculture

is part of the region’s appeal for waterfowl. Flooded

fields of waste rice and other grain crops offer food

for migrating and wintering ducks and geese. In

some years, the Central Valley hosts more than

60 percent of the Pacific Flyway’s waterfowl.

The wetlands of the legendary Grasslands region

alone regularly support more than 1 million dabbling

ducks. Nowhere in the world do more waterfowl

rely on a smaller wetland base.

Unfortunately, this wetland base is rapidly declining.

During the next 35 years, the Central Valley’s human

population is expected to more than double, from

5.7 million people today to an estimated 13.1 million.

It’s the fastest growing region in one of the fastest

growing states in the nation. As the demand for land

increases, urban development, wildlife and agriculture

are in direct competition for limited space and water.

The Central Valley already is facing severe water

shortages. With such dramatic population growth

expected in the future, the region’s remaining wetlands

must be conserved today. Ducks Unlimited believes

that a balance between the needs of people and

wildlife is possible. DU is working with agriculture

and urban interests to raise awareness about the

importance of wetlands and how conserving them

benefits everyone. DU is also working closely with

agriculture and other groups to secure long-term

water supplies for wetlands through public policy.

A rice farmer and land developer, Al Montna, became the first landowner in California's

Central Valley to place his land in an agricultural conservation easement held by Ducks Unlimited.

As current Chairman of the California Board of Food and Agriculture, Chairman of the USA Rice

Federation and duck club owner, Montna advocates wildlife-friendly agriculture, protection

of farmland and continuing waterfowling traditions.

To help conserve vital wetlands in california's central valley, visit

www.ducks.org/centralvalley

24

HOW YOU CAN HELP

The situation in California’s Central Valley is indicative of

a larger problem that increasingly threatens North America’s

wetlands. As populations boom in the United States and

beyond our borders, more habitat will fall victim to the

growing need for land and water.

North America has already lost more than half of its original

wetlands, and every year at least 80,000 more acres are lost

in the United States alone. Restoring drained wetlands and

protecting those that remain are the only ways to reverse

this trend. The implications of continued habitat loss are

alarming, not only for waterfowl enthusiasts, but also for

everyone in North America. Wetlands are crucial to the

health of our environment. They purify our groundwater

and filter contaminants before they reach rivers, lakes and

streams. Wetlands help control flooding and storm surges

and provide habitat for more than 900 wildlife species—

not to mention the pure, wholesome fun they provide

for families and friends who hunt, fish and enjoy the

great outdoors. The good news is we can conserve North

America’s wetlands and waterfowl habitats.

One of the best ways to help is by supporting Ducks

Unlimited’s conservation work on the ground. Through

DU’s Wetlands for Tomorrow campaign, you can help

conserve some of the most vital and threatened habitats on

the continent. To find out more about DU’s Wetlands for

Tomorrow campaign and what you can do to make a lasting

difference, visit www.ducks.org/wetlandsfortomorrow.

DU is helping find sustainable solutions to the Central Valley's water problem. This dam and fish ladder will flood wetlands for waterfowl while keeping salmon in their native streams.

Spreading Our Wings2007 marked ducks unlimited’s 70th anniversary. it was a year to remember , and

du’s volunteers commemor ated it well . thanks to their pass ion and commitment,

du ’s gr assroots fundr aisers brought in more than $48 million for habitat

conservation. and for every dollar r aised, du spent 87 cents directly on our

habitat conservation miss ion.

a lot has changed over du 's f irst 70 years , but one thing remains the same :

du 's miss ion. ducks unlimited has always focused on habitat conservation for

waterfowl and always will . today, that miss ion is more important than ever . as the

threats to north america’s habitats expand, we’re spreading our wings with new

and innovative progr ams to get more people involved in habitat conservation.

DUCk JAM BUILDS A ROCkING TR ADITION

The Aggieland Chapter of Ducks Unlimited hosted

its 2nd Annual Duck Jam concert, sponsored by

Budweiser, on April 11 in College Station. More

than 4,000 students and adults flooded into

Wolf Pen Creek Amphitheatre to experience what

happens when great Texas Country music collides

with Ducks Unlimited! The all-day event featured

bands such as Rich O’Toole, Wade Bowen,

Micky and The Motorcars, Jason Boland and

the Stragglers, and two Texas Music favorites:

Reckless Kelly and The Randy Rogers Band.

Since the first Duck Jam in 2006, attendance

grew by 1,000 people, making this concert series

a mainstay in the Texas music arena. The 3rd

Annual Duck Jam is already set for April 26,

2008, so mark your calendars and don’t miss

this electrifying event!

Other small-venue Texas concerts to promote

and raise funds for DU have occurred in Austin,

Corpus Christi, San Marcos, and College Station.

Together these shows had over 1,000 in attendance.

WATERFOWL HUNTER PARTIES

There’s a new gig in town for the hard-core duck

hunter. DU’s Waterfowl Hunter Parties are a bash

for hunters, by hunters. These Ducks Unlimited

fundraising events feature more than 60 dozen

Greenhead Gear decoys, Avery blinds and,

of course, guns. The atmosphere is pure hunting.

Simply wearing camo gives you a shot at winning

a Benelli Nova 12-gauge Max-4 camo shotgun.

Purchase a ticket for an event near you at www.ducks.org/whp

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HUNT & HOME : ARE YOU GAME ?

In January 2006, Ducks Unlimited launched Hunt

& Home, a novel new fund-raising idea bringing

habitat conservation and wild-game cooking

together for a tasty good time.

Here’s how it works: DU volunteers host a Hunt

& Home party at their home, office, or favorite

gathering place. Guests hear from volunteers about

DU, watch an award-winning video and peruse

our catalog. They sample exclusive DU food as the

host offers cooking demonstrations. And thanks to

the volunteer support of Hunt & Home advisors

and hosts, 100 percent of party profits are devoted

to DU’s habitat conservation work. More than 100

volunteer leaders are hosting parties and introducing

DU to new supporters across the country.

To learn more about hunt & home, visit www.ducks.org/huntandhome

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PROJECT WEBFOOT GETS A ROCk-SOLID BOOST

Morgan Freeman’s Rock River Foundation awarded

Ducks Unlimited $25,000 to help increase wetland

education programs in Mississippi schools through

Project Webfoot.

“Enjoying the outdoors is a great part of Missis-

sippi’s history. Even so, many of our youth have

not had opportunities to witness wildlife and

wetlands firsthand,” said Phillip “Otey” Sherman,

member of the Rock River board. “We hope this

partnership with Ducks Unlimited exposes these

great natural places to our youth.”

Through Project Webfoot, DU provides teachers

with learning materials that bring the world of

wetlands to life for students in grades 4 through 6.

Last year, 209 classrooms participated in Project

Webfoot, reaching more than 5,000 students, and

this year participation has already doubled.

As a supporter of DU’s conservation work and a

spokesman for the Wetlands for Tomorrow

campaign, Morgan Freeman regularly demon-

strates his commitment to conservation. By

supporting Project Webfoot, Freeman and the

Rock River Foundation are ensuring the future

of wetlands and habitat conservation.

Birds Of A FeatherDU sUpporters are the kinD of people who want to make a Difference in the worlD.

we want to leave a legacy of healthy habitat anD abUnDant wilDlife for oUr

chilDren anD gr anDchilDren to enjoy. for some DU Donors , the best way to Do that

is throUgh DU’s major sponsor progr am. whether it ’ s a cash gift or estate planning,

these generoUs philanthropists go above anD beyonD the call of DUty, giving anD

Doing more for DUcks UnlimiteD anD oUr conservation miss ion.

BILLY OEHMIG

Billy Oehmig’s passion for conservation is rooted in a childhood spent outside.

“I grew up in the country, on the dirt roads and back roads,” Oehmig recalls. “Dad gave me a pointer puppy and took me quail and dove hunting at an early age. But duck

hunting was always special. You like most what you get the least of, and we didn’t have many ducks in south Georgia. That’s what made me care about conservation.”

As an adult, Oehmig moved to Texas, where he joined the local DU committee and got serious about conservation. “It’s inherent in those of us who are able to do so to pass

along a legacy of conservation and preservation, not only for waterfowl, but for all wildlife species,” Oehmig says. “I think that’s our duty, and I take it seriously.”

Oehmig has given generously to DU initiatives on both breeding and wintering areas. Most recently, he donated and endowed three conservation easements on his

property in Texas. Working with DU biologists, he has turned the habitat into a winter haven for waterfowl and many other wildlife species.

“It’s not only for ducks and geese, it’s for everything else that comes down the pipe,” Oehmig says. “Whether it’s watching the hummingbirds that migrate at the same

time as the teal or the painted buntings that come down a little later, it’s just one of nature’s true joys. It’s kind of like looking at wood ducks in full plumage. You’ve just

got to say, ‘Oh wow, how can we make sure the next generation gets to see the same thing?’”

Oehmig found the answer in Ducks Unlimited. Through conservation easements and projects on the prairies, he’s helped conserve habitat forever.

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DAVID k . WELLES JR .

Conservation comes naturally for Deke Welles of Perrysburg, Ohio. His parents planted the seed of conservation in Welles, but what made it grow was witnessing habitat destruction firsthand.

“I live in northwest Ohio, and at one point, this whole area was referred to as the Great Black Swamp,” Welles says. “But now more than 95 percent of its wetlands have been drained for agriculture and development. The county to our south was once terrific habitat for pheasants and other wildlife, but with the draining of the swamp and changes in agricultural practices, the waterfowl and pheasants disappeared.”

That experience inspired Welles to take a proactive approach to conservation. Today, he supports DU as a volunteer and major sponsor. He serves on DU’s Wetlands America Trust board and generously endorses DU’s conservation work in the Great Lakes region.

“I recognized how vulnerable our remaining wetlands are, especially in northwest Ohio, where we have continuing urbanization, development and problems with invasive species,” says Welles. “Knowing it’s possible to restore some aspects of the Great Black Swamp and maintain existing wetlands is what drives my commitment to conservation. In addition, we have a sizeable black duck population in this area that also needs to be sustained, and DU’s conservation work is doing all of the above.”

As a member of Winous Point Shooting Club and president of the Winous Point Marsh Conservancy, Welles also supports local conservation efforts. It’s all part of a conservation ethic—the desire to give something back—that keeps Welles and other major donors making a difference for DU. Making a difference for the ducks.

DR . & MRS. MACk k ARNES

When asked why he cares about conservation, Dr. Mack Karnes recalls his childhood in southern Illinois. Every fall, when the air turned crisp and skeins of geese honked overhead, Karnes felt a spark inside. “I wasn’t quite sure why, but I knew there was something special about the fall and those geese flying south,” Karnes recalls.

Today, Karnes is doing his part to keep the geese and ducks flying for generations to come. Dr. Karnes and his wife, Debra, are longtime supporters of Ducks Unlimited’s Living Lakes Initiative, giving generously to support conservation in the Great Lakes region.

“The Great Lakes are an incredible resource,” Karnes says. “They’re important not only to me and to waterfowl, but to this country and the world. I think that one of the things the Lord told us to do was ‘tend the garden,’ and that’s what Debra and I are trying to do. We’re tending the garden, and giving back what was given to us.”

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THE WALkER FOUNDATION

In 1973, William “Bill” Walker Jr. of Jackson, Mississippi, purchased some property along the Mississippi River where Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi meet. His vision was not just to restore the land, but to turn it into the nicest habitat in the country. For that, he turned to Ducks Unlimited. Thus began a conservation partnership that still thrives today.

Walker was a staunch supporter of Ducks Unlimited, and his conservation legacy lives on through the Walker Foundation.

“We have continued to support and tried to continue his vision for the foundation in restoring habitat specifically in the Mississippi, Arkansas and Louisiana area,” says William “Will” Walker III, who now runs the foundation with his mother and two sisters. “We’ve also started supporting DU’s GIS [Geographical Information Systems] work in the South in addition to on-the-ground restoration in the three-state area.”

Supporting conservation comes naturally for the entire Walker family.

“The whole family has a passion for the outdoors,” says Walker. “My sisters and I grew up in the outdoors and are all avid hunters, my mother, too. She loves just getting out and seeing the wildlife and wild places.”

A lot has changed since 1973. The Walker family now includes 10 grandchildren, and many more acres conserved. The family still owns and visits the same land Bill Walker

bought in 1973, but it’s different too. What was once sub-par habitat is now a haven for wintering waterfowl—proof that visions can come true and conservation works.

CONOCOPHILLIPS

The fast-paced world of corporate America hasn’t diminished the connection to the great outdoors for ConocoPhillips. As a leading producer of oil and natural gas, ConocoPhillips recognizes the finite nature of the earth’s natural resources and the need to practice wise stewardship.

“We believe in striving for sustainable development,” said Bob Ridge, vice president of Health, Safety & Environment for ConocoPhillips. “One of our particular environmental interests is conserving the natural habitat of migratory birds, a mission that has been at the forefront of our environmental efforts for decades. This mission is critical in an increasingly crowded world that is rapidly encroaching on vital habitat in many areas.”

ConocoPhillips has long endorsed the work of Ducks Unlimited to conserve waterfowl habitat, particularly in the Playa Lakes region, funding more than 250 related conservation projects over the past 17 years. The region is a recharge zone for the Ogallala Aquifer and a source of shelter, food and water for wildlife. It’s also the site of much of ConocoPhillips’ asset base and home to many of its employees. To help conserve playa habitats, ConocoPhillips supports DU.

“We view Ducks Unlimited as a leader in habitat restoration and conservation efforts, from the Arctic regions of Alaska and Canada to the wintering areas in the southern United States,” said Ridge. “DU’s work is well known and highly respected throughout the conservation community. We can rest assured that contributions made through Ducks Unlimited will make a tangible impact, and will be leveraged along with the contributions of others.”

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