Ducks Unlimited (DU), in partnership with the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD), helped restore 6,371 acres of the Gardner-Cobb Marsh near the Kissimmee Upper Chain of Lakes.

DU's successful North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) grant proposal for a project titled "Kissimmee to the Coast II" helped provide funding for the wetland improvements.

"The Gardner-Cobb Marsh was acquired by SFWMD to support the Kissimmee River Headwaters Revitalization Project," said DU Director of Conservation Programs Emily Purcell. "Historical changes to the Marsh dehydrated expansive areas of wetlands leading to shifts in wetland vegetation diversity that included an increase of non-native species and loss of wetland-dependent species. The restoration work on the Gardner-Cobb Marsh helps reverse this."

Restoration work included filling ditches and removing barriers to water flow that increased delivery to the prairie wetland system.

"The Gardner-Cobb Marsh project is a perfect example of DU's mission - restoring wetlands to benefit waterfowl, wildlife and people," said DU CEO Adam Putnam. "This partnership with the South Florida Water Management District is another big step in revitalization of the Kissimmee River and Lake Okeechobee watersheds that will restore wetland habitats for native wildlife like waterfowl and wading birds and enhance public recreational opportunities while improving water quality."

For more information visit www.ducks.org, and be sure to follow DU's news Twitter feed - @DUNews1937 - to get the most up-to-date news from Ducks Unlimited.

About Ducks Unlimited
Ducks Unlimited Inc. is the world's largest nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving North America's continually disappearing waterfowl habitats. Established in 1937, Ducks Unlimited has conserved more than 15 million acres thanks to contributions from more than a million supporters across the continent. Guided by science and dedicated to program efficiency, DU works toward the vision of wetlands sufficient to fill the skies with waterfowl today, tomorrow, and forever. For more information on our work, visit www.ducks.org.

Media Contact:

Emily Austin

601-206-5438

eaustin@ducks.org

@DUSouthernNews