MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Aug. 25, 2020 - David Canul received an inaugural Ducks Unlimited (DU) Excellence in Conservation Award for his work on the Ducks Unlimited de Mxico (DUMAC) Mangrove Restoration Program in the Yucatan Peninsula.

For the first time in its 83-year history DU distributed their Excellence in Conservation Awards. DU&squo;s Conservation Programs Committee (CPC) created the awards to recognize outstanding conservation accomplishments and the DU staff who made them possible.

Any extraordinary accomplishment that supports DU&squo;s conservation mission of filling the skies with waterfowl today, tomorrow and forever is eligible for recognition. The inaugural 2020 awards were announced Aug. 20, during the CPC summer meeting.

"These awards were created to support morale, help maintain a high level of motivation and convey the gratitude of DU supporters and volunteers by recognizing truly exceptional conservation professionals,&dquo; said CPC Chair Dr. Christine Thomas. "The awards recognize particularly outstanding conservation achievements by individuals who are part of the staff of Ducks Unlimited.&dquo;

Canul received the award for excellence in mangrove wetlands habitat restoration. Mexico has approximately 1.7 million acres of mangrove wetland habitats, and DUMAC began work in 1995 with an innovative approach utilizing mangrove nurseries and direct planting. To date, DUMAC has restored the hydrology of more than 31,000 acres of wetlands with the consequent regeneration of 5,500 acres of mangroves in the Yucatan Peninsula, which represents 20 percent of the mangroves lost in this region.

"I am very honored to receive this recognition for all the work focused on restoring and recovering the mangroves in Mexico,&dquo; said Canul. "It&squo;s been more than 10 years full of satisfaction and goals achieved. This award is very gratifying for me and fills me with new energy to continue for another decade in wetlands and waterfowl conservation.&dquo;

Click here for a complete list of 2020 Ducks Unlimited Excellence in Conservation Award winners.

"Ducks Unlimited has the greatest team of conservation professionals in the world,&dquo; DU CEO Adam Putnam said. "These Excellence in Conservation Awards recognize the members of Team DU who are the boots on the ground. Their daily efforts fuel our mission to fill the skies with waterfowl.&dquo;

For more information visit www.ducks.org. Follow DU&squo;s newest 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 almost 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:

John Gordon
(901) 758-3753
jgordon@ducks.org