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Ducks Unlimited

Ducks Unlimited (DU) announced today that the CF Industries Foundation is providing a $250,000 grant over two years to support DU and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) in restoring native wetlands in Iowa.

Corporate and foundation partnerships are an integral component of conserving wildlife habitats and protecting natural resources. The CF Industries Foundation, a not-for-profit corporation founded and supported by CF Industries Holdings, Inc., a leading global manufacturer of hydrogen and nitrogen products for clean energy, fertilizer, emissions abatement and other industrial applications, is supporting DU’s restoration efforts in Iowa with an investment of $250,000 over the next two years. CF Industries operates a nitrogen manufacturing complex south of Sioux City, Iowa, as well as two distribution facilities in Iowa.

“The CF Industries Foundation is pleased to partner with Ducks Unlimited in our shared commitment to build a thriving and more sustainable world,” said Sue Menzel, CF Industries Foundation president and executive vice president and chief administrative officer of CF Industries Holdings, Inc. “We are thrilled to support Ducks Unlimited’s important work in Iowa improving surface water quality, upstream land-use practices, public recreation opportunities, and wildlife habitat for Iowa residents.”

Since 2013, IDALS has been working with soil and water conservation districts to address water quality protection as part of the state’s Nutrient Reduction Strategy. The goal is to improve water quality in Iowa by targeting and preventing off-site sediment, nutrients and livestock waste pollution from entering the lakes, rivers and streams.

For the last five years, DU and IDALS have been working to restore native wetlands in Iowa, benefiting wildlife and state residents. Iowa has undertaken an aggressive initiative to reduce 45% of the nitrogen that enters its waterways. To accomplish this goal, the state hopes to construct thousands of “Water Quality Wetlands.”

The Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) restores wetlands in intensively farmed areas to reduce nutrient runoff. There is a substantial opportunity to increase the number of wetlands in Iowa, but IDALS has reached its maximum capacity to deliver projects.

DU increases the capacity for IDALS by helping find suitable wetland opportunities through GIS mapping tools that identify where nutrients are entering the watershed. DU’s conservation team also supports landowner outreach, project designs, engineering and construction management.

DU also prioritizes the restoration of shallow lakes in Iowa. These lakes are some of the last original wetland habitats in the state. But pollution is a serious issue for these shallow lakes, preventing wetland vegetation growth and degrading habitat conditions. DU restores public shallow lakes to optimal depths. This allows native plants to flourish, provides high-quality wildlife habitat and filters excess nutrients so they do not pollute the watershed.

“As a conservation leader, we have an opportunity and a responsibility to help partners like CF Industries Foundation fulfill their environmental commitments,” said James Roberts, DU managing director of development. “The work we do in Iowa is partnership driven. Landowners enroll in CREP because they want to establish wetlands on their properties. Our biologists are working with producers to ensure our conservation initiatives coincide with their farming practices. Our agency and philanthropic partners help to accelerate conservation delivery. We are honored that CF Industries Foundation is now part of our impactful conservation collaborations in Iowa.”