DU Presents Nebraska Wetland Partnership Awards
LINCOLN, NE - March 17, 2022 - Nebraska Ducks Unlimited (DU) recently presented the 2021 and 2022 Nebraska Wetland Partnership Awards to Mark Brohman and David Eigenberg (respectively) at its state convention in Lincoln. Since 2016, DU has bestowed this award to a single individual from other organizations who were crucial in helping DU achieve its wetland conservation missions in Nebraska.
Mark Brohman, the former Executive Director of the Nebraska Environmental Trust (NET) and recently named to the same position with Wachiska Audubon Society, received the 2021 Partnership Award for his many years of service with the NET and his work to conserve thousands of acres of habitat on behalf of DU, in addition to numerous projects that benefit Nebraska's environment.
"Mark should be proud of his numerous accomplishments with the NET, and I am certain he will continue to play a crucial role in Nebraska conservation in his new position," said DU Conservation Program Manager John Denton.
David Eigenberg, General Manager of the Upper Big Blue Natural Resources District (UBBNRD), received the 2022 Partnership Award for the efforts he and his Board of Directors made to protect two very important wetland areas. The UBBNRD allowed DU to keep a property open to the public in exchange for holding a property in Hamilton County that will now be known as the Teal View Wetland Education Area. Denton said, "Keeping this wetland area open to public use while also serving as an education area is a huge win for wetland conservation and would not have happened without Dave's efforts."
Additionally, the UBBNRD protected a crop field containing two ephemeral wetlands adjacent to a large U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service wetland, the Real Waterfowl Production Area in Fillmore County, from being developed or drained via a working lands easement held by the UBBNRD. "This effort is beneficial to wildlife by limiting disturbance of the wetland and additionally benefits agricultural production by ensuring the property remains as crop," Denton said.
"DU did not have a Nebraska state convention in 2021 because of the pandemic, but we wanted to ensure we recognized a partner for that year, as well as 2022," Denton said. "We cannot accomplish any conservation work without partnerships and the 2021 and 2022 recipients were critical to helping DU accomplish its missions in Nebraska."
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:
Ben Romans
(208) 761-7775
bromans@ducks.org