JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Nov. 10, 2016 - The Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation honored Ducks Unlimited during its National Lewis and Clark Conservation Awards at the Missouri State Capitol Building on Oct. 29.

The inaugural event recognized individuals and organizations that have impacted conservation in Missouri and beyond. Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon presented the awards.

Ducks Unlimited in Missouri received the Sacagawea Community and Partnership State of Missouri Conservation Award for DU's innovative leadership in wetland and waterfowl conservation. The honor is given to organizations focused on community and partnership building which have led to changes in conservation programs impacting Missouri.

"We appreciate this recognition," said Tom McCrackin, Ducks Unlimited state chairman for Missouri. "This award tells us we've got an efficient Ducks Unlimited team here in Missouri, one that blends fundraising and science to produce terrific wetland habitat for ducks."

Ducks Unlimited in 2003 established the Confluence Focus Area as one of DU's priority conservation regions. Over the last 13 years, DU has worked with conservation partners and volunteer landowners to secure conservation easements on 29 tracts totaling 9,005 acres of high quality wetland habitat in Missouri's portion of the confluence area.

DU and conservation partners have leveraged private and public funds, along with conservation easements, to secure nine North American Wetland Conservation Act grants at $1 million each. Those grants have protected, enhanced or restored an additional 30,000 acres of high quality wetland related habitats on predominantly public lands in Missouri.

DU is using one of these grants to boost Mingo National Wildlife Refuge, part of the largest remaining block of bottomland hardwood forest in Missouri, for wildlife and recreational use.

About the Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation
The Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation is a nonprofit, charitable organization founded in 1997 to help meet financial needs placed on natural resource conservation and conservation-related outdoor recreation. MCHF advances the conservation and appreciation of forest, fish, and wildlife resources by applying financial resources to the priorities of the Missouri Department of Conservation in collaboration with donors and other partners.

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 18 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:
Chris Sebastian
(734) 623-2017
csebastian@ducks.org