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Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025 marks the 88th anniversary of Ducks Unlimited (DU), the world's most extensive wetlands and waterfowl conservation organization.

In 1937, a small group of waterfowlers, visionaries and community leaders set out to save North America's waterfowl populations while celebrating the continent's solid waterfowling heritage. Stressing the critical role wetlands play across North America, DU committed to this mission at the height of the Great Depression and one of the worst droughts in history.

A group of waterfowl hunters founded DU, and today, most DU members are hunters. Through the support of these sportsmen and women and the tireless efforts of our other members, volunteers, partners and supporters, DU has protected or restored more than 19 million acres of habitat across North America in the areas most important to ducks and geese.

“In Fiscal Year 2024, Ducks Unlimited delivered a year of unprecedented milestones reflecting our recognized position as the leader in North American wetlands conservation,” said DU President Bob Spoerl. “We capitalized on generational support from private and public partners to improve wetlands from coast to coast, from the top of the Prairie Pothole Region to the shores of the Gulf of Mexico. Ducks Unlimited delivered over 1 million acres of conservation for the first time in a single fiscal year. This staggering total reflects on-the-ground habitat improvement in marshes, grasslands and coastal areas crucial to waterfowl's lifecycle.”

DU is the world's largest and most effective private, nonprofit waterfowl and wetlands conservation organization. DU delivers its work through partnerships with private individuals, landowners, agencies, scientific communities and other entities.

"Ducks Unlimited conserves wetlands and associated upland habitat to ensure healthy waterfowl populations," said DU Chief Conservation Officer Dr. Karen Waldrop. "Ducks Unlimited, Inc., Ducks Unlimited Canada, Ducks Unlimited de México and Wetlands America Trust continue to make DU's vision of abundant wetlands a reality through our $3 billion comprehensive campaign, Conservation for a Continent, the single, largest continental wetlands campaign ever launched."

Wetlands refill and purify groundwater, mitigate floods and reduce soil erosion. They are also North America's most productive ecosystems, providing critical habitat to more than 900 wildlife species and invaluable recreation opportunities for people to enjoy. In addition, strategic DU projects have protected communities, agriculture, local economies, homes and even lives from the destructive impacts of flooding, erosion and severe weather. Local communities throughout North America use DU-conserved wetlands for recreation, hunting, education and improved quality of life.

"Every day, Ducks Unlimited’s volunteers, members, partners and supporters make a huge difference in wetlands conservation based on science and sustainability," said DU CEO Adam Putnam. “We protect wetlands by working with farmers, ranchers and landowners across the continent. Fiscal Year 2024 was another record-setting example of how 678,000 members and over one million supporters continued saving the wetlands and waterfowl we are passionate about. DU volunteers continued their tireless devotion to our mission.”