Ducks Unlimited (DU) is excited to announce that, following the relaunch of its Great Salt Lake Initiative in 2022 and with the generous support of numerous contributors, it has surpassed its private $5 million fundraising goal—three years ahead of schedule.

“This outstanding accomplishment is a testament to the dedication of DU’s staff and volunteers in advancing the recovery and conservation of Utah’s Great Salt Lake,” said Chris Bonsignore, manager of conservation programs. “When we relaunched the initiative in 2022, we hit the ground running. This milestone reflects the overwhelming positive response we’ve received and the significant strides we’ve made in such a short time.”

In 2022, the Great Salt Lake reached its lowest level in nearly two centuries. In some areas, high salinity levels threatened essential food sources for migratory birds. And dust from dry lakebed areas posed health risks to millions of Utahns. DU’s fundraising campaign aimed to support natural infrastructure solutions, focusing on replenishing the lake through wetland conservation. Originally set to raise $5 million over five years, the campaign has surpassed expectations and achieved its goal ahead of schedule. The initiative currently stands at $5.44 million. These private dollars have helped leveraged an additional $17.6 million of state and federal funding through NAWCA, Great Salt Lake Watershed Enhancement Trust, Utah Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry, Fire & State Lands, and Division of Wildlife Resources.

In fiscal year 2024, DU completed several key projects that conserved nearly 2,000 acres, bringing the total conserved acreage in Utah to more than 50,000. Over the next two years, DU plans to complete eight more projects which will conserve and enhance an additional 15,552 acres of habitat. DU will also begin assessing, planning, and implementing some of the first stream restoration projects along a 65-mile stretch of the Lower Bear River, the primary source of inflows to the Great Salt Lake.

“Thanks to the passionate support of DU’s donors, we’ve experienced tremendous fundraising success for the Great Salt Lake Initiative,” said Jessop Boden, DU’s director of development for Utah, Nevada, and Arizona. “This support has allowed us to significantly expand our conservation and policy efforts in Utah, accelerating our impact on this vital landscape in the Pacific Flyway.”

DU would like to thank our 120 private philanthropists who helped us reach this goal through their generous investment in this initiative. We would also like to recognize our corporate and foundation partners who answered our call to help the Great Salt Lake including The ALSAM Foundation, Scott A. Nielsen Family Foundation, Bonneville Environmental Foundation, Procter & Gamble, George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation, Marathon Petroleum Corporation, Enbridge Gas (formerly Dominion Energy), Utah Wetlands Foundation, Marc C. and Deborah H. Bingham Foundation, Glens Key, Janet Q. Lawson Foundation, Trace Minerals, and the Dan and Kim Huish Foundation.

While we are proud to celebrate the achievement of our initial $5 million private philanthropy goal for the Great Salt Lake Initiative, our mission is far from complete. Ducks Unlimited’s conservation and engineering team has identified more than $30 million in additional critical projects that remain essential to advancing our habitat, water, and conservation goals in the region. This milestone is an important step forward, but we must continue building momentum—raising additional funds and forging new partnerships—to ensure lasting conservation success for the Great Salt Lake and its vital ecosystems.

“DU is fully committed to restoring the Great Salt Lake for waterfowl, wildlife, and people,” said Jeff McCreary, DU’s director of operations for the western region. “We are deeply grateful for the support we’ve received and are excited for the work that lies ahead.”