Abstracts

Presented by Karla Guyn - Email: k_guyn@ducks.ca

Since the 1930s and the emergence of waterfowl management as a profession, non-profits, government and academic institutions have partnered to advance its success. Initially these partnerships often focused on basic waterfowl life history then followed by growing interest in factors limiting populations. More recently, corporations and foundations began helping us better understand the multiple ecological benefits from wetlands, grasslands and other waterfowl habitats. These efforts emerged as we found zones of overlap between corporate business interests and our interests in habitat conservation. We believe these diverse ecological values will prove increasingly important for broadening public support for habitat conservation. An area of more recent concern has been the decline in waterfowl and wetland professorships at universities. Organizations have raised fears about the source of future skilled employees and leadership for directed research, teaching, outreach and conservation. We will discuss novel partnerships that have supported waterfowl/wetland research, potential partnerships in the future from new kinds of partners and the role partnership can have in securing university endowments. Much has been discussed in the media about the growing disconnect between youth/public and the natural world. To ensure we continue to have a pipeline of students entering in the profession, effort is needed to build these connections. Unique partnerships have emerged with primary schools, NGOs, corporations, governments and private donors. Growing these partnerships requires a broad network and innovative approaches to education and experiential learning.