Abstracts

Presented by J. Dale James - Email: djames@ducks.org

The mission of Ducks Unlimited Inc. (DUI) is to conserve, restore and manage wetlands and associated habitats for North America’s waterfowl, while also realizing these habitats benefit other wildlife and society. To date DUI has conserved, restored or enhanced more than 6 million acres of habitat in the U.S, largely to support continental waterfowl populations and their habitat objectives defined through the North American Waterfowl Management Plan. In order to “maintain abundant and resilient waterfowl populations” in a time of shifting demographics and social change, achieving these goals requires broader support from societal segments that may have less interest in traditional waterfowl habitat conservation outcomes. We will discuss DUI’s contemporary efforts to prioritize quantification and communication of a broad suite of ecosystem services outcomes from our projects in addition to waterfowl habitat, such as flood abatement, carbon sequestration, water quality improvement and economic return on investment. We will also discuss how quantifying and communicating this broader suite of outcomes can be leveraged to cultivate a larger base of support for waterfowl habitat conservation, including engaging corporate social responsibility programs. It is envisioned that this diversification of support will accelerate the delivery of DUI’s habitat conservation at scales that will significantly impact wetlands ecosystems to benefit both waterfowl and the people that utilize them.