07/12/2005: "$1 Million To SJC To Protect Wetlands"

ig_duck-1 (13k image) Ducks Unlimited is a not-for-profit organization that was started in 1937 by bird hunters who realized that wetlands and fields important to bird migration were in need of protection. Truth be told, the main reason for their original interest was to insure there would be a steady supply of birds to hunt.

That was then, this is now: in October of last year, the SJC Land Bank Commission was told that Duck Unlimited (DU) had obtained funds for major wetland restoration and protection in San Juan County. A rating system indicated SJC to have the highest score in the US. As a result of DU working with local groups and landowners in SJC, Ducks Unlimited was able to obtain a $1 million dollar grant.

To see how DU has evolved over the years, one only has to look at the names of the groups that are working with DU to preserve wetlands in San Juan County. According to a press release from DU " The partners include the San Juan Preservation Trust, San Juan County Land Bank, landowner Scott Meyers, San Juan County Conservation District, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, San Juan Islands School District and Friends of the San Juans. A small number of private landowners who commit to keeping the land for habitat for 25 years will have their land restored as part of the total project.

According to Dan Goner, the regional biologist for DU, " This area is important wintering habitat for Pacific brant and supports several thousand waterfowl and shorebirds during migration periods including lesser and greater scaup, and northern pintail. Our work here will also benefit a variety of species including seabirds, shorebirds, marine mammals and fish."

Ducks Unlimited now has more than a million supporters and claims to be the world's largest organization conserving wetlands and habitat for waterfowl. According to DU, the US is loosing more than 100,000 acres of wetlands each year.