ducks unlimited awarded two $1 million north american wetlands

Ducks Unlimited • Great Lakes/Atlantic Region 1

Ducks unlimiteD awarDeD two $1 million north american wetlanDs conservation act grants for michigan In 2011, Ducks Unlimited received two $1 million North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) grants to deliver wetland and associated upland habitat conservation throughout lower Michigan. With a combined total of $2 million in NAWCA funding and a $4.6 million partner match, DU and its many conservation partners will conserve nearly 4,000 acres of waterfowl habitat in key areas of Michigan.

The Western Michigan Coastal Habitat Project will result in the acquisition, restoration and enhancement of more than 2,000 acres of wetland and upland habitat in Mason, Lake, Osceola, Oceana, Newaygo, Mecosta, Muskegon, Montcalm, Ottawa, Kent, Ionia and Allegan counties. DU and its partners in this effort, including the Land Conservancy of West Michigan, Muskegon Conservation District, Ottawa County Parks, City of Whitehall, Occidental Chemical, Conservation Resource Alliance, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and private citizens are providing $2.4 million of matching funds. Project implementation will begin in spring 2012.

The Saginaw Bay to Lake Erie Coastal Habitat Project Phase III is the third NAWCA grant in the past six years awarded to DU and its conservation partners to acquire, restore and enhance wetland and upland habitat in Ogemaw, Iosco, Gladwin, Arenac, Midland, Bay, Saginaw, Tuscola, Huron, Sanilac, Lapeer, St. Clair, Livingston, Oakland, Macomb, Jackson, Washtenaw, Wayne, Hillsdale, Lenawee and Monroe counties. Grant dollars matched by $2.2 million in funding from Automotive Components Holdings, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Michigan Nature Association, National Wild Turkey Federation, Saginaw Basin Land Conservancy, The Nature Conservancy and DU will be used to conserve more than 1,900 acres of habitat throughout eastern Michigan.

Since 1998, DU has received more than $10 million in NAWCA funds, which have resulted in the conservation of 30,000 acres of waterfowl habitat in Michigan.

Location of the Western Michigan Coastal Habitat Project (red) and Saginaw Bay to Lake Erie Coastal Habitat Project Phase III (yellow) NAWCA grants

2012 Conservation report • Celebrating DuCks unlimiteD’s 75th anniversary

MichiganGreAt LAkes /

AtLANtIC reGIoN

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nayanquing Point state wilDlife area enhancement In 2010, Ducks Unlimited received a $192,862 Great Lakes Restoration Initiative grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and pooled resources with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Michigan Duck Hunters Association to redesign and replace a failing pump and restore management capability to 448 acres of Great Lakes coastal habitat at Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area. With the completion of this project in fall 2011, DNR staff can once again effectively manage water levels within the 298-acre East Marsh, which provides critical production and migration habitat for waterfowl and other migratory birds, as well as the adjacent 150-acre C-Field, which is annually planted to agriculture and shallowly flooded in fall to provide high-quality migration habitat and public waterfowl hunting opportunities. DU and the DNR are co-hosting a dedication of this project on Saturday, Sept. 8, 2012. Stay tuned for more information about this event in the coming months, and please consider attending.

DU’s engineering staff provided the topographic survey, design, bidding, contracting and construction management services to replace the wetland management infrastructure impacting 448 acres of coastal habitat at Nayanquing Point.

first great lakes restoration initiative habitat Project comPleteD at shiawassee national wilDlife refugeon october 21, 2011, dozens of Ducks Unlimited staff and volunteers, conservation partners, legislators and media representatives gathered at Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge (SNWR) to celebrate the completion of a 141-acre wetland restoration. This wetland project has been recognized as the first habitat restoration completed under the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI), a five-year federal commitment to restoring the health of the Great Lakes.

DU utilized a $99,750 GLRI grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) Upper Mississippi River & Great Lakes Region Joint Venture, combined with financial support from the Saginaw Bay Watershed Initiative Network and SNWR, to implement this restoration of a former agricultural field adjacent to the Flint River back to its historic wetlands. DU provided the engineering and construction management services necessary to complete the project.

The dedication featured the unveiling of a bronze plaque commemorating the project partners and GLRI. DU Senior Vice President Chris Tracy facilitated the event, which featured presentations by leaders from DU, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, USFWS, Michigan’s Office of the Great Lakes and others.

DU and USFWS unveiled this permanent monument commemorating the completion of a 141-acre wetland restoration at Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge and the first habitat restoration project completed under GLRI.

Du continues suPPort of Private lanDs conservationDucks Unlimited has supported the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program (PFW) in Michigan for the last 15 years. Through PFW, USFWS restores and enhances wetlands and establishes native grasslands on private lands, effectively providing quality production and spring migration habitat for waterfowl. In 2011, USFWS used a combination of North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) grants, Land and Water Conservation Fund dollars and DU funds to restore 167 acres of emergent wetlands and establish 65 acres of native warm-season grasses on private lands in DU’s Southeast Lake Michigan Watershed priority area. An additional 156 acres of emergent wetlands and 245 acres of native warm-season grasses were restored in DU’s Saginaw Bay and Lake Erie Watershed priority areas.

H A b I t A t H A p p e N I N G s


maPle river state game area enhancements In 2012, through a partnership with the North American Wetlands Conservation Council, Upper Mississippi River/Great Lakes Region Joint Venture, Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Friends of the Maple River Watershed, Ducks Unlimited will initiate a wetland enhancement project at Maple River State Game Area in Gratiot County. DU’s engineering staff

will provide the topographic survey, design, bidding, contracting and construction management services, resulting in the enhancement of 833 acres of emergent wetlands within Maple River’s A, B, C and D units. The first phase of this project includes the replacement of a pump and water control structure that are used to manage wetland water levels within units A and B, bisected by U.S. Highway 127. The second phase includes the installation of a new pump and water control structure to provide improved wetland management in units C and D. The completion of this project will enable DNR staff to manage all four wetland units to their maximum productivity, thus providing critical breeding and migration habitat for waterfowl and other wetland species, and improved public hunting opportunities.

DU and partners are enhancing 833 acres of emergent wetlands at Maple River State Game Area.

Du anD usfws aDD 28 acres to the Detroit river international wilDlife refuge the brancheau Unit of the Detroit river International Wildlife refuge Refuge lies along the Lake Erie shoreline in Monroe County. In late 2010, Ducks Unlimited used North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) funding, combined with funding from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS), to help acquire the 28-acre Blanchett property and incorporate it into the Brancheau Unit. The refuge focused on this parcel due to its location along Swan Creek and its potential for restoration to wetlands and native prairie.

In 2011, DU and USFWS developed a restoration plan for the site and later included the restoration project in the recently awarded Saginaw Bay to Lake Erie Coastal Habitat Phase III NAWCA proposal. Restoration of this property to a mix of seasonal and emergent wetlands, lakeplain wet prairie and native warm-season grasses will help meet the habitat needs of waterfowl, other migratory birds and species of special concern. DU will provide the design and construction management services for this wetland restoration, which is expected to begin in 2013.

Du anD Partners Protect muD lakeAlong the eastern side of saginaw bay lies a sliver of land protruding into the bay known as Sand Point, which contains important wetland habitats that support a wide array of migratory waterfowl and other wildlife species. With funding from a North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) grant, Ducks Unlimited helped the Saginaw Basin Land Conservancy (SBLC) acquire and permanently protect 40 acres of wetland habitat at Mud Lake, expanding upon their 139-acre Sand Point Nature Preserve. This partnership has already begun planning to protect 48 additional acres around Mud Lake through the Saginaw Bay to Lake Erie Coastal Habitat Phase III NAWCA grant. The protection of wetland habitats such as those around Mud Lake provide critical breeding, migration and wintering habitat for migratory birds, fish and other wildlife species. Inclusion in SBLC’s Sand Point Nature Preserve ensures that recreational and educational opportunities are available to the public for many years to come.

DU and SBLC are protecting key wetlands on Saginaw Bay’s Sand Point.


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get michigan PriDe: Putting resources into Ducks everywhereMichigan prIDe (putting resources Into Ducks everywhere) is a major gift program developed by Ducks Unlimited to secure Major Sponsors in support of habitat conservation and our waterfowling heritage in the United States, Canada and Mexico, with special emphasis on the Great Lakes Initiative. Through this program, donors can designate their dollars to Michigan PRIDE to fund wetlands conservation in DU priority landscapes in the Great Lakes and across North America. In turn, PRIDE donors can be recognized on a DU project in Michigan. DU leverages funds raised through the PRIDE program against other funding sources, effectively turning each PRIDE dollar into four or more for conservation!

Within Michigan, DU targets its conservation activities in three priority watersheds (Saginaw Bay, Western Lake Erie and Southeast Lake Michigan) to conserve waterfowl and wildlife habitat. For 75 years, with the support of our volunteers, members and donors, DU has been successful in turning dollars into habitat throughout North America. Your gift will leave a legacy on the landscape to be enjoyed by future generations, and enhance our rich waterfowling heritage. To learn more about Michigan PRIDE, contact DU’s directors of development Doug Gorby or Todd Bishop at 734-623-2000, a DU regional director or a DU volunteer leader.

Phragmites control efforts get unDerway in the st. clair flatsDucks Unlimited and partners recently initiated phragmites control efforts in coastal wetlands along Lake St. Clair. Support for this effort is being provided by a $974,037 Great Lakes Restoration Initiative grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The project consists of three primary components: chemically and mechanically treating phragmites, monitoring the response of native vegetation, and educating the public on the negative impacts of phragmites. The project will attempt to eradicate a large portion of phragmites with herbicide treatments, followed by mowing or burning practices to remove standing dead stems on both state and private lands. This work will take place on 1,000 acres within St. Clair Flats Wildlife Area in St. Clair County, and an additional 200 acres on adjacent private lands.

Throughout the duration of the project, the enhanced wetlands will be monitored by DU staff to document the response of native vegetation and wildlife to management actions. Michigan Sea Grant is implementing a public education and outreach program as part of this effort to inform citizens about the impacts of phragmites and how to effectively manage and control this invasive species through new and innovative techniques.

Public Policy uPDatepublic policy plays a critical role in conserving Michigan’s wetlands and our waterfowl hunting tradition. In 2012, several policy issues are pending that impact wetlands and waterfowl:

• The North American Wetlands Conservation Act is currently up for reauthorization. Visit www.ducks.org/nawca to take action in support of this important program for waterfowl in Michigan and across North America.

• The Farm Bill is also up for reauthorization this year. Many conservation programs in the Farm Bill are critical for ducks and wetlands. Please contact your legislators and let them know you support a strong conservation title in the Farm Bill that includes the Wetlands Reserve Program, the Conservation Reserve Program and Sodsaver. Visit www.ducks.org/farmbill for more information.

• DU continues to work with Michigan legislators to secure a DU specialty license plate. Although we were unsuccessful in getting it through the legislature in 2011, new efforts will begin in fall 2012, so stay tuned for more information.

• Become part of DU’s Government Affairs Team by signing up at www.ducks.org/how-to-help/volunteer/public-policy-team-member. Contact Director of Public Policy Gildo Tori or State Policy Chairman Steve Wyckoff to learn how you can help DU with important policy issues in Michigan.


phragmites Control efforts

Maple river state Game Area

Nayanquing point state Wildlife Area

meet your michigan biologists

29 completed projects

137 acres protected

2,727 acres restored/enhanced

20,299 acres of technical assistance

$2,034,690 invested

2011AccompLishments

C o N s e r v A t I o N s U M M A r y

DUCks UNLIMIteDp R o j e c t s

completed featured

note: project points may represent more than one project.

Dane Cramer joined Ducks Unlimited in 2010, assuming the role of Regional Biologist for Michigan in 2011. Dane earned a B.S. from Pennsylvania State University and a M.S. from the University of Delaware, with past work with waterfowl use along Atlantic coastal marshes.

734.623.2000 • [email protected]

Michael sertle has directed Ducks Unlimited’s conservation programs in Indiana and southwest Michigan since May 2007. Michael holds a B.S. in Zoology from Western Illinois University, and an M.S. in Wildlife Management from Southern Illinois University–Carbondale.

734-623-2000 • [email protected]

www.ducks.org6

north american wetlanDs conservation act in 2012Ducks Unlimited has contributed a strong voice for wetlands conservation across North America for 75 years, and works as a voice for waterfowl protections in national and state public policy.

The North American Wetlands Conservation Act is the most significant federal program that DU partners with to protect and conserve habitat for North America’s migratory bird populations. This program provides grants to partner groups—private landowners, local companies, conservation organizations, and more—who have matched the grant funds by raising money from non-federal sources. These funds are then used to impact wetlands that are in need of protection, and competition for these funds means the match is typically 2-3 times the grant amount.

2012 will be critical for NAWCA in two ways. First, NAWCA requires reauthorization every five years, with the current bill expiring in 2012. DU is seeking congressional support for bills in the Senate and the House that would reauthorize the program until 2017. This would allow the Congress to fund these wetland grants.

Second, federal budgets are lean this year and funding for programs such as NAWCA are at risk. NAWCA brings in more money to the federal treasury than it cost. It also creates thousands of jobs each year, and creates business for hotels, restaurants, plant nurseries, construction companies, and many others. This program is an incredibly valuable tool for natural resource protection in this country. It deserves strong, active support from DU supporters.

please help by visiting www.ducks.org/nawca or by calling your senators and house member to express your support for nAWcA.

A gift of real estate is an excellent way to support Ducks Unlimited and take advantage of significant tax deductions. You have several options when donating real estate, each with unique benefits for both you and DU.

GivinG options:• Outright gift of real estate. Real estate that you no longer use or wish to own, but is owned outright and readily marketable can

be gifted to DU. Gifts of habitat lands are especially important to our mission.

• Gift of real estate with retained life use. You may gift your principle residence to DU and retain the right to continue to live and use the property for the rest of your life. Such a gift is deductible in the year the gift is made, not at the end of the retained life interest.

• Gift of real estate through CRT. For landowners who wish to continue to gain income from their property, there is an option called a Charitable Remainder trust, or CRT. The owner transfers the property to the trust, the trust sells the property, usually avoiding capital gains taxes (check with your tax advisor) and then the proceeds of the sale are invested to provide income to the owner for their life. The owner should receive a tax deduction for the gift and DU receives the balance of the trust after their death. There are a number of options available, please visit DU’s gift planning website at: http://www.ducks.org/conservation/land-protection/donations-or-gifts-of-land

sUppoRtinG the vision


celebrating 75 years of conservation successby Dale HallDucks Unlimited CEO

this year marks a very special time for Ducks Unlimited. On Jan. 29, 1937, the More Game Birds in America organization transitioned into what would become the greatest wetland and waterfowl habitat conservation organization in the world! Throughout this year, we will be celebrating our 75th anniversary, and we have a great deal to celebrate.

From our beginnings in Manitoba at Big Grass Marsh with a project that impacted 100,000 acres, to our current partnership with the Pew Charitable Trusts to conserve 1 billion acres in the vast boreal forests, our work has been based on the simple principle of cooperation with others. During DU’s first years, struggling farmers were DU’s best partners; the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression were in full swing

and significant acres of wetlands were being converted to farmland. The partnership with farmers was based on “water on the ground, ducks in the air,” and immediately elevated DU’s status as a group of people who wanted to roll up their sleeves and solve problems.

The very first volunteers to answer the call were hunters. Hunters seemed to intuitively know that in order to have enough ducks to enjoy our passionate and recuperative pursuit, there had to be healthy habitats. In 1934, when the depression had more people in bread lines and westward caravans than were gainfully employed, duck hunters lobbied Congress to require them to pay to go hunting! This was followed in 1937 by another tax lobbied for by hunters, as well as the firearm and ammunition industries, to place a tax on these items to be used only for conservation. This law is still in place today and supports state fish and wildlife agencies. Also in 1937, Ducks Unlimited Incorporated and Ducks Unlimited Canada were born.

With DUC as the original mechanism to deliver projects on the ground in Canada, our partnership has been long and rich with science-based decisions and volunteer-driven passion. Until the 1980s, all work done by DU was in Canada. Then science began to unveil the importance of migratory and wintering habitat. DUI has continued its partnership with DUC to conserve valuable nesting grounds, but has expanded to include projects in all 50 states. We are rapidly closing in on 13 million acres conserved in Canada and the United States, with a target of 750 million to 1 billion more acres conserved in the boreal forests of Canada. What an accomplishment to celebrate!

But as we celebrate these great successes along with our numerous partners, we must not become complacent and think the job is done. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, we are still losing more acres than we are able to conserve each year in the United States, and the pressures to convert valuable waterfowl habitat to other uses is greater than ever. In Canada and Mexico, those pressures are equally formidable.

Our challenges are great, but with the continued dedication of our volunteers, members and professional staff, Ducks Unlimited WILL NOT FAIL! I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible over the next 12 months as we celebrate 75 years of phenomenal accomplishment. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, DUCKS UNLIMITED!

sUppoRtinG the vision

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volunteers, major Donors, Partners, anD staff celebrate Project at fish Point state wilDlife areaIn 2010, Ducks Unlimited (DU) designed and replaced two aging pump structures at Fish Point State Wildlife Area with a larger, more efficient pump, allowing the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to more effectively manage water levels and wetland vegetation on 680 acres of emergent wetlands in the refuge and 310 acres of seasonally flooded agricultural crops that are made available for public hunting. This new pump was one of three installed at Fish Point by a group of partners that included the North American Wetlands Conservation Council, Fish Point Wildlife Association, DNR and DU. On Sept. 10, 2011, DU and the DNR co-hosted a dedication of this important wetland project. A large crowd of DU staff and supporters attended the dedication, which featured the unveiling of a bronze plaque commemorating the project partners and DU Major Donors. The dedication was preceded by a wetland tour that introduced volunteers and donors to the variety of wetlands conservation projects DU is able to participate in as a result of their financial support.

2011 volunteer conservationist of the year: steve wyckoffsteve Wyckoff was honored as the 2011 Michigan Volunteer Conservationist of the Year by staff in Ducks Unlimited’s Great Lakes/Atlantic Region. Steve received the award at DU’s Michigan state convention in recognition of his long-term commitment to furthering DU’s grassroots fundraising efforts, and especially for his more recent efforts to assist DU in the areas of development and conservation. Steve has held many leadership roles within DU, including Michigan state chairman and regional vice president, and he is currently the public policy chairman for the state. Steve is a lifelong conservationist and has worked with conservation partners over the years to implement wetlands restoration projects on his own property.

Recently, Steve has committed countless hours to working with the Michigan United Conservation Clubs, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and others on statewide conservation and public policy initiatives. Through these efforts, Steve has been a crucial teammate in helping DU develop habitat projects and programs, cultivate and steward Major Donors, testify on mission-critical state legislation, all the while maintaining his involvement in grassroots fundraising efforts. It is DU’s honor to recognize Steve as the 2011 Volunteer Conservationist of the Year for his steadfast and determined dedication to DU’s mission.

f r I e N D s o f D U C k s U N L I M I t e D

Ducks Unlimited conserves, restores

and manages wetlands and associated habitats for

North America’s waterfowl. these habitats also

benefit other wildlife and people.1220 Eisenhower Place, Ann Arbor, MI 48108

734.623.2000 • 734.623.2035 (Fax)

DU Major Donors gather around the plaque unveiled during the dedication of DU’s recent project at Fish Point Wildlife Area.

Long-time DU volunteer and supporter Steve Wyckoff receives the 2011 Volunteer Conservationist of the Year award from Becky Humphries, Director of the Great Lakes/Atlantic Region.

ducks unlimited awarded two $1 million north american wetlands

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