STOPPING THE PRESSES FOR WETLANDS AND WATERFOWL
Your support for wetlands conservation has made a difference

By Don Young, Executive Vice President

Rarely does a magazine publisher have the opportunity (or need) to issue the phrase dreaded by magazine staff: “Stop the presses!” In this case, a Friday afternoon decision to do so in mid-December proved to be a good one. Earlier that day, Ducks Unlimited had the good fortune to meet with President Bush to discuss the importance of protecting this nation’s vital wetlands (see lead story in this issue’s DU News). Thanks in part to more than 20,000 letters from DU supporters like you, the President indicated that it was his personal as well as his administration’s commitment to continue protection of America’s wetlands. Furthermore, the President indicated at that meeting his intention to formally announce this commitment the following week. With prospects of this remarkably good news coming in the next few days and with Ducks Unlimited magazine literally on the presses for publication that weekend, it only made sense to postpone its printing (no small feat) and modify its content in order to share this breaking good news with you.

This issue of Ducks Unlimited also contains the second article in a series titled Prairies Under Siege. The prairie breeding grounds are where Ducks Unlimited began its conservation work more than six decades ago, and the prairies remain our number-one priority area for conservation. But today those critical waterfowl habitats are more endangered than ever. In this issue’s installment, “New Threats to Ducks and Waterfowling,” you’ll learn about the myriad new and old threats facing this region.

Our prairie waterfowl habitats are under assault on a number of different fronts: continuing wetland losses, new agricultural practices, changes in important federal programs like the Conservation Reserve Program, and even repercussions from a case of Mad Cow Disease in Canada. It’s imperative that we as sportsmen-conservationists respond.

So what can you do? You have taken a very important step toward protecting our prairies by making the decision to support DU. DU is doing more than any other group to protect and restore our most critical waterfowl breeding areas, from setting aside valuable waterfowl habitats in perpetuity through conservation easements, to restoring individual prairie pothole wetlands, to working in Washington to ensure continuation of the conservation provisions in the Farm Bill.

By serving as an ambassador for the prairies and for DU in your local community, you can do even more. This is important for waterfowl enthusiasts across the continent. If you have friends who are concerned about the number of ducks in the sky, which largely stems from the amount of wetland habitat on the ground, urge them to join with you in the battle to save our prairies through support of DU’s conservation work. Call 800-45-DUCKS to find out how you can become one of more than 50,000 DU volunteers.

Saving our prairies and our country’s wetlands isn’t easy. But this issue’s breaking news about the Bush administration’s support for wetlands protection is a significant victory. And I’m delighted we did stop the presses to share this news with you. However, we must continue to remain vigilant, as there are other issues such as pending court cases that may affect wetlands protection in the future.

Once again, this nation’s sportsmen, who have always been its most ardent conservationists, helped tip the balance in favor of wildlife and their habitats and our outdoor traditions. You’ve demonstrated that, by expressing your views to your elected officials, you can individually and collectively make a difference for this nation’s precious wetlands and the waterfowl that depend upon them. Stay tuned for more about DU’s ongoing work and how you can continue to help.