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Insights - Looking Back and Looking Forward
By Don Young, Executive Vice President
How do you measure success? Most corporations look at the bottom line-how much profit they make. A nonprofit conservation group like DU looks at a different bottom line-how much quality habitat is on the ground for waterfowl. This year, the people of Ducks Unlimited are celebrating a major milestone: We recently completed work on our 10 millionth acre of waterfowl habitat in North America.
DU is a forward-thinking organization. We're so busy carrying out our habitat mission and planning for the future that we rarely take time to step back and celebrate what we've accomplished. On the other hand, reaching such a significant milestone is certainly a cause for celebration, and each and every DU member and volunteer should be proud of being part of this conservation success story. Look inside this issue of Ducks Unlimited magazine for more about how you helped make it happen.
Ducks Unlimited Mission Statement Ducks Unlimited conserves, restores, and manages wetlands and associated habitats for North America's waterfowl. These habitats also benefit other wildlife and people.
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That's the good news. The bad news is that our work is far from over. Even with all of the wetlands, grasslands, and forests we restore and protect each year, we're still losing more than we're gaining. In fact, in North America we're losing hundreds of thousands of habitat acres every year. And the United States has lost more than half of its original wetlands. We need to act quickly, before it's too late.
In conjunction with DU Canada and DU de Mexico, we have developed a plan to combat this ongoing loss. Our International Conservation Plan is an aggressive strategy to conserve, restore, and protect our most important waterfowl habitats faster and more efficiently than ever before. It took us 65 years to reach the 10-million-acre mark. We need to conserve the next 10 million acres much more quickly.
Reaching the goals of this conservation plan will be one of our greatest challenges. Clearly, we will need to grow. We will need to grow our ability to have an effect on large areas of the landscape. We will need to grow our sources of revenue. And we will need to grow our base of support.
DU's core source of support has always come from North America's waterfowlers, who do more than any other group to conserve our wetland and waterfowl resources. That will never change. Indeed, we intend to attract legions of other waterfowlers who are not yet DU members. But waterfowlers shouldn't have to bear all of the responsibility for habitat conservation that benefits all of society.
As DU members and supporters, we know that wetlands are critical for ducks, and we also know that wetlands are critical for a multitude of other beneficiaries. But how many people outside of DU know that? And how many of those people would support our cause if they knew that wetlands support more than 900 wildlife species, provide invaluable recreation opportunities, ensure abundant and clean water, and control flooding?
A recent independent survey shows that 91 percent of Americans think it is important to protect and conserve wetlands, but 82 percent are not members of any conservation group. People want to help, but they don't know how. We need to let these people know that a contribution to DU is the best way for them to have a positive effect on the future of our natural resources. To effect this, we're communicating a step in that direction in this issue of Ducks Unlimited magazine. It's a single mission statement that provides continuity through DU's entire sphere of operations across North America and beyond.
While each of the three DU entities in North America had mission statements focusing on waterfowl conservation, there were minor variations in the wording. Our senior volunteer and staff leaders from all three DU entities-DU Inc., DU Canada, and DU de Mexico-decided that given our continent-wide cooperation and sharing of resources, it only made sense to have clarity and consistency in our mission statement. As a result, and after unanimous approval of the three boards of directors, the three DU operating entities now share the exact same mission statement.
A mission statement is a key document for any organization. It serves as a focal point and a rallying point. It helps guide an organization's long-term direction and provides context when dealing with new issues and opportunities.
It's important to point out a significant distinction here: While DU now has a common mission statement, its mission has not changed. In fact, this mission statement couldn't be more clear in describing what DU does: "DU conserves, restores, and manages wetlands and associated habitats for North America's waterfowl." That's the same, focused mission that has guided our operations for 65 years. And that's the same, simple mission that will continue to guide us well into the future.
With the addition of the second sentence, we are quite simply taking credit for what has always been the case. "These habitats also benefit other wildlife and people." This allows DU's current and potential supporters to recognize and promote the ancillary benefits of our waterfowl conservation work to other game species, other wildlife, and of course to people, particularly outdoors people. We refuse to stray from our waterfowl conservation roots that were developed more than 65 years ago. We welcome the opportunity to open new doors and to encourage others to join our noble cause. In the end, that will mean more habitat on the ground . . . and more ducks in the air.
Ten million acres of restored and protected habitat probably would have been inconceivable to DU's founders as they constructed their first wetland restoration project 65 years ago. But hard work, dedication, and forward thinking have made it a reality. Another 10 million acres in a fraction of that time might seem equally inconceivable to us today. To do it, we need to expand our reach and find new sources of support. At the same time we will maintain our focus, keeping our eyes glued to the same goal that our founders envisioned more than six decades ago-abundant, quality habitat for waterfowl and for the people who enjoy them. With your help, I know we can make it happen.
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September / October 2008 Issue
Feature Stories
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