Insights

DUCKS AND AGRICULTURE

Continuing efforts to strengthen a bond based on trust and mutual respect

By Don Young, Executive Vice President

The late Aldo Leopold, a native of Iowa corn and bean country, wrote volumes about the conservation ethic during his extraordinary career. Many of Leopold’s views on the importance of land stewardship and its value to both man and wildlife are tied closely to the Ducks Unlimited conservation mission.

One of my favorite Leopold musings reflects a profound understanding of benefits resulting from responsible land management by the agricultural community. Perhaps Leopold’s words never rang more true than they do in today’s world. “When the land does well for its owner and the owner does well by his land—when both end up better by reason of partnership—we have conservation,” he wrote.

Ducks Unlimited has worked with willing farmers and ranchers for decades. Initially, these efforts focused solely on Canada’s prime waterfowl breeding grounds. Myriad additional programs have evolved since then, however, and now DU counts habitat conservation projects not only in all of Canada’s provinces but in all 50 states and Mexico.

The key to successful waterfowl conservation is assuring habitat conditions that support all species. Depending on the venue, our work might include the protection of existing high-quality habitat, restoration of wetland ecosystem functions, restoration of altered habitats, or enhancement of degraded habitats. Sometimes all of these strategies figure into this equation.

Partnerships with farmers and ranchers are crucial to our success. In this issue you will read about the potential of fall-seeded crops and their impact on prairie-nesting ducks, especially the pintail. Extensive research has shown that fall-seeded croplands are much more attractive to nesting ducks than spring-seeded crops because they provide better vegetative cover during the nesting season. In short, winter wheat can work wonders in terms of waterfowl production.

Ducks Unlimited’s work within the agricultural community is not limited to either end of the flyways. DU, in fact, is involved with hundreds of habitat projects on the breeding grounds and throughout the wintering grounds. Rice farmers in particular are our allies in helping to ensure healthy waterfowl populations.

In respect to the farmer/rancher’s role in waterfowl habitat conservation, Ducks Unlimited a number of years ago founded the Farming in the Flyways landowner recognition program. Those in the agricultural industry who have completed a wetlands or waterfowl project under the Wetlands Reserve Program, Conservation Reserve Program, or Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program qualify for this type of honor-roll recognition.

The vast majority of wetlands and other wildlife habitat remaining in our country are located on private lands. Responsible stewardship of those lands positively impacts us all.

“Conservation is a state of harmony between men and the land,” Leopold wrote. Ducks Unlimited concurs. And we’re here to help orchestrate that harmony whenever and wherever we can.