Ducks Unlimited (DU) recently aquired a key property in the Rainwater Basins in Nebraska. The Hajny property is a 33-acre addition to the Smith Waterfowl Production Area (WPA) in Clay County. Once restored, the property will provide additional waterfowl habitat and significantly reduce the amount of soil washing into the 500-acre Smith WPA from surrounding farmland, greatly improving manageability of this important migration habitat for waterfowl.

DU acquired the property on June 5 with funding from a North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) grant. DU will transfer the property to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to be managed as part of the Smith WPA.