Ridgeland, MS, March 28, 2005 - Ducks Unlimited (DU) is pleased to announce that Chad Courville was the recipient of the Louisiana Wildlife Federation's (LWF) 2004 Professional Conservationist of the Year award. Courville received the award at the 41st Conservation Achievement Recognition Banquet held on March 6th in Monroe, LA, where the LWF convened for its 66th Annual Meeting. The awards were presented by Jerome Ringo, Chairman-Elect of the National Wildlife Federation and Dwight Landreneau, Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries representing Governor Kathleen Blanco.

The annual Governor's State Conservation Achievement Awards program seeks to recognize those individuals, organizations and businesses that have made significant and outstanding contributions toward the protection and wise use of the state's natural resources - its air, soil and minerals, its forests, waters and wildlife.



Chad Courville receives the Professional Conservationist of the Year award from Dwight Landreneau, Secretary of Louisiana Department Wildlife and Fisheries and Jerome Ringo, Chairman-Elect of the National Wildlife Federation.

Courville was awarded the Professional Conservationist of the Year award for his significant contributions to the management, enhancement, and protection of Louisiana's fish, wildlife, air, water, soil, and forest resources. He resides with his wife Kylee in Lafayette, LA, has worked for DU for 5 years as a project and regional biologist, working with private landowners along the Louisiana coast interested in enhancing their property for waterfowl and other wetland-dependent wildlife.

"Chad is a proven achiever. He has played a significant role in delivery of our conservation programs along the Louisiana Gulf Coast," said Hugh Bateman, Ducks Unlimited's Director of Conservation Programs for Louisiana. "Ducks Unlimited has accomplished a lot in Louisiana, thanks in large part, to Chad's interest and commitment to sustaining our state's wetland and waterfowl resources."

Courville has played a key role in regrouping support among waterfowlers for DU's wetland conservation efforts through development and delivery of educational outreach programming. He has melded a strong working relationship with farmers and marshland owners, particularly in south Louisiana, that has led to thousands of acres of wetlands being managed for the benefit of ducks and other wetland dependent wildlife.

"I take great pride in accepting this award on behalf of Ducks Unlimited and the thousands of dedicated DU members and volunteers throughout the state of Louisiana," says Chad Courville. "Without their support, Ducks Unlimited would not be able to complete habitat restoration projects along the coast that annually benefit thousands of wintering waterfowl."

Courville will continue to assist in implementing and coordinating the organization's involvement with local, state and federal agencies along the Louisiana Gulf Coast. DU has received several North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) grants for restoration and enhancement work in coastal marsh habitats. Courville will oversee DU's interest in Louisiana's coastal restoration activities, which focuses on restoring marsh habitats through a variety of restoration techniques including marsh terracing, hydrologic restorations, and crevasse splays. These techniques restore important submerged and emergent vegetation in areas where extensive marsh loss has occurred. He will also continue to support wetland enhancement projects on state-owned lands, as well as provide technical assistance to private landowners.

Contact: Chad Manlove, Manager of Conservation Planning, cmanlove@ducks.org

With more than a million a supporters, Ducks Unlimited is the world's largest wetland and waterfowl conservation group. The United States alone has lost more than half of its original wetlands, nature's most productive ecosystems, and continues to lose more than 100,000 wetland acres every year.