Congressman Collin Peterson (center) accepts the Minnesota DU’s Elected Official of the Year award from (L to R) DU Farm Bill Specialist Scott McLeod, volunteers Perry Nodsle and Tim Roble, and DU Minnesota Director of Conservation Programs Ryan Heiniger

LAKEVILLE, Minn., Feb.26, 2008 –Ducks Unlimited announced recently conservation awards to recognize individuals for their commitment to improve Minnesota’s wetland and waterfowl resources.

DU Minnesota award recipients were:

· Partner of the Year - Leslie Tannahill, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources grants specialist.

· Professional of the Year - Bob Meyer, Minnesota DNR area wildlife manager

· Beyond the Call –David Zentner and Lance Ness

· Elected Official of the Year – Congressman Collin Peterson

“Both Leslie Tannahill and Bob Meyer have made tremendous and long-lasting contributions to wetlands and waterfowl conservation in Minnesota on behalf of the Minnesota DNR,” said Jon Schneider, DU manager of conservation programs for Minnesota.

Leslie Tannahill has worked for the DNR since 1988 and with the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife since 2000. Since 2003, she has coordinated, awarded and administered over $3.9 million in Heritage Enhancement grants to outdoors groups, including several to DU wetland habitat improvement projects. Tannahill also took the initiative to develop three $1 million and three smaller North American Wetland Conservation Act grants in partnership with DU and other wetland habitat groups across the state.

Bob Meyer has worked for the Minnesota DNR Section of Wildlife for over 37 years and has been actively involved with DU cooperative wetland projects since the start of DU’s habitat work in the Minnesota. Bob has been engaged in about 20 DU wetland and shallow lake projects that have successfully improved southwest Minnesota for waterfowl. Meyer and his DNR wildlife staff have been at the forefront of wetland protection and restoration since the 1980s.

“Meyer is one of those dedicated wildlife professionals who have a strong passion for improving the world for waterfowl, and his work ethic has not wavered one bit late in his career,” Schneider said. “We are thankful that he has remained so dedicated to wetlands over the years, and has stayed on the job to set the standard for the level of work we need to make a difference for the ducks.”

“As someone who would like to be hunting on any given day, I worked hard to keep programs like Sodsaver, WRP and CRP in the farm bill,” said Congressman Collin Peterson, DU Minnesota’s elected official of the year. “Ducks Unlimited has been an important part of the conservation scene for all the years I’ve been serving in both the Minnesota Senate, and in Congress. As a member of DU, I know that the voices of their members resonate with legislators, and their advocacy for waterfowl, wetlands and wildlife habitat is key to keeping these issues a priority at the local and national level.”

DU recognized David Zentner and Lance Ness with Beyond the Call awards for their leadership efforts as co-chairs of the rally for ducks, wetlands and clean water. The momentum created by the rallies in 2005 and 2006 played a key role in passing the Clean Water, Land and Legacy constitutional amendment.

DU’s Jon Schneider presents Leslie Tannahill with DU’s 2009 Minnesota Partner of the Year award