FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Contact: Kelli Alfano,
Public Affairs Coordinator,
Ducks Unlimited
734-623-2000 or kalfano@ducks.org

Ducks Unlimited License Plates Generate Dollars for Wetland Conservation
State Rep. Kreuser presents check at DU annual convention

Wisconsin Dells, WI – Jan. 26, 2006 – Wisconsin Ducks Unlimited (DU) was presented a check for $39,539 at their annual state convention on January 21st, by Rep. Jim Kreuser, Wisconsin State Assembly- democratic leader on behalf of the State Department of Natural Resources. The check reflects revenue collected in 2005 from the sale of Ducks Unlimited license plates across Wisconsin.

Lon Knoedler, a Kenosha resident and DU Senior Vice-President for the Great Lakes Region, accepted the check from Kreuser. Knoedler noted that DU is the only wildlife organization in the state to have specialized plates saying, “The proceeds from these plates not only support Ducks Unlimited but the entire state as well. The efforts of DU lead to increased wildlife habitat, cleaner water and a better quality of life for the people of Wisconsin.”

The DU license plate was introduced in 1999 thanks in part to legislation from Kreuser. Last year DU received its first check for $7,500. Each year the plates are expected to generate approximately $40,000, which will be dedicated to conserving wetlands. Since its introduction, 2,210 DU license plates have been sold across the state.

“The work of an organization like Ducks Unlimited, especially during tough economic times from the state cannot be underestimated. Ducks Unlimited continues to step up on behalf of both hunters and conservationists across the state. I thank DU for its continued contributions to the enhancement and retention of wetlands. I look forward to continuing this successful partnership for years to come,” Kreuser said.

Information on purchasing the Wisconsin Ducks Unlimited license plates can be obtained by calling Kreuser’s office at 1-888-534-0064 or online through the Wisconsin Department of Transportation website http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/drivers/vehicles/personal/special/ducks.htm.

With more than a million supporters, Ducks Unlimited is the world’s largest and most effective wetland and waterfowl conservation organization. The United States alone has lost more than half of its original wetlands ­- nature’s most productive ecosystem - and continues to lose more than 80,000 wetland acres each year.

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