PEORIA, Ill. – Aug. 17, 2010 – Ducks Unlimited has set a goal to raise $5 million in federal, state and private funds for wetland conservation work associated with Upper Peoria Lake and the Illinois River. DU CEO Dale Hall made the announcement today while attending an open house at Presley's Outdoor Store in Bartonville.
"Upper Peoria Lake has a rich tradition of waterfowl hunting that goes back for more than a century," Hall said. "Unfortunately, water quality conditions and loss of habitat have taken a toll on waterfowl and other wetland-dependent fish and wildlife species there. Ducks Unlimited is committed to helping bring back Upper Peoria Lake to its former status as a premier waterfowl area on the Illinois River. We've received outstanding support from local conservationists for our efforts across the continent."
DU's goal is to restore and protect up to 1,000 acres of wetland habitat at strategic sites located in and around Upper Peoria Lake at an estimated cost of $5 million.
According to Hall, DU is already making rapid strides towards that dollar goal. Approximately half of the money needed for the Upper Peoria Lake project has been committed through a proposal DU submitted earlier this year under the Mississippi River Basin Initiative. That particular funding is coming in the form of the Wetlands Reserve Enhancement Program and is implemented through a cooperative venture of DU and the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Hall said.
Eric Schenck, regional biologist for DU in Illinois, said wetland restoration and conservation are critical to the future ecological health of Upper Peoria Lake. "Wetlands help trap sediment and nutrients before they enter Upper Peoria Lake and the Illinois River," said Schenck. "The aquatic plants that grow in healthy wetlands also provide food for migrating ducks."
DU is looking to purchase additional lands over the next year that will become a local showcase for wetland restoration and conservation. DU is also identifying other sites where wetland habitat can be improved in cooperation with private landowners, Hall said.
"Initially we believed that it would take five years to achieve our goal for Upper Peoria Lake," Hall said. "From what I have seen, I wouldn't be surprised if we got there sooner. I know we can count on our other state, federal and philanthropic partners to help us raise the money that we need for this important effort and, for other high priority conservation work DU is doing across North America."
Ducks Unlimited is the world's largest non-profit organization dedicated to conserving North America's continually disappearing waterfowl habitats. Established in 1937, Ducks Unlimited has conserved more than 12 million acres thanks to contributions from more than a million supporters across the continent. Guided by science and dedicated to program efficiency, DU works toward the vision of wetlands sufficient to fill the skies with waterfowl today, tomorrow and forever.
Kristin Schrader
734.623.2000
kschrader@ducks.org