Contact: Kelli Alfano
Public Affairs Coordinator
Ducks Unlimited
877/DU-GLARO or kalfano@ducks.org
MEDIA ALERT
Ducks Unlimited, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Michigan Department of Agriculture, USDA Farm Service Agency, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service host a Ceremonial Signing and Celebration of a Wetland Restoration Memorandum of Understanding
WHAT: A ceremonial signing and celebration of a Wetland Restoration Memorandum of Understanding - In commemoration of World Wetlands Day
WHEN: Friday, February 2, 2007 @ 3:15 - Wine and Cheese Reception Immediately Following
WHERE: Michigan Ducks Unlimited Annual State Convention - Holiday Inn Lansing, 7501 West Saginaw Highway
WHO: Ducks Unlimited (Host), Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Michigan Department of Agriculture, USDA Farm Service Agency, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
SUMMARY OF EVENT:
Over the past year, a coalition of state and federal agencies and conservation organizations came together to develop and sign a Memorandum of Understanding to encourage and support wetland conservation in Michigan.
This historic action signals a new era in cooperation and partnership for wetland conservation that will help ensure the future welfare of wetlands in Michigan.
Wetlands provide important functions and values for society including essential habitat for many fish and wildlife species, water quality improvement, storm water storage, groundwater recharge, and recreation. These functions and values contribute significantly to the economic vitality of the State of Michigan as well as quality of life for Michigan’s residents.
With more than one million supporters, Ducks Unlimited is the world’s leading wetland and waterfowl conservation group. Wetlands are nature’s most productive ecosystems, but the United States has lost more than half of its original wetlands, and continues to lose more than 80,000 wetland acres every year.
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