HASTINGS, Neb., Feb. 27, 2009 - Ducks Unlimited professionals are held in high esteem by their peers and one professional in Nebraska was recently recognized for his efforts in the Rainwater Basin. The Rainwater Basin Joint Venture awarded Manager of Conservation Programs Steve Donovan with a Wetland Stewardship Award. The annual award recognizes exceptional contributions to the conservation of wetland habitat in the Rainwater Basin.
Steve was recognized for his accomplishments in conserving waterfowl habitat through various programs, including conservation easements, revolving lands and restoration. Steve’s efforts have helped expand the DU owned Verona Complex in Clay County as well as public lands including the Hansen Waterfowl Production Area.
Steve has been the catalyst for several grants received for habitat projects in the Rainwater Basin. The beneficiaries of these grants are typically state and federal agencies, landowners and other partners. Steve’s efforts have led to improving public hunting areas, expanding public lands and helping landowners protect waterfowl habitat on their properties.
Steve has been able to help several partners take advantage of opportunities to protect or restore valuable wetlands that they would otherwise have had to pass up because of budget or other constraints. One example is the Macon Lakes Waterfowl Production Area. Restoration costs for this property were beyond what the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was able to allot to the area. Steve was able to obtain funding not only to conduct the needed restoration activities on Macon Lakes but also on additional WPAs in the Rainwater Basin.
“The true measure of Steve’s worthiness for this award is his dedication, passion and ability to realize those opportunities that others only dream about,” said Jonas Davis, DU regional biologist in Nebraska.
Additional awards were given to Joel Jorgensen, non-game bird program manager for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and Katie Lemke, resource conservationist for the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
The Rainwater Basin Joint Venture is a region-wide partnership of organizations, agencies, and individuals who achieve their respective and mutual goals by cooperating and finding common ground. More information about the Joint Venture is at www.rwbjv.org.
With more than a million supporters, Ducks Unlimited is the world’s largest and most effective wetland and waterfowl conservation organization with more than 12 million acres conserved. 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.