WASHINGTON – Sept. 9, 2009 – Ducks Unlimited Director of Governmental Affairs Scott Sutherland issued the following statement today in response to the announcement that Sen. Blanche Lincoln (Ark.) will be the new chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry:

"Ducks Unlimited applauds Senator Lincoln's new role. We look forward to working with her and the committee to promote programs that help America's farmers and ranchers conserve waterfowl habitat and preserve America's hunting traditions.

"Senator Lincoln is a leader for conservation initiatives, and we look forward to working with her in her new role. Her commitment to protecting and restoring wetlands across the nation was the reason that Ducks Unlimited awarded her the 2007 Wetland Conservation Achievement Award, and she is a consistent champion of public-private partnership programs such as the Wetlands Reserve Program and the North American Wetlands Conservation Act.

"Senator Lincoln has been a champion for the North American Wetlands Conservation Act for years, spearheading efforts year after year to ensure that the program, which has conserved more than 25 million acres across North America, is properly funded. As a member of the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission she has been responsible for millions of acres of conserved wetlands and waterfowl habitat, contributing to the rich waterfowling legacy of her home state of Arkansas."

With more than a million supporters, Ducks Unlimited is the world's largest and most effective wetland and waterfowl conservation organization and has conserved more than 12 million acres. 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 important to waterfowl each year.

Neil Shader
nshader@ducks.org
202.347.1530