HOUSTON, Texas - May 18, 2010 - Ducks Unlimited volunteer Sam Smolik traveled from Houston, Texas, to Washington, D.C., last week to meet with congressional leaders and discuss wetlands conservation issues. Smolik and DU staff members sat down with Texas representatives and their staffs to explain the benefits of North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) grants for Texas and the North American waterfowl population.

L to R: DU volunteers Sam Smolik and Jim Talbert, Sen. Christopher "Kit" Bond of Missouri and DU staff members Scott Sutherland and Dr. Scott Yaich take a moment to pose for a photo while discussing wetlands conservation issues on Capitol Hill.

"There are currently 49 NAWCA projects either completed or are underway in Texas and we visited with these congressmen, senators and their staffs to remind them of the benefits NAWCA offers Texas residents," Smolik said. "DU is the only waterfowl-and-wetlands-oriented organization that has a voice in D.C., and we went to Capitol Hill to use that voice effectively for everyone's benefit."

Smolik met with Sen. John Cornyn of Texas on May 12. With more than $22.4 million in NAWCA funding, generating partner contributions of more than $45.2 million, NAWCA has been able to conserve 144,189 acres of wildlife habitat in Texas.

L to R: Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer of Missouri and DU volunteers Sam Smolik and Jim Talbert discuss wetlands conservation issues in Washington, D.C.

"Every group of DU volunteers and staff we host during Capitol Hill visits reacts positively to the experience and they fill an important role in educating Congress and their staff," said Scott Sutherland, director of DU's Governmental Affairs Office in Washington, D.C. "These meetings are highly productive and show members of Congress that people pay attention to effects on waterfowl which stem from their legislative decisions."

Ducks Unlimited is the world's largest nonprofit 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.

Chris Jennings
901.758.3732
cjennings@ducks.org